More on Prevacid and daycare

Prevacid/reflux update --
Wednesday morning and afternoon Cooper did well - but by Wednesday night he started to scream through his feedings and was agitated and wasn't eating well at all so I called the doc and asked him if we should be worried that there is lactose in the Prevacid solutabs we're using since we have suspected a lactose intolerance and I also asked if we should still be giving him Zantac to get him through until the Prevacid really kicks in. But the doc dismissed both questions and said just switch him over and that there's such a tiny amount of lactose that it shouldn't bother him. OK.

Well, by Thursday morning all hell seemed to break loose and he screamed and screamed and wouldn't drink a bottle at all. I strongly believe this is due to him coming off the Zantac before the Prevacid kicked in since it got progressively worse as time went on since discontinuing the Zantac. Many of the mommies on a web support group I belong to have babies with reflux and those that have made the same medication switch were mostly advised by their doctors to keep the baby on Zantac a few days or up to a week while starting the Prevacid to prevent a relapse of the burning. Well, Cooper's doc said to just make the switch and drop the Zantac "since the dose wasn't effective for him due to his weight gain".

By 9am I was ready to hang that doctor by his toenails because it was clear to me that Cooper was in pain from acid burning his throat as he was behaving the very same way he did when we first saw his reflux symptoms and we hadn't seen him that bad since he began receiving medication. I called the doc's office to get 'permission' to give him the Zantac for another day but you never get to speak with a doctor right away so I left a message - a message that I doubt they could hear through the screaming that was going on in the background. I waited an hour for a return call and when there was none, I decided to give Cooper the Zantac to help prevent further burning/damage. Within 30 minutes of giving it to him he calmed down and within an hour he finally was able/willing to drink a bottle.

Besides the question about the Zantac, my message to the doctor also included a request for a couple of new GI specialist referrals b/c the ones they gave us Wednesday because when I asked about the lactose in the medication and the Zantac issue, the doctor said he thinks it's time for Cooper to get a consult from a GI specialist. UGH. Well, the two names he gave me were useless - the first one is not in our insurance network and the second one has a perpetually busy phone line (for 2 days I couldn't get through). At about 2 pm I finally got a call back from the doc's office (I had called them around 8:30 am!) and received two more GI specialists' names and numbers to check into.

We really don't want to subject Cooper to a bunch of invasive tests if there's a chance that the issue is as simple as getting him through the medication change without burning his throat (by giving him Zantac in addition to the Prevacid for a few days)....but I will call and schedule the GI consult and hope that we can cancel it once the Prevacid kicks in fully for him (fingers crossed).

Daycare--
Our first time at the daycare center went well. Bob brought us there so that he could see the place, meet the staff, and help carry in all the supplies I needed to bring in and leave there for Cooper. I stayed there to observe and offer insights into Cooper's "routine" and nuances they would need to be aware of relating to his reflux, and of course to just help me feel comfortable that they'd handle him gently and appropriately and respond to his needs in a timely way. I realize that they are likely to do those things with me there watching but seeing them interact with other babies/kids helped me gain insight into how things work there and the teachers' personalities. I'm really happy about which teacher Cooper was assigned to - she seems to be the most knowledgeable and nurturing of the group. The other women seem to be good too but I felt best when his assigned teacher was handling him versus when she was on break and the others were covering for her and looking after her four assigned kids. They didn't do anything wrong - it's just I prefer the approach of Cooper's teacher - she's a good communicator not just with the kids but with the parents too - probably because she has really little kids at home - 3 of them, including one less than a year old.

We were only there from 11-2 on Wednesday. He seemed to not be phased by being fed and held by someone new so that's good. We returned on Thursday, after Cooper was calmed down after screaming all morning at home, and once we arrived at the center he drank a bottle (finally - after refusing to earlier in the morning) and fell asleep and he napped for 2 hours in his assigned crib. That was his first time in a crib and he did very well.

Friday we won't be bringing him to daycare because he has a doc appointment for his remaining "2 month" shots and then I'll bring him home and give him baby Tylenol for 24 hours to prevent a fever and keep him comfortable after the shots.

OK - that's enough of my rambling for now - time for bed.