Twilli (our new pet name for Ariana) is 16 weeks old. She just started teething, after a growth spurt. It started on Thanksgiving. We had guests for an informal dinner. And Twilli went from her normal, all-smiles disposition, to screaming in pain. (Read original post about it here.)

After a couple of days, I started to see the pattern.

• If she starts to get fussy, picking her up soon might do the trick.
• When that gets old, see if she wants to nurse (This is the magic bullet for Twilli. Thus it ranks high on the list.)
• Try cold teething toy
• Take care of other basics like diaper, burping, etc.
• Step and repeat

If, at any point, the conditions degrade to the point of her totally losing it, the effectiveness of all methods reduces drastically. We’ve gained new empathy for families who have colicky babies! It breaks my heart (and my sanity) to be so helpless while this innocent little thing screams and writhes in pain.

But today we tried something new. I went back to newborn/growth spurt mode of cluster feeding. So we’ve started nursing as soon as she showed any signs of discomfort at all.

So far, it has been quite effective. DH makes comments about the “magic boobies” more than ever now! lol

Unfortunately, the timing is awful. Our a/c is broken. (Yes, in South Florida you still need a/c in November.) And downtairs, where we have the office, dining room, kitchen, etc., is poorly ventilated. Incidentally, my saving grace method of babywearing in order to continue working while we nurse, is not ideal because DD gets TOO HOT in the carrier. I tried it the first day or two, since she usually drifts right off to sleep in the carrier, but she got all sweaty.
Furthermore, we’re having to watch every penny right now. So getting out and about is limited. I’m starting to go stir crazy!

Despite the potholes, I have found a way to be relatively productive through it all. I’ve visited many parenting blogs and message boards, via my Treo phone. This is teaching me patience. The speed — or lack thereof — makes dial-up seem zippy. And the 2×2″ screen doesn’t always allow the pages to be readable. And many websites are NOT optimized for PDA or cell phone browsing! (Amazingly, I composed this article on my Treo! Props to WordPress for being PDA friendly!)

Lest I sound like a spoiled snot, please be aware that I continue to count my blessings.

• I am grateful for a wonderful and healthy family
• I am grateful for the roof over our heads and food in our bellies
• I am grateful to have the opportunity to work at home, to be with my baby girl and teenage boy more
• I am grateful for fast computers (MacBook Pro) and broadband internet
• I am grateful for a PDA, on which I can surf the internet while DD nurses
• I am grateful to be able to be a resource for other parents
• I am grateful for everything that I have been blessed with!

Even though things always seem worse in the midst of challenge, I believe we’ll look back to this time and smile thinking of her still toothless smile!