Being a new mom can throw anyone into a tailspin. Much of what a new mom is challenged with is unexpected and unknown to her. But, when it comes to a child's health, new moms should feel comfortable trusting their gut, and knowing that's it better to be safe than sorry.
Case in point:
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My first born son was 3 weeks old to the day and suddenly began to "spit up" unlike anything I've ever seen. His spitting up prior to this 3-week mark was a small amount that did not concern me. The difference here was that it seemed as though he was vomiting everything that he was taking in.
It was a Thursday. I took him to the pediatrician right away. Maybe it was too early to tell, but they looked at him, said he seemed happy, and then told me that I have a "happy spitter" on my hands. It was as if they were coming to this conclusion because I was a new mom. The last words the pediatrician said to me were to give it the weekend, and come back in on Monday if I still had concerns.
I was not at all relieved. Something in my gut kept telling me something was wrong. By Saturday, I could take it no longer and I refused to wait until Monday. I phoned the after hours office and they paged the doctor on call. When the doctor called and I told him my concerns, he told me to take my son to the Royal Oak Beaumont ER because there was a chance he had Pyloric Stenosis and Royal Oak Beaumont is the closest hospital with pediatric surgeons. Now I was in panic mode. I have barely gotten to know my baby and he was possibly going to be put under anesthesia and undergo surgery?! We scooped up our 3-week old son and headed straight to the Royal Oak Beaumont ER.
I hurriedly packed our things and went to the hospital. They put him through a couple tests - barium with upper GI which was inconclusive, and then an ultrasound - which confirmed our suspicions. Our son had pyloric stenosis and required surgery. I was briefed that Pyloric Stenosis happens when the opening to the stomach "develops and hardens too rapidly" at about 3 weeks of age and that the surgery would create a proper opening to allow food to digest.
Post pyloric stenosis surgery, we had to follow a strictly measured diet for a few weeks. Going over the allotted amount could cause him to vomit. It was tough feeding 2 oz. to a hungry baby, but we stuck with it until he was ready to eat until full again.
It was a stressful time. We were new parents and barely adjusting when thrown this pyloric stenosis curve ball. But, eight years later, our son is healthy and has only a small scar to show for it.
The scary thing from my standpoint is that pyloric stenosis wasn't discussed in Lamaze classes. It was an eye-opening experience I knew nothing about. Additionally, because pyloric stenosis usually strikes first-born babies, doctors often try to brand mothers as some stressy new mom instead of taking the time to diagnose it. In the grand scheme of things, pyloric stenosis was a minor roadblock. It could have been a major one if I didn't trust my gut.
So if I can offer a piece of advice to new moms, it would be to trust your gut and follow your instinct.
For more on how the Mayo Clinic defines Pyloric Stenosis click HERE.
About the author:
Lisa LaGrou is the founder of OaklandCountyMoms.com. She and her team work to present quality content to their readers. Lisa likes to provide information and options for families about a myriad of topics without preaching or condoning. If she experiences something, she want to share it. If she doesn't know about something, she tries to find information to share. She's delighted when people contact her with suggestions about content and resources. For more information on how to become a member of Oakland County Moms click HERE