Teething = Trouble

I just went through a very stressful day with Jasmine today. Since last Thursday, Jasmine refused to drink all liquids. I offered her water, breast milk, formula, juice. I tried using a bottle, straw sippy cup, rubbermaid juice box and shooter glass but still she wouldn't budge. She just clamped her mouth shut.

I realize now is Jasmine was teething then and she didn't want anything in her mouth. Jasmine ate solids fine though. She just didn't drink anything. That spelled trouble. Without liquids, her body reabsorbed the water that was in her intestinal tract so she had difficulty pooping. I saw her poop get progressively firmer each day and then, she didn't poop at all. I started adding prune juice into everything she ate, hoping it'll help with her condition.

Jasmine teething = no liquids = constipation

Well, what goes in must come out. It was terrible watching Jasmine suffer in pain. She was straining, pushing, screaming, crying... oh man. This went on for over 2 hours. All I could do is hold her up, massage her belly and cycle her legs. I encouraged her by making the pushing sounds myself, hoping she'll understand that she has to do the pushing. Looking into her eyes, I can see her say "Mommy, please make it stop!!!" I feel so terrible.

Finally the poop came out. There were several of them and all were rock hard. Since she didn't poop for a couple of days, there's gotta be more in there. Sure enough, when Richard put Jasmine into her bath, about 5 minutes in, Jasmine did a nice poopie.... in the water. Uh yuck. Well, at the least she got it out without too much work. Good thing Daddy gets to clean up the mess, heehee. And then 2 more big poops in the next 12 hours. Nice job. I guess the prune juice really, really works.

Well, Jasmine's second tooth is full out now and she has resumed drinking from a bottle. Phewf. At least I know that she still likes the milk and it was just her teething that caused all this mess. Let's try to keep all her poops in her diapers from now on?