Happy Valentines Day friends!
2.14.2014
2.08.2014
CHD Awareness Week
Please visit our page "My PJRT Sisters and Brothers" above, for the next 7 days I will be sharing a spotlight on a PJRT child we have met in the past year :).
http://thestoryofababywithsvt.blogspot.com/p/my-pjrt-sisters-and-brothers.html
http://thestoryofababywithsvt.blogspot.com/p/my-pjrt-sisters-and-brothers.html
2.07.2014
Did YOU Wear Red Today?
Miss K, Big Brother and Little D wearing their red to support CHD Awareness!
2.06.2014
A Small Favor
Hello family and friends :)
Did you know tomorrow, Friday February 7, 2014 is the first day of Congenital Heart Defects Awareness week?!? It came up fast, I almost forgot to remind everyone!
I have a favor to ask of all of you.
Could I PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE get each and every one of you, including your children, to wear RED tomorrow all day? I would really, really appreciate it! When asked why you're wearing red (teach your kiddos to tell their teachers and friends), tell them you are wearing it for a family member/friend who has a Heart Defect and you are honoring her and helping her spread awareness about Congenital Heart Defects. Let's spread the word for more research!
This is REALLY important to me, I would LOVE to see a picture of your families wearing red tomorrow, if you get a moment would you snap a picture and send it to me? Or tag me on Facebook if you can :). PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE help us out and wear RED tomorrow?
Thank you from the bottom of my heart :).
Did you know tomorrow, Friday February 7, 2014 is the first day of Congenital Heart Defects Awareness week?!? It came up fast, I almost forgot to remind everyone!
I have a favor to ask of all of you.
Could I PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE get each and every one of you, including your children, to wear RED tomorrow all day? I would really, really appreciate it! When asked why you're wearing red (teach your kiddos to tell their teachers and friends), tell them you are wearing it for a family member/friend who has a Heart Defect and you are honoring her and helping her spread awareness about Congenital Heart Defects. Let's spread the word for more research!
This is REALLY important to me, I would LOVE to see a picture of your families wearing red tomorrow, if you get a moment would you snap a picture and send it to me? Or tag me on Facebook if you can :). PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE help us out and wear RED tomorrow?
Thank you from the bottom of my heart :).
1.04.2014
1 YEAR SVT FREE!!!!!
The holidays got me distracted, Miss K's official 1 year SVT free date was actually December 22, 2013. We decided to get Christmas and New Year's over with before we celebrated this wonderful milestone with our little girl.
Tonight we had a "1 Year SVT Free" party for Miss K. Just something very small, a quickly tossed together cake and a small group consisting only of our little family, my parents and my sister and one of my brothers. Nothing special other than the cake, which did not turn out the way I wanted it to due to a bit of bad luck this evening starting with Daddy using the wrong box cake (I had called him from the store and asked him to get it mixed and ready for me to bake when I got home, he grabbed an angel food cake rather than regular yellow cake from the pantry lol), then when I got home I realized the gel pen I bought was clear rather than colored so it barely showed up on the pink frosting. But it was all more than worth it seeing Miss K's excitement over the giant PINK heart cake and the candle she got to blow out :) not to mention the cake and cherry chocolate ice cream were delicious anyway :).
Just 6 more months...all we need to do is make it 6 more months SVT free. In a little more than 6 months Miss K will be 3 (wow, makes me want to cry), if she has been SVT free for 18+ months her EP Cardiologist wants to talk about lowering medications to see if she still needs them. We have her 6 month follow up scheduled for March 4, we'll learn more about "the plan" then. I pray we will be able to tell him she has been SVT free for 14+ months when that date comes. I'm so proud of our beautiful little girl and all she has been so strong through!
Tonight we had a "1 Year SVT Free" party for Miss K. Just something very small, a quickly tossed together cake and a small group consisting only of our little family, my parents and my sister and one of my brothers. Nothing special other than the cake, which did not turn out the way I wanted it to due to a bit of bad luck this evening starting with Daddy using the wrong box cake (I had called him from the store and asked him to get it mixed and ready for me to bake when I got home, he grabbed an angel food cake rather than regular yellow cake from the pantry lol), then when I got home I realized the gel pen I bought was clear rather than colored so it barely showed up on the pink frosting. But it was all more than worth it seeing Miss K's excitement over the giant PINK heart cake and the candle she got to blow out :) not to mention the cake and cherry chocolate ice cream were delicious anyway :).
12.31.2013
Amiodarone and Grapefruit
I know Miss K has not been on Amiodarone for over a year but recently the use of Grapefruit while taking Amiodarone was brought up on our Living with PJRT facebook group and it brought me to researching it a bit. I remembered when Miss K was on Amiodarone that our EP Cardiologist told us not to give her Grapefruit or any products of Grapefruit while she was taking it, I just listened to him and never gave it to her but I didn't ever look into the reasons why. Below you will find the smallest bit of research I was able to do on the subject, I only hope it is helpful to someone :).
In light of recent confusion about Amiodarone and Grapefruit I have be researching it hoping to help those of you who are still giving your babies Amiodarone :). All in all everything I found was full of words and talk that anyone without a medical degree could never fully understand lol, but I did find one, just one, very dummied down explanation about ingesting Grapefruit or any product of Grapefruit while taking Amiodarone. Here it is, I hope it helps your understanding!
Grapefruit juice appears to completely inhibit the metabolism of amiodarone to its major active metabolite, increases the AUC of amiodarone by 50% and increases the peak serum level by 84%, which may lead to toxicity. However, the effect of amiodarone on the PR and QTc intervals is apparently decreased, possibly due to reduced levels of the active metabolite.
Further study is needed. In the meantime, it may be prudent to suggest to patients that they avoid grapefruit juice.
http://www.medpill.info/amiodarone-and-grapefruit-juice-10176.htm
The studies I read said that in males it harms the testicles and in all patients, male and female, it can harm the urinary tracts and kidneys and the Grapefruit lessens the Amiodarone's effectiveness.
I hate the internet, research can be quite tough for me here lol, if anyone can find anything to read about this that is less confusing than what I found please feel free to share it in the comments here with a link to the site you found it on :).
In light of recent confusion about Amiodarone and Grapefruit I have be researching it hoping to help those of you who are still giving your babies Amiodarone :). All in all everything I found was full of words and talk that anyone without a medical degree could never fully understand lol, but I did find one, just one, very dummied down explanation about ingesting Grapefruit or any product of Grapefruit while taking Amiodarone. Here it is, I hope it helps your understanding!
Grapefruit juice appears to completely inhibit the metabolism of amiodarone to its major active metabolite, increases the AUC of amiodarone by 50% and increases the peak serum level by 84%, which may lead to toxicity. However, the effect of amiodarone on the PR and QTc intervals is apparently decreased, possibly due to reduced levels of the active metabolite.
Further study is needed. In the meantime, it may be prudent to suggest to patients that they avoid grapefruit juice.
http://www.medpill.info/amiodarone-and-grapefruit-juice-10176.htm
The studies I read said that in males it harms the testicles and in all patients, male and female, it can harm the urinary tracts and kidneys and the Grapefruit lessens the Amiodarone's effectiveness.
I hate the internet, research can be quite tough for me here lol, if anyone can find anything to read about this that is less confusing than what I found please feel free to share it in the comments here with a link to the site you found it on :).
11.19.2013
11 Months SVT Free
I should be jumping for joy, happy as ever, smiling ear to ear, joyous, etc., etc., etc....but I'm NOT. I was all those things last month, and the month before, and the month before that. Each month SVT free is a huge accomplishment for this little girl, don't get me wrong I am EXTREMELY grateful for these past months and I pray with everything I have that we can keep this streak going. So why am I so down about it?
A little more than a month ago a fellow PJRT mom made the decision to take her 4 year old PJRT daughter off of all her medications, she had been SVT free for over a year and they felt it was time to see how she did on her own. Almost 6 weeks went by of nothing but good news, I admit, I got my hopes up for her and for Miss K. Any time a child is considered to have outgrown their PJRT I get my hopes up for Miss K's diagnosis. Almost 6 weeks of thinking we had more hope, another PJRT child had most likely outgrown her condition. Almost 6 weeks of no medications and her sweet mama breaks the news that her sweet little girl had been taken to the ER via ambulance having a severe SVT episode. She was put back on her medications and sent home stable, a few days later she was taken to the ER yet again having a severe SVT episode, her medications were adjusted and she spent over 12 hours in the ER as they watched her closely to be sure she would be OK, she was sent home on a higher dose of medications than what they had ended almost 6 weeks before. My heart broke. This terrified me. We are a little more than 6 months away from the date her EP Cardiologist said he would remove all medications if she stays SVT free until that date. What if she follows the same fate this little girl did?
Earlier this week another SVT mom made note in our facebook group that her 3 year old, who has been SVT free for over a year but, like Miss K, is still medicated, had her first SVT episode and was rushed to the hospital. Her medications had to be adjusted and she still had yet another SVT episode a day later. This mama had been hopeful, like us, that her daughter had outgrown her SVT and they had plans to take her off of her medications in the next month or so, now it is apparent she still needs the medications and at a higher dosage.
These two very recent experiences have completely dashed my hopes. I've always felt that we are walking on egg shells, so to speak. I've always had the possibility of an SVT episode on my mind, though pushed back as far as I can hoping I am wrong. Hearing about other children, who are 1-2 years older than Miss K, having such unexpected breakthrough SVT after so long being SVT free is a huge slap of reality right to my face.
Miss K is doing great. She's still experiencing moderate hair loss occasionally, and that's the weird part it's only occasionally, I've begun to think her iron levels may be dipping from lack of proper eating when she gets into her little eating issues and being on the Propranolol during these eating issues and iron dips makes her body take a harder hit than normal which is probably why she looses a lot of hair for a week or two and then stops for a bit. She has a cold right now, nothing serious just the sniffles and a bit of congestion, she fevered yesterday but only just a bit sitting around 99.8 degrees, a bit more tired than usual but otherwise seems fine.
IF Miss K makes it to 1 year SVT free we will be having a big party for her, no matter how long she may or may not stay SVT free, a year is wonderful and I want to make sure we celebrate it. I will not let reality's slap to the face stop me from keeping up hope, she has beaten a lot of odds and shown her EP Cardiologist that she is a very special little girl from day one, maybe, just maybe, she will be that different case that actually has outgrown her PJRT.
A little more than a month ago a fellow PJRT mom made the decision to take her 4 year old PJRT daughter off of all her medications, she had been SVT free for over a year and they felt it was time to see how she did on her own. Almost 6 weeks went by of nothing but good news, I admit, I got my hopes up for her and for Miss K. Any time a child is considered to have outgrown their PJRT I get my hopes up for Miss K's diagnosis. Almost 6 weeks of thinking we had more hope, another PJRT child had most likely outgrown her condition. Almost 6 weeks of no medications and her sweet mama breaks the news that her sweet little girl had been taken to the ER via ambulance having a severe SVT episode. She was put back on her medications and sent home stable, a few days later she was taken to the ER yet again having a severe SVT episode, her medications were adjusted and she spent over 12 hours in the ER as they watched her closely to be sure she would be OK, she was sent home on a higher dose of medications than what they had ended almost 6 weeks before. My heart broke. This terrified me. We are a little more than 6 months away from the date her EP Cardiologist said he would remove all medications if she stays SVT free until that date. What if she follows the same fate this little girl did?
Earlier this week another SVT mom made note in our facebook group that her 3 year old, who has been SVT free for over a year but, like Miss K, is still medicated, had her first SVT episode and was rushed to the hospital. Her medications had to be adjusted and she still had yet another SVT episode a day later. This mama had been hopeful, like us, that her daughter had outgrown her SVT and they had plans to take her off of her medications in the next month or so, now it is apparent she still needs the medications and at a higher dosage.
These two very recent experiences have completely dashed my hopes. I've always felt that we are walking on egg shells, so to speak. I've always had the possibility of an SVT episode on my mind, though pushed back as far as I can hoping I am wrong. Hearing about other children, who are 1-2 years older than Miss K, having such unexpected breakthrough SVT after so long being SVT free is a huge slap of reality right to my face.
Miss K is doing great. She's still experiencing moderate hair loss occasionally, and that's the weird part it's only occasionally, I've begun to think her iron levels may be dipping from lack of proper eating when she gets into her little eating issues and being on the Propranolol during these eating issues and iron dips makes her body take a harder hit than normal which is probably why she looses a lot of hair for a week or two and then stops for a bit. She has a cold right now, nothing serious just the sniffles and a bit of congestion, she fevered yesterday but only just a bit sitting around 99.8 degrees, a bit more tired than usual but otherwise seems fine.
IF Miss K makes it to 1 year SVT free we will be having a big party for her, no matter how long she may or may not stay SVT free, a year is wonderful and I want to make sure we celebrate it. I will not let reality's slap to the face stop me from keeping up hope, she has beaten a lot of odds and shown her EP Cardiologist that she is a very special little girl from day one, maybe, just maybe, she will be that different case that actually has outgrown her PJRT.
10.24.2013
Hair Loss
About 7 or 8 months ago I remember reading a post by a SVT mom talking about hair loss being linked with the use of Propranolol. I never thought much of it since Miss K wasn't having hair loss issues, I felt bad for her but didn't think to remember that post.
Fast forward about 4 months and you find me crying over a clump of Miss K's hair. I was taking a hair band out of her hair, I'm always gentle about this and the hair band was a soft no-pull one, but on this night a chunk of Miss K's hair came out with it. It was perfect, it looked as though I had taken a pair of scissors and cut the hair in a perfect square. There I was holding a lock of precious, sweet hair.
Fast forward another 2 or 3 months and you find me constantly dealing with hand fulls of hair each time I comb Miss K's hair, no matter if it is soft and tangle free or completely riddled with tangles and knots, no matter if it is wet or dry, Miss K's hair is coming out in clumps. She has a bald spot in the front that I thought was just genetics, except that there was hair there one day and then the next there wasn't, but I didn't really notice how fast it had gone nor did I really remember there being hair there at all, now looking back at pictures I see that there was hair there at one time and there's really no reason for her not to have hair there now.
I finally realized something was up. I got on all the facebook support pages I follow and asked around about hair loss being connected with either Propranolol or Digoxin, or maybe even a delayed side effect from Amiodarone, a long shot I know but I have been desperate to find a reason for her hair loss. Most of the mom's that answered had never heard of hair loss being connected to any of the three medications. But a choice few had heard of a link and were willing to share. Turns out I found the mom who mentioned hair loss and Propranolol months ago, she verified that her daughter had a hair loss problem off and on while taking the Propranolol, she couldn't tell why some months were better than others but she could confirm that her daughter's Cardiologist admitted that hair loss is a side effect of Propranolol, uncommon and not well known but still a side effect. Another mom commented that her daughter's Cardiologist also mentioned hair loss as a side effect of Prorpanolol. After reading these comments I dug through some more websites looking for this side effect to be noted somewhere and, amazingly, I finally found it, a site that has hair loss listed as uncommon and not well known but it is a side effect of Propranolol.
I will, of course, be asking our own EP Cardiologist and our Pediatrician, and maybe even our Pharmacist, just to make sure this is really what's going on with Miss K. I will update when I can. I am almost sure the Propranolol is the cause but I also know that low Iron and a lack of certain vitamins and minerals can cause hair loss as well and seeing that Miss K is not the greatest little eater these could certainly be part of the cause.
Fast forward about 4 months and you find me crying over a clump of Miss K's hair. I was taking a hair band out of her hair, I'm always gentle about this and the hair band was a soft no-pull one, but on this night a chunk of Miss K's hair came out with it. It was perfect, it looked as though I had taken a pair of scissors and cut the hair in a perfect square. There I was holding a lock of precious, sweet hair.
Fast forward another 2 or 3 months and you find me constantly dealing with hand fulls of hair each time I comb Miss K's hair, no matter if it is soft and tangle free or completely riddled with tangles and knots, no matter if it is wet or dry, Miss K's hair is coming out in clumps. She has a bald spot in the front that I thought was just genetics, except that there was hair there one day and then the next there wasn't, but I didn't really notice how fast it had gone nor did I really remember there being hair there at all, now looking back at pictures I see that there was hair there at one time and there's really no reason for her not to have hair there now.
I finally realized something was up. I got on all the facebook support pages I follow and asked around about hair loss being connected with either Propranolol or Digoxin, or maybe even a delayed side effect from Amiodarone, a long shot I know but I have been desperate to find a reason for her hair loss. Most of the mom's that answered had never heard of hair loss being connected to any of the three medications. But a choice few had heard of a link and were willing to share. Turns out I found the mom who mentioned hair loss and Propranolol months ago, she verified that her daughter had a hair loss problem off and on while taking the Propranolol, she couldn't tell why some months were better than others but she could confirm that her daughter's Cardiologist admitted that hair loss is a side effect of Propranolol, uncommon and not well known but still a side effect. Another mom commented that her daughter's Cardiologist also mentioned hair loss as a side effect of Prorpanolol. After reading these comments I dug through some more websites looking for this side effect to be noted somewhere and, amazingly, I finally found it, a site that has hair loss listed as uncommon and not well known but it is a side effect of Propranolol.
I will, of course, be asking our own EP Cardiologist and our Pediatrician, and maybe even our Pharmacist, just to make sure this is really what's going on with Miss K. I will update when I can. I am almost sure the Propranolol is the cause but I also know that low Iron and a lack of certain vitamins and minerals can cause hair loss as well and seeing that Miss K is not the greatest little eater these could certainly be part of the cause.
10.15.2013
10 Months SVT FREE!
And we're walking on egg shells. Waiting for the ball to drop. Panicking. Preparing. And all at the same time while we're also thanking God, rejoicing, feeling blessed, hoping and praying.
Almost a whole year SVT free. We never thought we'd see this. Of course, we know we need to consider the fact that Miss K has only gained 1 pound in this whole past year and just maybe her medications are just working really great because she's not getting heavier. But we can always hope that maybe she has outgrown her PJRT, or is slowly outgrowing it at any rate.
Miss K is still taking 3.2mL Propanolol 3 times a day and 1.2mL Digoxin 2 times a day.
The life of an SVT baby:
Syringes all over the house, both dirty and clean.
Medications piled up in her room, out of reach of course, but still visible so we don't forget to give them.
Empty medication bottles and boxes throughout the house, always at least one in the trash can on trash day.
An alarm set on both Mommy and Daddy's phones so we don't forget her afternoon Propanolol.
Stethoscopes in every room, though they are rarely used lately they are still there.
Heart rate App on both Mommy and Daddy's phones (cardiograph app).
Our favorite local pharmacy knowing Mommy's face and name, knowing exactly what I am there for each month.
Our favorite local pharmacist knowing and usually remembering without fail that Mommy prefers the Propanolol in 2 small bottles rather than 1 big bottle and that she prefers the prescription label for the Digoxin be placed on the bottle rather than the box.
Miss K understanding, and allowing, us to "hear" her by placing our ear to her chest and listening for a few seconds. (done about twice a day)
Miss K understanding, and allowing, us to place a hand over her heart and holding still long enough for us to feel her little heart beat. (done a few times a day)
Miss K knowing the word "medicine" and knowing exactly what it means.
Miss K having medications such a huge part of her daily routine to the point of her reminding us when it's time for medicine even when we forget.
Miss K finding play syringes in a dress-up doctors kit and telling her baby doll "time for medicine!" while putting said syringe into her baby doll's mouth and pushing the plunger.
Miss K finding play stethoscopes in a dress-up doctors kit and placing it on her own chest to listen and then placing it on her baby dolls chest, somehow putting it in the correct location every time.
Having to tell Grandma "No" for sugary sweets and drinks even though the other grandkids all have them at the moment.
Finding Sugar Free popsicles and treats in one Grandma's house set aside especially for Miss K.
Having to remind Grandpa's and Uncle's "no tipping upside down!" and "no tossing high into the air!", these things have NOT caused SVT yet but we aren't willing to chance it so we just plain don't allow it.
Doctors appointment reminders for Cardiology coming in over the phone every few months, set in Mommy's phone calendar, and written on the family calendars all over the house.
Avoiding illness like the plague, more paranoid than the average parent, praying to avoid fevers at all costs, staying home all the time, rarely getting an adventure at any public place especially during cold and flu season.
Being familiar too with Primary Children's Medical Center.
So many more things I could list if I could remember them. But we'll take all of it to get to keep our sweet little princess!
Lately I have been feeling so blessed, and then so guilty, about Miss K's last few quiet months. The guilt comes from knowing a few other sweet PJRT babies who are not as lucky as Miss K yet, they are still enduring a lot of trial and error with their medications and such and dealing with SVT and frequent Cardiologist visits. Though I know we have been there, Miss K was not been spared these trials in the slightest, but I almost feel like it's not fair that she is now mostly healthy and SVT free when they are still struggling daily :(. We pray for them all the time, and worry until we hear good news from them.
Almost a whole year SVT free. We never thought we'd see this. Of course, we know we need to consider the fact that Miss K has only gained 1 pound in this whole past year and just maybe her medications are just working really great because she's not getting heavier. But we can always hope that maybe she has outgrown her PJRT, or is slowly outgrowing it at any rate.
Miss K is still taking 3.2mL Propanolol 3 times a day and 1.2mL Digoxin 2 times a day.
The life of an SVT baby:
Syringes all over the house, both dirty and clean.
Medications piled up in her room, out of reach of course, but still visible so we don't forget to give them.
Empty medication bottles and boxes throughout the house, always at least one in the trash can on trash day.
An alarm set on both Mommy and Daddy's phones so we don't forget her afternoon Propanolol.
Stethoscopes in every room, though they are rarely used lately they are still there.
Heart rate App on both Mommy and Daddy's phones (cardiograph app).
Our favorite local pharmacy knowing Mommy's face and name, knowing exactly what I am there for each month.
Our favorite local pharmacist knowing and usually remembering without fail that Mommy prefers the Propanolol in 2 small bottles rather than 1 big bottle and that she prefers the prescription label for the Digoxin be placed on the bottle rather than the box.
Miss K understanding, and allowing, us to "hear" her by placing our ear to her chest and listening for a few seconds. (done about twice a day)
Miss K understanding, and allowing, us to place a hand over her heart and holding still long enough for us to feel her little heart beat. (done a few times a day)
Miss K knowing the word "medicine" and knowing exactly what it means.
Miss K having medications such a huge part of her daily routine to the point of her reminding us when it's time for medicine even when we forget.
Miss K finding play syringes in a dress-up doctors kit and telling her baby doll "time for medicine!" while putting said syringe into her baby doll's mouth and pushing the plunger.
Miss K finding play stethoscopes in a dress-up doctors kit and placing it on her own chest to listen and then placing it on her baby dolls chest, somehow putting it in the correct location every time.
Having to tell Grandma "No" for sugary sweets and drinks even though the other grandkids all have them at the moment.
Finding Sugar Free popsicles and treats in one Grandma's house set aside especially for Miss K.
Having to remind Grandpa's and Uncle's "no tipping upside down!" and "no tossing high into the air!", these things have NOT caused SVT yet but we aren't willing to chance it so we just plain don't allow it.
Doctors appointment reminders for Cardiology coming in over the phone every few months, set in Mommy's phone calendar, and written on the family calendars all over the house.
Avoiding illness like the plague, more paranoid than the average parent, praying to avoid fevers at all costs, staying home all the time, rarely getting an adventure at any public place especially during cold and flu season.
Being familiar too with Primary Children's Medical Center.
So many more things I could list if I could remember them. But we'll take all of it to get to keep our sweet little princess!
Lately I have been feeling so blessed, and then so guilty, about Miss K's last few quiet months. The guilt comes from knowing a few other sweet PJRT babies who are not as lucky as Miss K yet, they are still enduring a lot of trial and error with their medications and such and dealing with SVT and frequent Cardiologist visits. Though I know we have been there, Miss K was not been spared these trials in the slightest, but I almost feel like it's not fair that she is now mostly healthy and SVT free when they are still struggling daily :(. We pray for them all the time, and worry until we hear good news from them.
9.12.2013
Insomnia
Miss K has had a bad case of insomnia since we took her off of the Amiodarone. It wasn't a huge problem until recently.
Miss K started out just having about 1-2 nights a month of no sleep, she'd play in her crib in her room all night long keeping her Daddy and I awake listening to her but not able to do much about it. And then about 6 months ago she started having sleepless nights about once a week, at which point she was no longer in a crib but in a toddler bed but she was not able to open her bedroom door on her own so we just kept her room 100% toddler proof so she couldn't get hurt and didn't worry about her, we also were running a fan in our room to help Baby Brother sleep so we could barely hear Miss K in her room playing and thus were finally able to sleep through her noise. And then about 4 months ago she started having her sleepless nights about 2-3 times a week. About 3 months ago she learned how to open her door, we resorted to locking the door so she couldn't get out. We needed to keep her in her room so she couldn't hurt herself with mischief she may cause in the rest of the house alone. A little more than a month ago the sleepless nights went from occasional to nearly EVERY night. At her grandmother's house the only way to keep her safe during the night was to put her in a pack and play (play pen) to sleep because no bedrooms are toddler safe enough for her to be wandering them alone, it's canning season so we have been at Grandma's house A LOT. She recently learned how to climb out of a pack and play. This week, after a particularly bad night, she learned how to unlock her bedroom door on her own. I spent a long night listening for her and putting her back into bed all night long as she wandered the house and got into mischief of all kinds. I put up the baby gate AND locked her bedroom door. She climbed the baby gate. We can no longer contain her without drastic measures. She climbs out of cribs, she climbs baby gates, she opens all doors, she unlocks all doors, she can even undo child safe locks on cupboards and drawers. She's TWO years old, at this age Big Brother was an angel, at the time I didn't think so but now I realize he really was an angel, ESPECIALLY compared to Miss K.
We have been running a fan in her room for white noise since she was a baby. We thought maybe that was part of what might be keeping her up at night so we tried a few nights without the fan, turns out she sleeps worse without the fan than she does with it. I tried cutting naps down to 30 min. to an hour, that didn't work so I tried cutting nap out completely, this only resulted in a VERY unhappy little girl since she was no longer getting ANY sleep. I have been rubbing Lavender Essential Oils on the bottoms of her feet and on her forehead every night since she started the insomnia, until recently it actually worked quite well, now it isn't doing ANYTHING for her. We also had "calming bracelets", they worked better than the Lavender oil for a bit, now they also don't work for her. Last night I tried using the Lavender oil in a diffuser AND I rubbed doTERRA's Balance on the bottoms of her feet and her forehead. She actually slept for the first time in a long time, though I have no idea if it was the diffuser or the Balance. Since I borrowed the diffuser from a friend just for the night I will be returning it today and we shall see if it was that or the Balance that made her sleep. If we have yet another bad night I'll be purchasing a diffuser of my own, and if that doesn't work then I'll know it was just Miss K finally tiring out for a bit. My next plan of action to get her sleeping is to try doTERRA's Serenity, and then as a last resort I would like to try Melatonin if her EP Cardiologist clears it as safe, I put a call in to him today to make sure before I try using it and am now waiting on a return call.
As far as keeping her contained goes...our door knobs are lever knobs, not round or oval ones that you turn. We went to The Home Depot and purchased a lever knob safety latch system only to get home and find that if placed inside her door it locks us out permanently and we can only get into her room through her outside window, but it won't fit on the outside of her door because of the door jamb so that was a bust, we will be returning the safety latch tonight. Our other options are to purchase a round knob and replace her lever knob with it, though this only works until she learns to turn a round knob, which puts us to a point of needing to put the knob on backwards so the lock is on the outside. Our only other option is to put an eye hook in on the outside and latching her in, but I'm afraid this will only work until she gets strong enough, or determined enough, to pull the screws out of the door.
Last night Miss K slept, whether from exhaustion or because one of the Essential Oils worked, but she was awake at the crack of dawn wandering the house while the rest of us slept. And, as if she wasn't driving me crazy enough as it was, she decided Big Brother needed to join her in her wanderings, she had him awake soon after she got up, she wandered into his room to climb in his bed with him to wake him so she'd have someone to play with. Big Brother likes his sleep, he wasn't happy to be woken by his little sister before he was ready to be awake.
Miss K started out just having about 1-2 nights a month of no sleep, she'd play in her crib in her room all night long keeping her Daddy and I awake listening to her but not able to do much about it. And then about 6 months ago she started having sleepless nights about once a week, at which point she was no longer in a crib but in a toddler bed but she was not able to open her bedroom door on her own so we just kept her room 100% toddler proof so she couldn't get hurt and didn't worry about her, we also were running a fan in our room to help Baby Brother sleep so we could barely hear Miss K in her room playing and thus were finally able to sleep through her noise. And then about 4 months ago she started having her sleepless nights about 2-3 times a week. About 3 months ago she learned how to open her door, we resorted to locking the door so she couldn't get out. We needed to keep her in her room so she couldn't hurt herself with mischief she may cause in the rest of the house alone. A little more than a month ago the sleepless nights went from occasional to nearly EVERY night. At her grandmother's house the only way to keep her safe during the night was to put her in a pack and play (play pen) to sleep because no bedrooms are toddler safe enough for her to be wandering them alone, it's canning season so we have been at Grandma's house A LOT. She recently learned how to climb out of a pack and play. This week, after a particularly bad night, she learned how to unlock her bedroom door on her own. I spent a long night listening for her and putting her back into bed all night long as she wandered the house and got into mischief of all kinds. I put up the baby gate AND locked her bedroom door. She climbed the baby gate. We can no longer contain her without drastic measures. She climbs out of cribs, she climbs baby gates, she opens all doors, she unlocks all doors, she can even undo child safe locks on cupboards and drawers. She's TWO years old, at this age Big Brother was an angel, at the time I didn't think so but now I realize he really was an angel, ESPECIALLY compared to Miss K.
We have been running a fan in her room for white noise since she was a baby. We thought maybe that was part of what might be keeping her up at night so we tried a few nights without the fan, turns out she sleeps worse without the fan than she does with it. I tried cutting naps down to 30 min. to an hour, that didn't work so I tried cutting nap out completely, this only resulted in a VERY unhappy little girl since she was no longer getting ANY sleep. I have been rubbing Lavender Essential Oils on the bottoms of her feet and on her forehead every night since she started the insomnia, until recently it actually worked quite well, now it isn't doing ANYTHING for her. We also had "calming bracelets", they worked better than the Lavender oil for a bit, now they also don't work for her. Last night I tried using the Lavender oil in a diffuser AND I rubbed doTERRA's Balance on the bottoms of her feet and her forehead. She actually slept for the first time in a long time, though I have no idea if it was the diffuser or the Balance. Since I borrowed the diffuser from a friend just for the night I will be returning it today and we shall see if it was that or the Balance that made her sleep. If we have yet another bad night I'll be purchasing a diffuser of my own, and if that doesn't work then I'll know it was just Miss K finally tiring out for a bit. My next plan of action to get her sleeping is to try doTERRA's Serenity, and then as a last resort I would like to try Melatonin if her EP Cardiologist clears it as safe, I put a call in to him today to make sure before I try using it and am now waiting on a return call.
As far as keeping her contained goes...our door knobs are lever knobs, not round or oval ones that you turn. We went to The Home Depot and purchased a lever knob safety latch system only to get home and find that if placed inside her door it locks us out permanently and we can only get into her room through her outside window, but it won't fit on the outside of her door because of the door jamb so that was a bust, we will be returning the safety latch tonight. Our other options are to purchase a round knob and replace her lever knob with it, though this only works until she learns to turn a round knob, which puts us to a point of needing to put the knob on backwards so the lock is on the outside. Our only other option is to put an eye hook in on the outside and latching her in, but I'm afraid this will only work until she gets strong enough, or determined enough, to pull the screws out of the door.
Last night Miss K slept, whether from exhaustion or because one of the Essential Oils worked, but she was awake at the crack of dawn wandering the house while the rest of us slept. And, as if she wasn't driving me crazy enough as it was, she decided Big Brother needed to join her in her wanderings, she had him awake soon after she got up, she wandered into his room to climb in his bed with him to wake him so she'd have someone to play with. Big Brother likes his sleep, he wasn't happy to be woken by his little sister before he was ready to be awake.
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