Tummy Troubles

Writers: Chelle, Jelena
Date Posted: 10th July 2014

Characters: Parale, Parme
Description: Parme helps Parale out when the baby gets sick.
Location: Sunstone Seahold
Date: month 8, day 6 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: Ioven

"Parale! House call!" Parme called out as she knocked on the door thrice
before entering the cot, a bag stuffed with herbs slung over her shoulders.

Parale had her hands full. Parys was now eight months old and the baby
seemed to have a case of the colic or something. She was trying everything
she could to soothe her but the little body just kept crying. She'd sent one
of the girls to Parme with a message, hoping she'd know what to do. It was
distressing seeing your child suffer and not being able to do anything about
it. "I'm in here!" she called from the kitchen where she was holding Parys
who struggled against her.

Parme followed Parale's voice into the kitchen and smiled at her friend.
"Venrys said it might be colic?" she asked as she approached and held out
her arms to take over the child for a moment.

"I think so but I'm not sure, but she just won't be quiet and I've done
everything I can." Worrying over the baby and hoping it wasn't anything bad,
she gave her over and fretted.

"There, there, little lady," Parme said gently as she placed her friend's
daughter on a pillow on the table for examination. "Does your tummy hurt,
eh?"

Parys continued to cry, tears running down her face. Her little body was
warm and it was clear something was wrong. Her mother was almost in tears
herself.

Parme examined the little girl carefully, making comforting sounds as her
hands felt her sore tummy.

Parale tried to calm down, knowing that her own upset would effect the baby.
It was hard seeing your child suffer and knowing you could do nothing about
it. Everything within her said she, as the mother, should be able to fix
whatever it was. Before now, though, all of her fosterchildren had always
been older. She'd never really dealt with babies this young.

"You were right, it's definitely colic," Parme nodded. "Look at the way her
stomach is distended, her feet cold and her hands clenched." Parme covered
the baby back up with more hushing sounds. "Don't worry dear, this is common
in big, healthy babies and she will be fine. I'm going to prepare something
to soothe her tummy a little, if you could swaddle her up and take her to a
rocking chair?"

"Oh yes." Slowly, she took the baby back and tried her best not to jostle
her as she went over to the chair. Poor Parys. "It's okay. Parme is going to
get you some medicine."

After putting a pot on the fire to warm up some water, Parme opened her bag
and started to sort through its contents. "How long has she been like this
now?"

"Since she woke up this morning. She tired herself out at one point and went
to sleep for a bit but since then, it's just been this." Parale tried to do
what she could and when there had been no change, she'd called in Parme.

"I can see why you're so strung out," Parme said softly while checking the
pot for signs of boiling. "You could have called for me sooner. There's no
shame in admitting you need help, dear."

"I want...to be a good mother. I thought I could figure it out but I don't
know what to use or what to do." And it wasn't as if she had her own mother
here to tell her those things. No, her mother was at Garnet Valley. She had
no family here except Ioven and her daughters.

"You are a good mother, love," Parme assured her. "All new mothers think
they have to get it right all the time. You can't. As long as you know when
to ask for advice or call for help, you will be fine. And you did, so
there."

Sighing, she waited for Parme to do something to fix this. It was awful
seeing the baby in so much pain and she wanted it to stop immediately.
Holding Parys close, she wiped a cool cloth against her face while the baby
struggled.

"Right, now this just needs to cool down a bit," Parme said as she took the
pot of the water. The herbs she had put in gave only the slightest hint of
scent, but she knew they held just enough strength to soothe the poor
child's tummy some so she could get some rest.

Time passed and it was finally okay to give Parys some of the medicine.
Parale coaxed the infant into managing some of it, though it was hard and
she worried the whole time. Trusting Parme, she held the little one close
and tried to get her to relax. "Please work...please work."

"Hopefully she'll calm down over the next quarter of a candlemark and you
can put her to bed for a while." Parme smiled. "And again, try not to worry
to much. It is a very common thing and not dangerous. Just a tiring
nuisance."

"Thank you. Don't know what I'd do without you sometimes." She blew some air
out of her lips and looked down at Parys who did seem to be calming a bit.

Parme smiled. "I'm here to help whenever I can." Normally a young mother
would have her own mother, or a mother-in-law, around to help her deal with
these things, but that wasn't the reality for everyone.

Last updated on the July 13th 2014

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