Photo courtesy of rajcreationzs at http://freedigitalphotos,net
Dear One Year Molars,
Sigh…I’m very disappointed in you. You’ve been hanging around in Zac’s mouth for over a month now without popping through. You’re causing him a great deal of pain.
Which means, of course, a month of disturbed sleep for MAMA, too, and many days of me having to become a human pacifier to make things tolerable for Zac.
Mama doesn’t have time for that, little Molars.
And Mama doesn’t like seeing her little boy in pain.
Now, you are very important little teeth, and I don’t want you to think I’m mad at you. You’re big, and flat, and I know popping through the gums is much more difficult for you than it is for other, pointier teeth.
But you know, I think you could try harder.
The little boy you belong to is such a sweet, happy little boy; I know you don’t like the idea of making him miserable. You are, though. He’s just miserable.
Lots of Mama’s talk about how hard it is for their little boys and girls to teethe their one year molars, because it is well known that your compatriots cause discomfort around the world in the teething process.
But you, dear one year molars that belong to my son? You are part of a very special little boy.
Zac has FPIES, and many of the symptoms that YOU produce mimic FPIES reaction symptoms…and I’m very tired of trying to sort out what pain symptoms are FPIES or Molars.
See, that whole sleep disturbance thing, for instance, is a common FPIES symptom when a child is reacting. But it is ALSO a common symptom when a child is trying to get their one year molars. So the fact that you’re taking so long to pop through means I spend more time trying to figure it out: is he waking up so much because he’s teething, or because he’s reacting?
Let’s not forget the comfort nursing thing, either. Lots of babies comfort nurse when they’re teething, but FPIES babies will often comfort nurse when they’re reacting. So again, not only do I have to figure out what is causing Zac to comfort nurse, but I have to do it while being a Human Pacifier! I’d really like to be able to close my shirt some during the day, dear molars. (Not to mention be able to pump some safe milk for him, which has proven impossible over the last two weeks thanks to being constantly drained by his comfort nursing!)
The other very distressing thing about you is that you are causing Zac a LOT of pain and discomfort, and I don’t have anything I can do to alleviate his pain! Because of FPIES, he reacts to acetaminophen and ibuprofen, and I can’t risk him reacting to any other pain medicines at this moment in time because, 1. you’re already confusing his symptoms and 2. we really have GOT to find him a safe FOOD to eat.
We don’t have time to waste finding a safe pain reliever for him right now, not when we are in desperate search for a safe FOOD; he has nothing else he can eat right now and staying alive is far more important than being pain free.
Sadly, the pain you are causing is too much for his amber necklace to offset, and he is just as stubborn as you are and refuses all frozen teether devices to chew.
So I’m getting very disappointed in you, little molars, because you’re confusing the issues in our house and causing such pain in my son, and it would all go away if you would just POP THROUGH THE GUMS ALREADY!!!
Now, maybe you’re shy. I don’t know what to tell you about that. Rest assured, you are very wanted and loved – why, you’ll be the teeth that help my little boy eat food (when one day he can eat food)!
Maybe you just don’t feel like you’re necessary, since Zac doesn’t yet eat food. I promise you, you are very necessary! The faster you get here, the faster we can stop having such confusing symptoms and can start giving him food for you to grind up.
So you see? You are wanted and necessary, and we want you here very much.
Do you think you could hustle a bit, little molars? Break on through those gums and make your grand appearance! We all really, really want you here!
Lots of love,
A Very Tired and Stressed-out Mama
