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30 Nov

Green

The hardest part of mothering an infant has been, for me, knowing what the heck is going on with my baby. She can’t tell me. She’s always been a relatively happy baby. So when she cries, I’m convinced something is very wrong.

I know. I’m green when it comes to this whole mothering thing. (But this is not where I’m going with this title.) The more experienced moms are thinking, “Good God. She’s freaking out about crying? How does she live?” And they would be right. I need to get over it.

But when it comes to health, how do we keep tabs on our infants? Since babies can frequently run high fevers after immunizations or spit up ridiculous amounts of milk with no apparent negative effects, how am I to know when my child is really sick?

Since I live far from any family I could turn to in order to get answers, I rely on the childhood illness and injury clichés I remember hearing as a child.

Spitting up is different than projectile vomiting.
No bruise + no bleeding = probably not a problem
Check her pupils. (Yes, I’ve had to. On more than one occasion.)
You know your baby best. (I love this one. Especially because, while it’s true, it’s frightening. I’m her best shot at survival, huh? Yikes.)
Green snot = infection

Alliclaus was throwing up all night last night, after a very difficult dinnertime. She usually loves eating. She had a bit of a fever, but nothing too serious. Since we were in the middle of an ice storm, I didn’t think it was a good idea to leave the house. So I went through my mothering clichés looking for some answers. I didn’t really find any.

She’s better this morning.

I guess sometimes, I get so worried about her health, I forget to think about my own. I coughed some phlegm out into a tissue on my way to work this morning.

Green.

Bethiclaus is a graduate school student and full-time mom. She smells like baby vomit this morning.

Check out other Blog Exchange posts by clicking on the above button. And, go check out what I had to say about the colour green over at Bethiclaus’ place… (Kermit is not mentioned once. NOT ONCE. Behold my restraint, and rejoice.)
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And, since this weekend will be all about cruising the ‘hood, why not visit the Mother ‘Hood, and the Basement while you’re out and about?

WonderBaby will be hosting semi-naked public readings of selected works by Virginia Woolf around the ‘hood tomorrow. Simultaneous translation in ASL and Froggish by Kermit.
(Couldn’t help myself. Sorry.)