Today was wild. From the beginning it was wild...
First off, as soon as we got the kids off to school (Mike drove them), Lynae had thrown up her orange juice and iron combo from breakfast. So... instead of getting my shower (which was my plan...) I gave Lynae a bath. Then I settled each of the 3 at home into a safe spot for a time and I went to get that quick shower myself. When I got back out I found that Lynae had thrown up again! Cleaned that up, cleaned her up and we got going some more.
Then I thought... Mike mentioned that it seemed like an awful LOT of Iron that he put in her cup this morning. So I went to look at the bottle of iron and found that ONE dropper full is 1 ml and is the 'recommended daily value' for infants. We had been told to give her 1 tsp! So I looked online to try to find out whether 1 tsp was a 'normal' amount...and I couldn't find much info. I did, of course, find info about iron poisoning and such... but I was sure it wasn't enough after just 3 days taking it for her to be in bad straights. She didn't have a fever, etc... so I wasn't that concerned. But I did call the pediatrician to find out whether the amount I was giving her was correct or not.
Then I went about the rest of the morning wondering whether my little one has been poisoned :). Not really... but I was wondering if all was well or if she really was getting too much.
So then about 12:30 I realized (as the phone rang!) that I really should be heading out the door with the 3 kids to get to Emma's awards ceremony at 1:00. I chatted with a friend while I prepped the kids to go... meaning that I got Lynae up from nap after getting Wesley changed, and then I had to go BACK and change him again because he'd pooped...
By this time it was quarter to one and I had to high tail it out the door and to the school (and yes, I did hang up the phone but it really doesn't slow me down much to chat while I do stuff most of the time!). So... I grabbed the new carseat that needed to be installed in the van and grabbed the 3 kids and got out the door, locked the door, loaded the kids in the car, drove 5 minutes down the road, texted Emma's teacher that I was coming, but running a few minutes late....
When I realized that I'd left the brand new carseat sitting on the front porch. In the rain.
So, we turned around and drove right back to the house, grabbed the carseat, drove back to the school, signed in at the office... and we had made it just 10 minutes late for the day :). Of course by then I'd missed seeing Emma get her award (which she didn't really care about, thankfully!) and we got there in time to see the end of the kids' certificates and then to go back to the classroom. It's just the two exed classes that do the program together so it's not a 'big deal' type of program, tho I hated that I missed it!
Then... Mike installed carseats so I could take ALL 8 KIDS home with me!
WHEW! It was one of those days!
By the way, the pediatrician did call back and say that YES, Lynae IS supposed to get a teaspoon of the liquid iron daily, so we'll keep doing it but try it in a less acidic juice (orange juice is pretty hard on the stomach) and see if that will keep her from throwing it back up.
Now... we are 8 + mom and having a relaxing afternoon watching TV, having a snack, and reheating dinner that I made yesterday! Mike is in meetings that will keep him a little late so I'm on my own for the afternoon until after dinner. Time to play!!
Can't you split the iron up? If given in smaller amounts two or three times a day at least she'll get to keep some of it even if she throws some of it up?
ReplyDeleteAsk the doctors about stool softeners too. I had a friend who was on iron pils and she had to get a ss from her doctor.
ReplyDeleteWhew, that does sound busy and wild : ) God's strength is shown in our weakness. So thankful your family is willing to do the hard work to give these children a loving home! 2 questions: do you have "help" outside of Mom and Dad? Have you considered homeschooling so you don't have to do so much driving around? I love following your journey!
ReplyDeleteWhen my kids were small and very picky eaters- I used to make oatmeal muffins and add baby oatmeal cereal to the mix. It was full of vitamins and iron so I figured it would help them stay healthy! I wonder if you can give Lynae a smaller dose and also give her iron fortified foods.
ReplyDeleteIt's been 10 years, so I don't remember brands or details. I was able to get a gentler, better tasting liquid iron at Whole Foods. It was refrigerated and smelled faintly orangey, rather than the foul smell of most liquid iron. The one I had might have been vegetarian? Worked as well as the one the doctor recommended.
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