WORST parent of the year award

[aliceinwonderland]

Goes to ME!!! Yes, my 4 month old has an ear infection on BOTH ears. He's on a 10 day antibiotic regime now...The worst part about it is that we would not even have diagnosed it were it not for the routine 4 month old apt. today...I feel horrible, just stopped crying a few minutes ago...The only symptom is that he has been unusually cranky the past 2 nights...that's it. This is an exclusively BF baby (not for long though, looks like I have to start supplementing tomorrow), why an ear indfection so soon!! How did we screw this up??

i'm such a mess.

[rrosen]

Eri,
Don't beat yourself up! The same thing happened to me at DD's 10 month appointment. Double ear infections and I did not have a clue. There were no symptoms so how was I to know? Go easy on yourself Mama, I promise it won't be the last mistake you make. You are taking excellent care of your son. He is and will be fine.

Hugs,

[AvasMama]

Don't feel so bad! My DD, who is also exclusively BF, had an ear infection at six months that we also wouldn't have known about if it hadn't been for her regular check-up. She wasn't running a fever or anything, was just a little fussy.

Ear infections are unfortunately more common than not in little babies and it's nothing you did wrong! Sometimes it's just the shape of the baby's ear tubes that causes them.

Robyn & Ava

[Katia]

Yep, you're gonna have to try a lot harder if you want that award! :)

As the PP have said, it can happen to anyone and you've done nothing wrong. My DS is EBF and also had an ear infection; sadly, there's no guarantee it won't happen, just better odds.

(edited to fix typo)

[aliceinwonderland]

are antibiotics common for this? i remember reading an article saying not really...what did you do??

[Buffys Mommy]

Eri,

FIrst of all, this doesn't even put you in nominations for Worst Parent of the Year. Ear infections happen no matter what you do with some babies. You said he's been fussy and not sleeping well the past few days. At least you now know why.

As for antibiotics, everything I have read says they are trying a wait and see approach for older kids, but not kids under two. Too many chances of things happening with little ones and they can't tell us. So yes, antibiotics are a very common prescription for ear infections.

Take comfort in the fact that he will hopefully feel better soon and will start sleeping through the night.

Tammie
Sarah Michelle 10/13/03

[jk3]

You are a great parent. I can tell just from reading your posts how much you care. These things happen. Sometimes it's hard to tell especially if crankiness is the only symptom. Some babies are prone to this so now you know what to watch out for in the future. I hope you are both feeling better! =) Also, don't beat yourself over supplementing. My DS was exclusively formula fed and all of his BF friends have been on antibiotics and he has been the healthiest of the lot. It can go either way!

Jenn
DS 6/03

http://lilypie.com/baby2/030603/2/5/1/-5/.png

[flagger]

I remember something our pedi back in Charlotte told us. If you look at 200 kids the same age, over 150 of them will have some sort of infection or fluid build-up. It is not worth beating yourself up over. It is NOT like you gave him the infection.

Remember anti-biotics only work for bacterial infections not viral infections. It is very very important if you do give him anti-biotics that you finish the entire course of them.

(Sorry off of soapbox)

[TaChapm]

Eri,
Dont beat yourself up on this one. Jackson has had over 15 ear infections in 22 months and has had tubes put in twice. His first one was at 5 weeks. He never ran a fever with any of them. Not one! It is such a hard thing to detect. We finally got to the point that if he was fussy and not eating well that we would take him in. 9 out of 10 times it was an infection. Jackson has reflux so his ped said that he is more likely to get infections. I hope he feels better soon. You too! Hang in there...you are a great mommy!
Tara
Mommy to Jackson 11-10-02

http://lilypie.com/baby2/021110/1/5/1/-6/.png

[cinrein]

Same story here. Poor Anna's silly parents didn't recognize her first ear infection. No fever, her only symptom was extreme crabbiness at night.

It's very common for babies to get ear infections following colds or congestion. Anna always gets congested when she's teething, so an ear infection pretty much always followed a new tooth for the first year. At least now you know---if he's congested be on the lookout for the elusive ear infection symptoms.

Don't beat yourself up. I think we all go through the ear infection initiation.

Cindy and Anna February 2003

[jamsmu]

I felt the exact same way at DS' 4 month appt when the ped said, "yup, ear infection here, and, yup, ear infection here" and I responded, "but I BF!!!"

There were no clues at all. Since then, I've learned that some kids (like mine) are just more prone to them than others.

And antibiotics are necessary at this age. Be prepared for poop like you've never seen before. (I'm so glad my cousin told me this, I thought there was something else wrong with DS!!)

Just know that you are a wonderful mommy and there is absolutely nothing you should do different. Hold him tightly and tell him you love him!

[drsweetie]

Eri, add me to the list of people who have been in that same situation. Our DD often has no outward signs of an ear infection until blammo, she gets sick all at once with a fever and nighttime crying and etc. Babies are sneaky -- they can't come out and tell you that something's wrong, and sometimes they cry for no apparent reason, so it's not an automatic leap from "cranky" to "sick".

You're a good parent for being diligent about taking your child to the doctor for the regular checkups and following the doctor's instructions about treating the ear infection. The "Worst Parent" award would go to the person who didn't do those things and didn't care if his or her child were in pain.

Hope you and your little peanut are feeling better soon.

Ellen

[ellies mom]

Eri-
I'm right there with you, only on teething. We didn't know she was teething the first time until her first tooth cut through. I took a picture of her last toothless smile to send to my mom, and she responds, "oh yeah I can see her swollen gums" I couldn't tell they were swollen. This time around I can tell she is teething though because she has all four top front teeth coming in at once. I still almost sent a picture to my mom asking if they looked swollen.
Hang in there. You are doing fine. You didn't screw up. Your baby just didn't read the part of the book that said BFing babies don't get ear infections. :)

[ShayleighCarsensMom]

Its really hard to tell if they are needed or not, but for the most part...ear infections take longer than 10 days to go away and for the most part can linger painlessly for months before coming back again...
So what I am getting at is that at the end of the 10 day cycle, go back in and have his ears checked to see if they are clear...
if not, go back in a week and check...
otherwise, 1 month from now he may have another..
I hope you know its not your fault...because of the way their eustatcian tubes are (they are flat) causing a lot of drainage into the ears...they are just more prone to infections with all that moist warm fluid in the ear. Its just something that happens with babies...
Parents.com had a great article about a year back on recurring ear infections..try doing a search to see if it pops up.