On Strike???

Well, today was fun....we woke up this morning to Jeddy screaming and crying at 7am. I had just finished feeding Ella so I asked Scott to go see what was wrong. He found Jed standing in his room with a bottle of aveeno baby soap. He had poured out half the bottle all over the floor and was brushing his teeth with it. At some point he must have decided to rub his eyes cause they were covered with soap suds. Nice...very nice wake up call on a Sunday morning. :) So, Scott showered him off, he got into trouble and we didn't really think much else of it. Fast forward a few hours... I went to pick up Jeddy from the nursery after church and he has these red bumps all over his arms...and chest...and neck...and back. Looks like an allergic reaction that I get from laundry detergent. Anyhow, by time we get home the bumps are gone. So once I again...I don't worry about it. After nap time he had diarrhea really bad and continued to for the rest of the night. (I guess that's what happens when you brush your teeth with soap!)

A few hours later Scott and I were headed to bed with Ella. She woke up and wanted to eat but I asked Scott to keep her for a minute while I pinned up my hair. She was fussing, so he gave her his knuckle (like we've done with all the kids) to calm her until I was done. I finished and came to get her to feed her. When I sat down with her she wouldn't latch on...it seemed like she was trying, but not getting it. Strange...because she's been nursing for a month now without any problems. Well, this continues all night. She didn't latch once! She would fall asleep with me for a few minutes only to wake up hungry again and NOT latch... so after less than an hour of sleep we get up for the day. I realize it's been almost 12 hours since she has eaten anything, and start to get a little panicked....I had to pump and bottle feed fer for the afternoon. While I looked online and called lactation consultants (who told me they felt under qualified to answer my question...and after breastfeeding 7 kids - I should be leading their meetings) to try and figure out what is wrong with her! I kept thinking, "What if she doesn't latch again??? What if I have to pump and bottle feed!??" all the while PRAYING we would figure out what is going on!...so come after nap time I go to get Jeddy up (who still has diarrhea) and he is covered in red bumps... head to toe, and he won't open his eyes.

At this point I was ready to fall apart. Scott's at work, I have 8 kids here, 1 with diarrhea, red bumps, and won't wake up, and another that won't eat! So, I did what anyone would do....I called my Mom. :) I tried to stay calm and just ask her advice about Jed...she said I could call the nurse hotline. Then when I started to tell her about Ella....it all came out and I started crying. (I'm sure the one hour of sleep played a part here...) Then she told me that her and Robbie were coming over to help. I hung up and called the nurse. Of course, as soon as I'm on the phone Jed opens his eyes and starts asking for "Quackers!" and "Juish!"....ok some relief there. The nurse said not to worry about the rash, which I found out was actually hives...and that he would have had to swallow ALOT of soap for it to hurt him...phewf...my mom and Robbie got here and the hives were gone again. We had pizza for dinner and she cleaned... like usual! :P

So back to Ella. One lactation consultant had mentioned that babies sometimes go on nursing "strikes" and that having lots of skin-to- skin contact would coax them back to nursing. Who ever heard of a baby going on strike!? Seriously... but I figured it was worth a shot...and when everyone left I striped her down to a diaper, put on a tank top, and kept her on my chest. Just as suddenly as she stopped nursing.... she started again. Thankfully her "strike" didn't last too long. Who'd have thought...

Thankful for our answered prayers, we climbed into bed and fell asleep cuddled up for the rest of the night. :)