Two Weeks
October 14, 2005
SOME RANDOM SEMI-RELATED THOUGHTS AND MILESTONES WITH NO NARRATIVE STRUCTURE WHATSOEVER, JUST BECAUSE I AM DETERMINED NOT TO WRITE ONE OF THOSE "DEAR BABY" LETTERS THAT EVERBODY ON EARTH DOES.
Two weeks ago today, I had a baby. We named him Noah because we liked it, and as Diana pointed out, the only Noahs most people know are "the Bible guy and Hot Doctor Carter."
His middle name, Corbin, is the Latin version of my maiden name. It was Jason's top choice for a first name -- a choice I vetoed strongly because of Corbin Bernsen and also because I suspected Jason really liked it because The Fifth Element is one of his favorite movies, the big adorable nerd.
Noah has sandy brown hair that's getting lighter and blonder by the day.
His eye color continues to be a mystery.
He has a very pronounced overbite that he got from me. I'm sorry. I'm living proof that it can be fixed by middle school, however, so that's a plus.
He has a very deep dimple on his left cheek.
His umbilical stump fell off too soon and had to be cauterized. It's still icky but it looks like a nice little innie belly button is forming beneath the ick.
He has a small birthmark on his left arm that oddly, was not there at birth.
He smiles a little when Jason strokes his head. He screams when I do it.
He weighed 10 pounds, 1 ounce at Wednesday's doctor's visit -- he's gained back everything he lost and then some. I was officially declared the superstar...um, lactater of the lactation practice.
The pump has now been downgraded to necessary evil to a use-for-convenience-sake kind of thing, i.e. when Mama wants to drink some delicious wine.
Although he's over his birth weight, he looks nothing like the fat, rolly-polly newborn I had at the hospital. His body is long and lean with just a few little chubby spots, although he does seem to have like, six chins.
Orange juice makes his tummy very, very mad.
My thrush symptoms are all but gone, and his mouth is spot free. The only persistant sign of the infection is the horrible, stubborn rash on his bottom.
I have started saying "bottom" instead of "ass" or even "butt."
Things That Have Been Tried On The Evil Diaper Rash That Have Not Yet Worked, And Any Suggestions Not Found On This List Would Be Appreciated:
1) Desitin (Creamy AND Regular), Balmex, Dr. Bordreauxhoweveryouspellit's Butt Paste
2) Perscription-strength butt paste.
3) Centany ointment.
4) Gentian Violet.
5) Apple Cider Vinegar solution (which to be fair, was only tried once, but my GOD, THE SCREAMING)
6) Cetaphil and warm water instead of baby wipes.
The Thrush Incident has us sterilizing everything that comes within a foot of Noah's mouth or my boobs and washing our hands constantly, like creepy Howard-Hughes-In-The-Aviator constantly.
Also, why didn't anybody tell me what an awful, awful movie The Aviator was? I feel like I should have been warned. I was at least warned about A.I. so it was my own fault for wasting like, five hours of my life watching THAT ponderous piece of shit.
The problem with Netflix is that you need to mail movies back before they'll send you more, which is unfair because that means I'm expected to go to an actual mailbox which is really, really difficult all of a sudden.
My shoes fit.
My wedding rings don't.
My tummy is going down, but is still a mushy little pooch of overextended flesh.
My pre-pregnancy jeans still don't fit. Damn mushy pooch.
I went to The Gap and bought a pair of Emergency Fat Jeans two sizes above what I used to wear. When I got them home I realized I'd forgotten to test them while sitting down, which, OW.
And HOT DAMN. I FEEL FAT AND HIDEOUS. I know I should suck it up and get some goddamn perspective, but I can't right now. Chalk it up as another deep personal failing on my part.
I really, really love my diaper bag. SO THERE.
I was recognized by a reader at Panera, and by my neighbor across the street. It's weird, yet awesome. Except that I always hope they aren't thinking about my nipples.
Not that I could blame them, because I have talked about my nipples a hell of a lot lately.
If anyone else out there gets nipple thrush, I highly recommend the apple cider vinegar solution -- one tablespoon vinegar and one cup water, apply with a cotton ball after feedings. It'll clear things right up (well, at least when combined with Diflucan and a prescription cream) and is less messy than that Gentian-Violet-Smurf-Nipple-Purply-Blue stuff, which I cannot stand.
I'm terrified to let Noah grow up.
When I think of sending him out in the world where other kids will be mean to him...where his feelings will get hurt and I cannot make it better...where some adults think nothing of hurting children...where I cannot protect his little heart and body from All Bad Things...
I start to shake with anxiety because MY GOD, my love for this child. It's off the charts.
Well.
(I'm...um...also anxious because apparently it has been decreed that we all must give up lip gloss and go back to matte lipstick for fall, and I'm not sure I'm up to it, emotionally speaking.)
Hooray for the demise of the thrush! :-) No advice re: persistent bottom rash, however. It sounds like you've tried just about everything-!
Oh my, he's gorgeous. And my 2 cents worth on the diaper rash is to try to let his little bottom air out as much as possible. Put a towel loosely under/over his privates and let that little tushy breathe. Cream-wise, I think Aveeno worked best for my youngest.
From another Noah mommy,
Thanks for not doing a letter. ;)
Those pictures are so sweet. In the one with Jason, it looks like he's saluting you (as well he should be - right?) and in another, looks like he's waving hello. I say that's pretty advanced for being days old.
OH Amy and Jason, he is just scrumptious! And large too! wow, who woulda thunk you'd birth a little man-baby!? Anyway, glad to know you seem to be adjusting to your new little family.
There are alot of us out here in innernet land who are very happy for you and look forward to watching Noah grow into a handsome young man. Or at least hearing about the jackass-funny things that will happen in your household!
You probably already know this, but it helps to let his little bottom completely dry off before putting a new diaper or any sort of cream on him. We use those packages of useless cloth diapers -- the ones that are too small to actually be diapers and usually end up being used as burp clothes -- as butt drying towels. After a few pats with the towel we let our little guy dry as long as possible before re-diapering. When he was very young, I'd drape the drying towel over him to stop the pee fountain from catching me in the eye while I waited. I know this isn't a cure for diaper rash, but it did seem to speed up recovery.
I am late, but: Congratulations on that beautiful little boy of yours. And your birth story was really, really touching.
he is so adorable! i feel like i should have some diaper rash advice (assvice? HA-HA) after being a nanny for two years...but all i know about is the heavy duty prescription stuff.
it cracks me up how it looks like he's making gang signs in 2 of the pictures.
good god, i think your baby just made me ovulate. he is SO incredibly cute. my boyfriend is about to kill me, i've got baby fever. what can i say, when you see these beautiful little bundles of flesh how can you not want one?
I really, really recommend Aquaphor for the diaper rash. It works like a charm.
The only thing that I didn't see on the diaper rash treatment list is A&D Ointment. A friend of mine used to believe it possessed magical properties, but I just remember the smell... not fondly.
I am really enjoying reading about Noah. It brings back so many wonderful memories. Thanks so being so open!
Oh, and the matte lip thing... nah.
I know this was only a tiny mention in this post and does not even compare to how cute and adorable your son it, but if I may ask, what did you do to have your overbite corrected?? I had surgery on mine and mine grew back, my daughter has the same problem only I believe hers is much worse than mine ever was at this age anyway (she's 3)???? Anyway sorry to take away from what should be aawwwing, but I was just curious.
We have been using the A&D creamy on our 15 month old since she got a bad case of diaper rash in the NICU. It doesn't really have a smell (the regular kind - which looks sort of like petroleum jelly DOES have a stench) - which is a plus.
Anyway, Chloe has only had diaper rash TWICE since the NICU incident. :) (and I blame my mom for both of them!)
Awesome post and pics. Thanks Amy.
Oh my god! He is such a beautiful baby! I've been keeping up with your blog for a while now, and totally made a fool of myself more than once with my sniffling and full on tears and snot routines after one of your posts. With some bloggers I just plain don't care cos they're just not funny and their pain isn't expressed through sarcasm and barely supressed snark. They suck teh bum. Anyone funny...gets me right there *thumps chest in the vague vicinity of heart* So hi!
oooohhh. You asked for advice. From the internet. Crazy, crazyness......
p.s. The pics just keep on getting cuter. Are you trying to make me keel over from cuteness???
Lotramin-yes the foot fungus cream!! It worked miracles for my 2 little one's diaper rash. I was a disbeliever until I saw it with my own eyes.
Oh and I need to add to my last post: The Fifth Element was a GREAT movie. Yes, yes...I am a nerd as well.
I've got a 17 month old, and we've been through the yeasty diaper rash thing a few times. My faves:
-Grapefruit Seed Extract diluted about 1 drop per ounce of water (in the water/vinegar concoction, wipes solution, in the wash (15 drops in a small water level final "rinse"), etc) It works as a preventative too, if you have recurrent yeasty problems.
-Plain water on baby washcloths as wipes
-Burts Bees diaper ointment
-plenty of air time, air dry between diaper changes, sleep naked if possible, etc.
and, when all else fails, or it's really bad, generic
-1% clotrimazole (or Lotrimin)
I put the clotrimazole on 2 times a day for a couple of days (even if it clears up right away, so it doesn't rebound). I try to do it when he'll have the diaper on for a while (like betime and a naptime). Put it on lightly and then dry/soak in a little and cover with a diaper cream before putting the new diaper on.
I hear you about the mushy belly thing...I must warn you it doesn't disappear easily...I still have mine, a canvas for the stretch marks, despite all the bottles of cocoa butter with collagen and VitE that I've used in the last two years...
Noah's a beautiful boy!
That lipstick thing HAS to be a lie! Also? He's just so beautiful!
I know nothing about diaper rash. But when I went to Germany the first time someone told me to pick up some Penaten Cream, because it would come in handy for diaper rash when I had my own kids. So, I bought two tins of it. I don't know if it works (since my baby is still in my belly), but it's worth a shot. (you don't have to go to Europe to get it-just buy it online!!)
Good luck.
Cute pics and great update. Thanks for sharing.
I agree! "The Aviator" totally sucked!
This seasoned mother of three swears by cornstarch for any type of rash on the precious popo. I kept a little flour shaker on the changing table filled with it-never use the wonderful smelling powders. Also, when it's really bad, set a blowdryer on the coolest setting and help speed the airdrying process along. Letting Noah hang out sans the diaper every once in a while helps too, but you've got to take the necessary precautions to prevent any golden showers. Cornstarch though, it's a lifesaver!
I agree with whoever recommended an antifungal. Lotrimin, any of them--they are in fact all the same, regardless of what is on the box (a pharmacist told me that!) Thrush is fungal, right? So any antifungal cream will work. Then cover with a thick coat of Desitin. I did this for a bad diaper rash, too, because that often turns fungal (per my pediatrician.)
And that baby is adorable! Congratulations!
Ok, I have to admit that I would be insanely jealous if you even came close to fitting in your pre-preg. jeans already. Though for your sake, here's to a quick shape recovery!
My son never had particularly bad diaper rash, though certain brands of wipes seemed to make it worse. When it was at the worst, I basically used just water and gentle fabric to clean his bum, and LOTS of air dry time. Alcohol-free wipes are probably nicer to his poor skin. For us, it didn't seem like diaper rash creams did much to alleviate the irritation.
As your son grows older, you'll be able to deal with him growing older and dealing with the cold, harsh world, promise. When mine was a newborn I could bring myself to anxious tears over worrying about the stuff you talk about. But it all works out ok. Of course, you'll still probably be a mess the first few times you drop him off at daycare etc. But it will all be fine!
Sounds like things are going great after a couple of tough weeks!
I've also used Lotrimin - though I was horrified to find that, after searching high and low in the baby aisle at the drug store it was actually used for jock itch. On my little baby??? But it works.
If the diaper rash gets really bad then call your pediatrician and they'll call in a prescription for...i think it's nystatin?
Something else I didn't see on your list is Aquaphor. The stuff is amazing. Smear some on the bum to prevent irritation, on the chin when he starts drooling, and my husband uses it on his hands when they're chapped in the winter.
And he's precious! :)
we cloth diaper and as cream doesnt wash out of them very well, we got creative. this is what i swear by (and my daughter has eczema and sensitive skin and is thus quite rash prone!)
1- we use california baby calming butt spray for every diaper change
2- when there is a flare up, i put breast milk directly on the inflamation
3- we use raw silk diaper liners, which have some natural magical healing power
the last two may sound strange, but look them up on the internet and you will find loads of supporting info on the power of breastmilk and raw silk diaper liners!
hope it helps, i know that frustration oh too well!
Aveeno Oatmeal Bath!
I've also used the blow-dryer-on-the-bum trick.
That is one cute baby. And I really mean it this time. Not like when you say it to those women with babies that look all deformed
You have a truely -adorable- baby.
For rashy rash, try a mix of athelete's foot creme (anti-fungal), desitin non-creamy, & liquid antacid. It worked great on diharrea rash.
Dude, "The Fifth Element" rocks my socks too. :)
I'm so glad the whole nursing thing has improved so much. WTG you for sticking with it!
have you tried any mustela products? they're french, so kind of pricey over here in the states, but they're also completely hypo-allergenic and used in all the hospitals in france, apparently. i work at a fancy baby store and the fancy moms are always buying us out of mustela stuff, especially baby wipes and diaper creams and such. they also have stuff for stretch marks and other mom-related merchandise. it might be worth checking out. mustela.com.
Waseline...just plain ol' Vaseline, slathered lavishly on the bottom, is a wonderful thing! Only think I ever used on my two and no rashes, ever. I love reading your tales, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us!
We had an awful case of butt-yeast with our firstborn at about 1 week old. Oddly, he never got mouth thrush and I never got nipple thrush. Go figure. But his little butt (sorry, BOTTOM) was blistered and awful...
I second the anti=fungal cream. We got nystatin by prescription. You may have that.
What worked for us was getting him COMPLETELY dry at every change. And what worked for *that* was a hair dryer. With a diffuser on it. Set to LOW, and kept at least a foot from his rear end (Keep your hand right there so you can feel how warm it is).
I changed him, cleaned him, got him completely, 100% bone dry with the hair dryer (and BOY did he like that!) and then slathered the bits with nystatin, blew that a bit to "set" it, and diapered him up. Sometimes we'd leave him to wiggle about on a changing pad with a completely dry rear end but diaper free for awhile. The rash cleared up very quickly.
Don't put anything else on it but antifungal cream. I fully beleive that the whole "layer of vaseline to protect from moisture" is a crock -- what is vaseline, if not MOISTURE? It traps the yeasties in and gives them a comfie home.
Oh, and by the way, he is gorgeous. He is a Truly Beautiful Baby (as opposed to those "all babies are beautiful") ones, and I wish you all the biggest goofiest happiness in the world of him.
Waseline, huh? I guess I should put the glasses on before I post! Oops! I just saw another...slinking off to find my peepers...
the diaper rash treatment my pediatrician recommended was a few cups of baking soda in a bath. it always seems to speed up the recovery time. (but watch out - it makes for a slippery baby!)
After 4 children one thing I have learned about diaper rash is to do this: put mylanta or maalox, something like that on a cotton ball and put it gently on the diaper rash and allow it to dry. It may sound strange but it really works. Congratulations, children are the best things ever!
Lotrimin mixed with cortaid is what my doctor recommended for my sons rash, we went through the thrush horror also....it seemed to work fairly quickly...and by the way that is one beautiful baby that you have
I agree with all the folks who said to let the bottom hang out un-diapered as much as possible. Plus, nothing is cuter than naked baby butt.
I know what you mean about letting them out in the world. My oldest got her driver's license this year. Talk about anxiety!
Do I spy Noah's first visit to mom's favorite pizza place?
Butt Paste worked best for us, but Aquaphor is a close second and that's the one the doctor actually recommended. Noah is adorable. And isn't the love you feel beyond anything you could have imagined. I totally cry when I think of anything happening to my little one.
NYSTATIN works like a charm.
Is that baby three months old??? He's huge and A-freakin-DORABLE.
Your entire family is absolutely gorgeous. Congratulations. And although you don't know me, let me go on the record as saying, THANK GOD we are no longer supposed to wear lipgloss. My long hair sticks to it and it makes me feel like an ungroomed mess. Plus it is sticky.
I second Nystatin and Mylanta.
I am so happy that you didn't link to a picture of matte lips. I think I may have thrown up.
Boudreaux's Butt Paste. Works.
Thank you so much for not doing a Dooce-derivative "Dear Noah" letter. Now if only the rest of the mommy bloggers would follow suit.
Aquaphor is the best we've found for rashes, even the painful, raised-red-welt type. It's made my Eucerin, and you can get it any drugstore. Or you can just stuff thousands of free tubes in your pockets at your next visit to the pediatrician.
Like everyone else, I will just say Lotrimin! And Mylanta! He is just precious. Congratulations again.
he is such a cutie!
And not sure if anyone has posted this, but believe it or not, get some Maalox and some cotton balls. After you have him all cleaned up, dip the cotton ball in Maalox and dab it on his cute little tush. Let that dry, then put some cream on top. Our pediatrician said to do it, it works great!!
Matte lipstick is for hookers, elderly women and people who don't know better. Sometimes you just gotta go against the grain.
After several batches of horrible diaper rash, the following combination in the following order was finally settled on -
1) Neosporin with Pain reliever (don't use on areas other then butt because you don't want Noah eating it) on the red, angry spots.
2) Desitin next. Put it on any pinkish spots even. Do cover the Neosporin - as long as you don't rub etremely hard it won't rub it off.
3) a paste made of half liquid Maalox (and choice) and Aquaphor. It's a pain in the butt to mix as it's mixing a liquid into a solid. Use a wisk and a bunch of patience.) Cover virtually everything with this. The aquaphor is just basically a waterproof base and the maalox neutralizes the pH of urine/stool.
And yes, all three items were recommended by an actual real-life pediatrician. It's a magic combo, and it has the extra added bonus of cutting out the pain poor Noah is sure to be feeling.
(sorry if this posts twice, your comments are acting up on me)