Marlowe update: Four months old

Marlowe is 4 months old!  This is the month she found her voice.  She loves making noises and screeching.  And I mean screeching LOUD.  It’s so high pitched and loud that it hurts my ears!  We love this girl so much…but the last month or so has been a struggle.  She started to get fussier last month, and it continued through this month even more.  I did take her to go see our lactation consultant, since she was having issues with nursing in certain positions on the left side.  The LC noticed she has a lot of tightness in her neck and jaw, and among a few other things, she suggested we try a chiropractor.  It was pretty clear that Marlowe was just uncomfortable in some way, and is also a poor sleeper.  She wasn’t gaining enough weight even though I have plenty of milk, so we needed to get things figured out, in addition trying to slip in extra pumped milk.

I wasn’t thrilled with taking her to a chiro, but honestly we needed to do something. After several visits, some things seem to be improving – and the appointments are gentle and quick.  It’s nothing like the standard manipulation – she uses a tool that kind of pops out and gently shifts things and releases trigger points.  She showed us how it would feel – not any harder than flicking someone with your finger.  Marlowe doesn’t flinch when she does it either.  She immediately stopped pitching her head forward when we’d pick her up, and she was nurses better (though still in football hold on left side).

The clinginess and fussiness hasn’t really changed yet.  She’s also exhibiting some stranger danger – which seems WAY too early.  She pretty much wants my face in her face at all times.  She does well with Lo now too, and eventually warms up to others, but several times when other people held her, she immediately burst into tears.  I do think part of it is that she’s going through a Wonder Week – the World of Events (which can last a few weeks).  She’s learning how to roll (has rolled both ways once or twice), and that can be a rough time for babies until they master it.

(Added after her 4 month appt) The pediatrician thinks she has reflux and that explains a lot of her problems with eating, sleeping, fussiness, etc.  We are starting Zantac and hoping for improvement.  Jenson was on it for several months when he was a baby, but he wasn’t fussy from reflux – he just arched his back when eating and spit up a lot.  We also had his tongue and lip ties fixed around then, so we don’t know which was more helpful.  Marlowe has already had those revisions.  I hope it helps her.  When she’s happy, she’s SO happy and sweet.  I want that for her.

Marlowe: March 29 – April 28

Age:  4 months old

Weight:  12 lbs., 12 oz. (45%) at her 4 month appointment

Length:  25 inches (90%) She’s a tall one!

Clothing size:  She’s now wearing 3-6 and 6 month mostly.  I’ve been putting away her 3 months stuff as I wash them.

Hair: Her baby bird hair is a lot longer on the sides and top now, so it’s starting to lay down on the sides and only sticks up on top.  As it fills in more, it definitely looks more ginger-colored.  She’s rubbed quite a bit off in the back, but the sides need to be tucked behind her ears.  Her eyelashes are a coppery gold color.

Eyes:  Dark blue for now

Teeth:  None that we are aware of.  She’s getting into the drooly, chew-on-everything stage though, so I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s sooner than later.

Temperament:  She’s happy or unhappy most of the time.  There isn’t a lot of in between, and she swings wildly between the two at times.  I think a lot of that is being uncomfortable in some way – we just haven’t quite nailed down what it is.  I think once we fix that, she’ll be such a happy baby.  When she’s happy, she’s perfect.  She has these awesome big belly laughs that I cannot get enough of.

Sleeping:  She’s still not a good sleeper.  She usually nurses every 3-4 hours, but fusses in between that too.  Her naps are what I struggle with the most.  They are so short and still too frequent.  Most naps are 20-40 minutes, and she takes 4-6 a day.  She just needs to stitch a couple of those together and nap longer.  On occasion she will, but usually only if I’m laying with her.  The Dr. thinks that’s partly due to the reflux, and that she probably just has a sensitive startle reflex.  We don’t swaddle her for naps anymore – it didn’t make her sleep any longer, and we want her to get used to sleeping without swaddling.  Her naps are usually in the swing or on the couch (if I’m laying there too), and she sleeps for the night in the rock-n-play beside me.

Eating:  All breastmilk.  She’s still only nursing in football hold when on the left side, but she does seem to be taking in more milk and has gained weight better.  She still just eats enough to not be hungry (instead of filling up), but the Dr. said again, that’s normal if she has reflux.  We give her a small bottle of pumped milk most evenings, but I don’t think it’s actually making her eat more, because she then just skips nursing.  I try not to pump much because I really respond to the pump – even just the manual pump – and don’t want to overproduce.  While I loved being able to donate so much milk with Jenson, most of that was pumped when I was sitting in my office at work.  It’s a lot harder to squeeze in pumping sessions now, and honestly I shouldn’t need a bunch of milk stored.

Movement: She’s gotten good at grabbing toys and bringing them to her mouth.  Her real accomplishments are rolling though.  She’s gone front to back and back to front – but only once or twice each, so she doesn’t quite have the movements down yet.  She scoots all over her playmat when on her back though – she’ll end up with her head at the other side within minutes.

Milestones: 
–Rolling
–First Crew game (on the outside anyway)

–First time to the movies (not that she knew)
–Visited Lo’s office and my former co-workers at the Court
–Stranger danger has kicked, or at least, “you’re not my mommy” danger

Favorite toys/activities:
–Laying on changing table (just like Jenson did), especially with her pants off
–Nursing and being held
–Talking to us and being talked to
–Puppy love
–Baths
–Riding in the Kinderpack, or just being carried
–The noise of the vacuum
–Laying on the playmat and grabbing at toys
–Squealing.  Loudly.
–Watching Jenson play.  She looks for him anytime she hears him and will smile and laugh at him regularly

Dislikes: 
–Not being held
–Having to wait a minute once she decides she’s hungry or trying to get her to eat when she’s not hungry
–Sleeping.  She just doesn’t like it.  Ever.

Sounds and Words:
–Coos, squeals, and laughs
–Loud, girly screeches
–Grunty sleeper
–Very expressive faces

Looking forward to:
–Zantac kicking in, or something making her more comfortable.  I want my happy baby.
–Longer naps (please tell me this will happen…)
–Warm weather – it will come this year!  It’s so hard to figure out how to dress her!

Watch Marlowe grow: