A Clear Sign

Let's talk about elimination (I apologize to the weak-stomached). The first couple diapers that I changed with Sinclair had urine and a pinkish spot on her diaper. I was concerned, but did not see any blood around either of her bodily exits. It was just over 24 hours before she made poop. She fussed and pushed, but it seemed like she got it out okay. I have been feeding her the same formula she has been drinking at the orphanage. The next day, I decided to give her some prune baby food, just so she wouldn't have to push so hard. This helped and the next diaper was, well, mush. I figured we'd gotten over that hump, and continued feeding her regularly with the same formula, applesauce baby food, congee, baby rice cereal with bananas, and any table food she could chomp with her four little teeth.

Then came the trauma. During our trip here to Guangzhou, Sinclair had tried to push something out a couple times; I could hear her grunting and feel her stomach muscles contracting, but nothing but a little smell came out. But about thirty minutes after she went to sleep in the hotel, she started fussing and crying. We picked her up and she was pushing a lot between cries. I smelled something, and when we laid her down on the bed to look in the diaper, there was poop sticking out about 1 inch, stuck in place. Her skin was stretched out to the max, it seemed. I thought I was going to see her perineum tear right before my eyes. I pulled her legs up to her chest to help her get it out and she just cried and cried. Matt quickly went to try to get a warm washcloth since that was what the nurses used for me when I gave birth. By the time he got that, the first VERY WIDE poop had come out. He came over and then one more shorter, but just as wide, poop came out. There was some blood, and a very tearful family. It was very upsetting to both Matt and me. Luckily, the other children were already asleep. I thought I'd seen everything as a mother, but I guess not. My other children were all breast-fed, and God's perfect food was always easily digested. This morning I fed her lactose-free Enfamil that I brought with us and there will be one more serving of prune baby food this afternoon. Please pray for Sinclair's little bottom and for her digestion. And I want to say thank you for all the wonderful comments and well-wishes we have received. We are so blessed by all of you.