4 Months and the Well Visit story

Today is Zach's four month "birthday". It's hard to believe really. I wish four months worth of pregnancy went by this quickly! I'd probably be more agreeable to a second kid if that were the case lol!

So we had Zach's well visit today too. Brad couldn't come because he got stuck in a meeting, so Zach and I were left to fend for ourselves. He is 13lbs 6oz, 25" long (25th% for weight, 55th% for height). This visit was... interesting, to say the least. First of all, when the nurse is asking all her little questions... how many pees/poos, how many feeds, what is he eating, how long does he sleep, etc.--I mentioned that he doesn't really nap except for little catnaps here and there, 30 minutes a piece if I'm lucky. She stopped and said, "wow, that's really strange" then made a note in his file and continued on. Didn't tell me what to do about it, but I found that odd. Then she informs me that he has to get more shots. Ugh. I lean down and tell Zach that afterward we'll go buy him a toy. The nurse laughs, so I tell her that I decided I'd get him something special after every time he has to get a shot, and since he's too young for ice cream, we'd opted for toys. "Well then you're going to be buying a LOT of toys over the next couple years! He gets at least one shot at every appointment until he's two."

Um, I'm sorry, WHAT? My kid has to get stabbed at EVERY appointment? That's news to me. He's going to hate the doctor's office by the time he is a toddler! No wonder people are so up in arms about vaccinations. I mean, I understand the need for them, but come on! That's a lot of pokes for a little person! Heck, that's a lot of pokes for ANY person! Poor kid :(

But I digress. Anyway, we wait for like half an hour after the nurse leaves before the doctor came in. When she finally comes in, she starts doing the usual exams--listen to his chest and tummy, look in his eyes and ears, etc.-- and then pulls out the tounge depresser to look in his mouth. I pointed out the two nubs of teeth that he has coming in on the bottom. She stops me, almost snapping at me, "no, you're wrong. Those aren't teeth. They are (insert something here that she said so quickly I didn't get a chance to absorb it). Teeth aren't for another couple months yet."

Those of you who know our struggle with this will understand why I had to literally bite my tounge at this point. How can those NOT be teeth? They are where teeth are supposed to be! They are tooth colored! They are sharp (although not according to her, but she doesn't get bitten on a sensitive area by them several times a day!)! He is chewing on everything and everyone and drools like a bulldog... all the classic signs of teething! He magically gets happier when we give him the teething tablets and when those don't work put the Orajel on them! I AM NOT WRONG! I AM THE MOMMY!!!

Deep breath lol. Okay. She goes on to mention the note about his napping, or rather lack thereof, and says that it was indeed strange, but gave me no suggestions. I am just supposed to know that it's strange apparently. So then, she continues by telling me... no wait, not telling, LECTURING ME... that he needs to be spending as much time on his tummy as possible and that I should be pushing on his feet so that he learns to crawl. And I should be showing him how to roll over by rolling him over repeatedly. And that safety is so important. I shouldn't be putting him on the couch or a bed by himself because he could fall off. I shouldn't put his carseat up on a counter because he could fall. And did I get my flu shot yet? (To which I replied that I did not but I already have had the seasonal flu. "Oh, you mean H1N1," she chides. I tell her that no, it was the seasonal flu. "Well you must be mistaken about that because that doesn't come until around December," she tells me matter of factly. I tell her back that no, I saw my pulminologist and he diagnosed that it was not H1N1, just the REGULAR FLU. She goes on to tell me that my pulminologist--"what do you see him for anyways?" she asks. Um, asthma.-- should be forcing me to get the flu shot. Are you KIDDING ME?) All of this "instruction" was just out of the clear blue. I don't know if it's because I have the skin of a teenager right now that I look like an irresponsible parent or what, but I didn't expect to be lectured on good parenting at my child's doctor appointment!

Oddly enough, the one thing I was sure I WOULD be lectured about, the food, she was actually on board with. She encouraged me to switch up his meals every few days at least, and to try a new food every four days. She even gave me a sheet on feeding in the first year that was okay for me to follow. Go figure.

Then she gets out the shots. Now I don't know if she was running behind or was impatient with the fact that he was already crying or what the deal was, but this time she basically stabbed my poor boy with the needles. He BLED for the first time. She also told me that it's likely he'll have knots in his leg where he got the shots, and if they do come they're normal and will probably last until his next appointment in two months. Geesh! The more we do these stupid "recommended" vaccines, the more I'm wishing we would have spaced them out or something. I'm starting to really hate the fact that he's already had more vaccines in his four months of life than I had by the time I was school aged. I mean, I know medicine has come so far in twenty some-odd years, but it's starting to seem a little excessive to me as a parent.

Anyway, after being made to feel like crap about my parenting ability and being left with a screaming child, I went out and requested that we be switched to a different doctor in the practice that we had worked with and felt met our family needs better (that's how I put it anyway). The doctor we picked is the one who saw Zach in the hospital, did his circumcision, and saw him at his first well visit where he caught the jaundice. His name is Dr. Alamansu, but he goes by Dr. Ben because most people can't pronounce his last name. He's young and fresh, and I think that's a good thing. He should be able to be Zach's doctor until it's time for a regular adult practicioner, which I would really like.

Zach was actually in decent spirits this evening until after his dinner of pears. We tried to put him to bed, but an hour later (aka, about ten minutes ago while I was in the middle of this post) he woke up screaming like I've never heard him scream before. We aren't sure if he just wasn't feeling good or if he had a bad dream, but we're letting him sleep in our room tonight. He managed to fall back to sleep on Brad's chest, so he's snuggled in between us in bed and is sleeping soundly except for the occasional whimper. Poor little boy.

Anyway, that was our day. I'm hoping he doesn't get a fever like he did with the last round of vaccinations. That was miserable for all involved, to say the least. I'm going to go ahead and wrap this up because I think my typing is disturbing him.