A Day I Never Want to Relive

The first couple of weeks of baby deux's life were seamless. She slept all of the time, her big sister adored her. I was getting great sleep and the house was put together. And then. Well she woke up. She cried. And cried. And cried some more. If you asked big sister what baby sister does, she would answer "Baby only cries." It was heart breaking to me, (nerve wracking to the husband).

Just shy of baby deux's first month she was sleeping in the rock-n-play in the living room upstairs. Big sister and I had been eating breakfast and watching Mickey Mouse in the same room. I looked over at her and she was blue, and not just tinged but like full on dark blue turning gray. Her eyes were bugged out of her head and not a sound to be made by her. Her head was cranked back at some unhuman angle and I thought "oh my gosh she is siezing."

I scooped her up flipped her belly down and proceeded to do the hymlic (thank goodness for infant CPR certifications).  I then flipped her back over and suctioned her mouth and throat out. I got blood and lots of frothy mucus. After what seemed like an eternity - cries. Feeble at first turing to loud angry hurt cries. I immediately felt relief, thank goodness she is breathing, followed closely by terror.

I immediately called the doctor who instructed us to go to the closest ER. Racing around as I was throwing stuff in a bag I called the husband, grabbed both children and started buckling them into the car. My husband gets home in record speed and jumps in the drivers seat and we are off. I am in the back with my eyes glued to the baby. I chant please do not seize or choke or stop breathing, over and over until we arrive at the hospital.

Once we arrived we rush in, to stand in line. Yup there is a line in the ER full of germs. YUCK. My doctor had called in our emergency and a  PICU nurse was waiting for us. Thank goodness. We are escorted upstairs and the pediatrician on call comes right in. After assessing her, asking lots of questions it is determined that she choked on spit up. She has reflux. Badly. Her throat was already swollen and raw from it (at a mere few weeks old). She was prescribed meds, instructed to stay up right for up to an hour after feedings and sleep in an inclined positions.

We were discharged. The baby was held ALL day. The thought of just not catching it in time scared the bejesus out of me. Two years of parenting and the first ER trip, though with the dare devil of an older sister I am sure not the last!

I think six months later I am now just beginning to sleep without seeing that sight.

An update on the reflux. This poor child has it badly. Constant spit up. She eats and moves - it comes right back up. She gets sick, lots of spit up. Lots of choking. Lots of medicine. I am happy to report now though at 6 months we are starting to show some improvement. Less crying, more sleeping - still the same amount of spit up. Oh well we have gotten used to that part!