Yucky Stuff

When I was a bride-to-be, many of my married girlfriends offered me advice about making the transition from "swingin' single" to "wise wife." (Yes, the titles are exaggerated only because I like literation.) One bit of advice that will forever remain in my mind came from my friend Karen Borerro. Karen has this charming way of being frank without being offensive and I really miss her. She said to me "Angela, marriage is wonderful but it is also hard. What you've got to remember and be prepared for is that everyone has his own yucky stuff!" I always loved how she phrased that. And I find it so true in life. Not only with marriage, but with children.

Believe me, "yucky stuff" is both figurative and literal! And with children, it is usually the literal. So today, I am going to write about something a little...OK, A LOT, yucky. But I am going to do my best to cut down on the mental pictures. The reason why I am going to share this story is two-fold.

#1 I want this blog to be fresh and honest and not paint a picture of me as some sort of cookie baking, pearl wearing, boo-boo healing, forever smiling Harriet Nelson who has the perfect life, husband and children.

#2 I spent the past few days worried about my baby boy when nothing was wrong with him and if I can relieve other parents or care givers who may have the same worry, I need to do it!

OK, here's where it gets a little yucky. Zayden had not had a bowl movement since last Thursday. Otherwise, the little guy seemed fine. No fever, no constant pain, no change in his sleeping patterns, just no dirty diapers. After a call to his pediatrician this morning, I learned the following.

1. It is perfectly normal for breast fed babies (older than 8 weeks of age) to occasionally go a solid week without having a bowl movement.
2. Formula fed babies (older than 8 weeks) may go as long as 4 days without a bowl movement before there should be cause for concern.

So instead of worrying, I should have basked in the luxury of stink-free diaper changes. However, please let me stress that I am not a doctor (as if I need to stress that!). If your parental instincts send you an alert please call your pediatrician. You can also read more about this on WebMD (type in frequency of bowl movements in babies). So please do your own research and stay in contact with your pediatrician, but from what I have learned there is no need to panic. Whew! And by the way, Zayden's intestines are doing their job just fine today. Right after I got off the phone with the pediatrician he gave me one of those smiles (parents know the one I'm talking about) that signaled to me that all was going to be just fine...as long as I could hold me nose.

And Karen Borerro, if you are reading this...thank you!