How High?

O.K. I have found that motherhood can be really confusing. Especially when your little one is cutting yet another tooth.


The night before last (December 2nd night) Mackenzie's 4th tooth arrived in full force. She felt a little warm to me when I put her down to bed, but no big deal. I figured that she had a slight fever due to cutting her tooth. When I went in at 12:30 am to nurse her things were very different. She was in a pool of sweat and was a furnace. I had Wayne bring me a cool washcloth and some Tylenol to get the fever down. I didn't actually take her temperature because she was still sleeping and nursing in my arms, so I just cooled her off and brought her to bed with me so I could monitor the situation. She seemed to cool off, and when I woke up at 3:00 am to nurse her again she was warm but not HOT. That changed at 5:00 am. I woke up to a little furnace sleeping next to me. I changed her diaper and took her rectal temperature and it was 102.5*. Too high for my comfort. Mackenzie and I jumped into a cool (not cold) bath and played with rubber duckies to help cool her down, but she was still HOT. At 8:00 am she still had a rectal temperature of 102.2* and we decided to call the doctor.


Of coarse the doctor's office demanded that she come in immediately, but her doctor was not available. We had to see a Man doctor, and Mackenzie does not like new Men, so she SCREAMED the entire time. He said she looks great, but definitely has a virus. Because she isn't vaccinated he wants to do a complete blood workup and catheterize her for a urine sample. The blood work wasn't just a finger prick either, but a full on blood draw at the hospital. This Man Doctor was trying to scare me into doing all sorts of stuff, so as a scared and frustrated Mom I told him I needed to leave and think for a few hours before we did anything. I asked a few more questions and left his office very upset. (Her fever was down to 99* while at the doctors)

When I got home I put in several calls. One to my doctor, one to my midwife and of coarse the first one was to my husband and the second one to my mom. I also called some friends to see what they had done in the past. After MUCH PRAYER and consultation I decided to wait and monitor my little one. After my Mom got home from work I went over to her house to use some Young Living Essential Oils (my Christmas present from my Mom) on Mackenzie along with prayer. I used peppermint in her belly button and lavender & thieves on the bottom of her feet.

Although we had a rough night last night (December 3rd) her fever broke after the second round of essential oil use and a TON of PRAYER. PRAISE GOD! Today I am just monitoring her temperature to be sure we don't need another round of oils, but for now Mackenzie is playing very happily and cool to the touch. Needless to say, we won't be seeing that over reactive Man Doctor any more. If Mackenzie's doctor is not available I am taking her to my doctor after talking to my Midwife and using oils and prayer first! (That is with discernment, of coarse. I wouldn't put Mackenzie in danger.).

(If you would like more information on Essential Oils please let me know. They are WONDERFUL and they work on all sorts of things from house hold cleaning to pain and illness and nutrition)