This is her I am not feeling too well look. Taken in KKH A&E. First time we took her out in her jammies. When your baby is not feeling well, going out in her jammies will be the least of your concern. Hahaha!The Little One had been a fussy baby for the past 2 nights.
Little did I know that it could be the ear infection that had been bothering her. I feel mighty bad. Feeling bad that she was feeling the pain and feeling bad that I didn't discover it earlier. I suspected that it could be one, but didn't act on the instinct immediately. Sigh, I didn't want to over react mah!
The first night when she fussed, I thought it could be that we moved her cot to a different corner in the room and she wasn't used to it. Second day she fussed a little more in the afternoon but settled down and was a happy little thing in the evening until bedtime. She cried when I tried to clean her right ear during her afternoon bath, cried when I tried to dry it. It was then that I suspected that she might be having an ear infection. I have no idea what possessed me that I didn't check her ears thoroughly and instead took it that she was just being fussy. She wasn't showing any other signs of discomfort or symptoms. No fever, no ear pulling, she was feeding well, pooping well.
The only time she turned into a fusspot is when she is very very tired, major meltdowns are really really rare. Often, I would get her to nap before she gets too tired. I should have known better that something isn't too right. Most times she would just get whiny, she will whine more and then some. If she isn't attended to after a long while of whining would she go on to a major full blown at her top of her lungs cry.
The Dad bathed her at night and she cried a little when he tried to clean her ear. When she got dressed and we settled down for her last feed before bedtime that I saw pus - plenty of that yucky gunk flowing out of her ear.
I panicked of course. I didn't know how serious it could be, I didn't know if she was in pain. It was a lot of pus! I told The Husband, we need to get to the hospital pronto!
Thankfully the wait at the A&E in KKH wasn't too long. Just an hour. To our surprise, she was in a fantastic mood. Giggling, smiling and sitting contently on her father's lap, sucking on her fingers. The only baby who seemed happy in that room. People must think that we are a strange sight. I suppose some boil in the ear burst, giving her much relief. In turn, her cheerfulness gave us some relief too. At least we know she isn't in some sort of pain.
We got home a little near 2 am and she wasn't in the mood for her sleep just yet. She was playful and chatty. We gladly obliged and stayed up with her playing and talking. We were all too happy that she was fine. It wasn't until near 3 am that she finally slept. Gosh, we were both exhausted and sleepy. When we hit the sack close to 4am, after some Milo and crackers, we were both knocked out instantly.
What amazed us is how she could still play and smile while she had that infection. Considering that pain she had, she had been pretty good! No matter how fussy she got, we were able to calm her relatively easily. We were still able to coax smiles out of her. She is indeed our little trooper.
At least now I know how her I am not feeling so well/I am in pain cry sounds like. Oh, and trust my mummy instincts, I do have some of them!
