Things they never told me about being a mum......

I've learnt a lot these past 9 weeks, and there is still a wealth of things that I need to learn. Here is a snapshot of the things I wish I'd been prepared for....

Babies cry...

.....for hours on end, and there is nothing you can do to soothe them. Granted, not all babies do, but mine does. Her reflux and cows milk intolerance plays havoc with her poor little body, and the days of 4/5 hours screaming constantly, are still not behind us. The new milk and medicines haven't quite kicked in yet, and we are unsure of if they will, or whether she'll need to have them changed.

Increased petrol costs

The only thing that gives us a break from Gs  screaming is the car. We are spending hours on end, most nights, driving around just to settle her and catch a breather ourselves. Last night we found ourself going out twice, and ending up heading for the motorway. We have had more drive thru dinners than we can count. Not such a bad thing, said my sister? Yes, I just want a normal dinner at my dinning table. I even want vegetables! And those of you who know Tim would be shocked that he is now sick of KFC :)

Battling with GPs

Some (but not all) GPs think that I'm an over anxious first time mother. I have had endless phone calls and visits to the surgery reception, trying to get the formula and medicine that the Paediatrican had prescribed for my baby. The current battle is to get her stuff on a repeat prescription so that we don't risk running out, and that I'm not constantly speaking to different Gps and receptionists pleading for another batch of her meds and formula.
The one GP who has been fab, probably because she used to be a paediatrician and also knows about Turner syndrome, is about to start maternity leave. Rubbish or what?!

One solution often causes another problem

The new hypoallergenic formula is causing G to be sick left right and centre. It's so thin and watery that its like heaven to her reflux-one small burp, hiccup, or even a tiny movement, and G, me and often the floor are covered in sick. I'm now on a mission to get hold of a natural milk thickener to try and combat this problem. The GP told me to give her gaviscon. It constipated her, so no. He told me to experiment with quantities. Seriously, everything feels like an experiment right now, and I'm crap at science!

Just because one problem is diagnosed, doesn't mean that other unrelated problems won't occur

We were as prepared as possible for the potential difficulties relating to Turner syndrome. What we weren't prepared for, was difficulties that weren't! Saying that, general digestive problems are more common in TS girls, so I guess I'm wrong to say they are totally unrelated. Still, reflux and a cows milk intolerance weren't on the cards, and little did we know that they could cause sooo much pain for our little one.

You can feel so low, yet love your little one so much

This past week has been the hardest yet. Introducing the new milk was a challenge in itself. She hated the stuff, and I've tasted it and don't blame her! I also had a battle with the pharmacist to get her ranitidine medicine for her reflux as apparently is ridiculously expensive. He even wrapped it in bubble wrap incase I dropped it. I battled to get it, I wasn't about to smash it on the floor....
Some days I'd love to drop her off to anyone who'd have her, and go out and pretend I didn't have a care in the world. I could cry all day and night. Post natal depression? No, I just have an extremely difficult baby (not of her own fault, I know) and everything at the moment is a daily battle. We will have a happy baby eventually, and I will not dread the days, or more so the evenings, and Tim won't need to bundle us all in the car to Save our sanity. Tim as always is still amazing, but some days he sees the battle we have, and it even gets to him.

Don't get me wrong, our little one is our miracle, and we will always love her to the moon and back. Her gorgeous smiles erase any trace of the difficulties we face. Sometimes it's just hard. This morning I was vomited on, followed by a massive gorgeous grin. She's a monkey, but she's our beautiful little monkey.