Parenting Can Be Stinky Business

Well, today started like any other. I woke up with Maddie at 4:45 am. She had been asleep since 8:30 pm last night and was obviously hungry. After she ate, but before she was ready to shut her little eyes to sleep, she let out with some crazy screaming and crying. The culprit was GAS. The girl has got it. It’s horrible and very un-lady like and I am afraid the poor baby will be plagued with it her entire life. She has her father’s sensitive stomach. They eat like pigs rooting around in a trough and then wonder why they have an upset stomach about 10 minutes later. Madeline’s irritable stomach is part of the reason I quit nursing her. It was the main reason. It did not matter the adjustments I made to my diet, she still had horrible pains in her little tummy and couldn’t get it out. So, I put her on formula specifically for gassiness and fussiness associated with gas. I noticed a difference in her behavior within the first 12 hours. “Wonderful,” I thought, “we can finally be rid of the tummy aches.” Little did I know that, now, instead of just having gas rumbling in her little tummy, it would be coming out quite easily. This was great relief for her, but bad news for us. I have dubbed her “Daddy’s Little Machine Gun” When she toots, it literally comes out in bursts that sound like a machine gun with air coming out instead of bullets. And I am amazed when she burps. She puts grown men to shame. I asked her pediatrician about it, and he said to start her on cereal. Well, that had her in terrible pains and she couldn’t get rid of it very easily. So, she won’t be getting anything except formula until her digestive track matures. I cannot believe I am writing a blog about this, but she cannot be the only infant with this extreme problem. I am reaching out to mothers and fathers everywhere for their advice, thoughts, and experiences with this problem. Help Maddie get rid of the G~A~S!