In just 5 weeks I will have a 1 year old.
Wait...is that RIGHT? No...can't be. There's just no way that this little baby here
is about to turn a year old. Not possible. Look at how tiny he was! And by the way, both of the hands holding Riley in this picture are Kelly's. I thought it was fairly obvious because, well, look at them...dirty, super short fingernails, big fingers...they're just not "girly" enough to be mine, right? But my mother in law actually thought one was mine until I told her differently. Hmm...maybe I should start keeping my nails painted so its a bit more obvious...I don't want to have "manly" hands....
Anyway...seriously...LOOK at that little bitty baby! And then look at this big boy
Can't possibly be the same kid. Can it???
So party plans are in progress...thinking a "truck" theme since the boy loves anything with wheels or that makes motor sounds. 5 weeks...uh oh, I better get planning!!!!
Remember his 9 mo appointment where the doctor was just a little concerned that he'd fallen off his growth curve? Well, we had our weight check last week and my big guy is up to 16 lbs 5 oz. I thought it was great, I was pretty happy with that gain of 11 oz over 6 weeks. The doctor...not so much. Soooo, to make a long story short (because it really is a LONG story) they first said, ok, he gained, but not enough...supplement with formula. To which I said, HUH? He's almost a year old, why would I add in formula at this point? Doesn't it make more sense to increase his calorie intake in the solid foods he's eating? Round and round with the nurse on the phone, she finally agrees to check with the doctor again (she really didn't want to...in fact I'm pretty sure they probably put some sort of sticker on Riley's file that says "pain in the butt mother", haha!) and comes back with okay, I GUESS you can TRY increasing calories via solids and we'll check his weight again at his 12 month appointment and see how he's doing. Gee, thanks. So (like I said, this is the really short version) I'm all around underimpressed with the way the doctor's office handled this whole thing. Actually, I was pretty darn furious with them at the time...now I'm just generally annoyed. First off, with the fact that they are flipping out so much about his rate of gain. Um, he's gaining. He's never once lost weight between appointments, he's never even remained at the same weight, he's ALWAYS gained. He's been right on the same growth curve up until 2 months ago and he's still gaining, just slightly slower. And, LOOK at him! Interact with him! He's healthy! He's happy! He's meeting all his milestones! He's not skinny. Sure, he's not a chunk...but he's far from starving. He has little rolls in his thighs and in his neck, he has a little pudgy belly. Do you see ribs poking through or something? Because I don't. Do you see a malnourished little boy? I sure don't. I see a healthy, happy boy who just happens to be small. And, **newsflash** he's been small his WHOLE LIFE. Gee...you think maybe he's just a small person? No...that can't possibly be it. It must be that his mother is starving him. Yep, that's it. *insert eyeroll here* So....we're going to his 12 month appt. Kelly's coming with me. To be my "backup" when they start criticizing my perfectly healthy, growing little boy because he's not growing at the pre-determined acceptable rate according to their handy little chart. Because I always get overwhelmed when they start in and don't think of the right things to say or ask until after we've left. And if they do act that way? We'll be looking for another pediatrician. Because I don't need the extra stress of having a doctor treat me like I'm starving my child. Monitor his weight, pay attention to his growth, yes...but don't flip out on me because he's not following your little curve exactly, and don't act like its a medical emergency and I'm a horrible parent. Because guess what. Neither of those are true.
Well...I kind of went off on a tangent more than I intended to. Sorry about that. But if you're still reading, thanks for "listening".
And Happy February by the way! Yesterday was our 6th wedding anniversary. Six years! Wow. So much has happened in those 6 years, its amazing. I wonder what the next six years will hold??? I can only hope they are as wonderful as these years have been.
Wait...is that RIGHT? No...can't be. There's just no way that this little baby here
is about to turn a year old. Not possible. Look at how tiny he was! And by the way, both of the hands holding Riley in this picture are Kelly's. I thought it was fairly obvious because, well, look at them...dirty, super short fingernails, big fingers...they're just not "girly" enough to be mine, right? But my mother in law actually thought one was mine until I told her differently. Hmm...maybe I should start keeping my nails painted so its a bit more obvious...I don't want to have "manly" hands....
Anyway...seriously...LOOK at that little bitty baby! And then look at this big boy
Can't possibly be the same kid. Can it???So party plans are in progress...thinking a "truck" theme since the boy loves anything with wheels or that makes motor sounds. 5 weeks...uh oh, I better get planning!!!!
Remember his 9 mo appointment where the doctor was just a little concerned that he'd fallen off his growth curve? Well, we had our weight check last week and my big guy is up to 16 lbs 5 oz. I thought it was great, I was pretty happy with that gain of 11 oz over 6 weeks. The doctor...not so much. Soooo, to make a long story short (because it really is a LONG story) they first said, ok, he gained, but not enough...supplement with formula. To which I said, HUH? He's almost a year old, why would I add in formula at this point? Doesn't it make more sense to increase his calorie intake in the solid foods he's eating? Round and round with the nurse on the phone, she finally agrees to check with the doctor again (she really didn't want to...in fact I'm pretty sure they probably put some sort of sticker on Riley's file that says "pain in the butt mother", haha!) and comes back with okay, I GUESS you can TRY increasing calories via solids and we'll check his weight again at his 12 month appointment and see how he's doing. Gee, thanks. So (like I said, this is the really short version) I'm all around underimpressed with the way the doctor's office handled this whole thing. Actually, I was pretty darn furious with them at the time...now I'm just generally annoyed. First off, with the fact that they are flipping out so much about his rate of gain. Um, he's gaining. He's never once lost weight between appointments, he's never even remained at the same weight, he's ALWAYS gained. He's been right on the same growth curve up until 2 months ago and he's still gaining, just slightly slower. And, LOOK at him! Interact with him! He's healthy! He's happy! He's meeting all his milestones! He's not skinny. Sure, he's not a chunk...but he's far from starving. He has little rolls in his thighs and in his neck, he has a little pudgy belly. Do you see ribs poking through or something? Because I don't. Do you see a malnourished little boy? I sure don't. I see a healthy, happy boy who just happens to be small. And, **newsflash** he's been small his WHOLE LIFE. Gee...you think maybe he's just a small person? No...that can't possibly be it. It must be that his mother is starving him. Yep, that's it. *insert eyeroll here* So....we're going to his 12 month appt. Kelly's coming with me. To be my "backup" when they start criticizing my perfectly healthy, growing little boy because he's not growing at the pre-determined acceptable rate according to their handy little chart. Because I always get overwhelmed when they start in and don't think of the right things to say or ask until after we've left. And if they do act that way? We'll be looking for another pediatrician. Because I don't need the extra stress of having a doctor treat me like I'm starving my child. Monitor his weight, pay attention to his growth, yes...but don't flip out on me because he's not following your little curve exactly, and don't act like its a medical emergency and I'm a horrible parent. Because guess what. Neither of those are true.
Well...I kind of went off on a tangent more than I intended to. Sorry about that. But if you're still reading, thanks for "listening".
And Happy February by the way! Yesterday was our 6th wedding anniversary. Six years! Wow. So much has happened in those 6 years, its amazing. I wonder what the next six years will hold??? I can only hope they are as wonderful as these years have been.
5 comments:
Awww, happy belated anniversary! I cracked up at your comment on my latest post, LOL!
As for Dr's- sometime I think they're complete MORONS. Poor malnourished babies do not have huge grins and little mini pot bellies! Geeee, it just frustrates me to no end. Why on earth would they tell you to start with formula now? I think that's the craziest thing I've ever heard! Even after my booger head weaned himself at 10 months, he was only on formula for maybe a month a half before we switched to goat (and now raw cow) milk. Craziness. It wouldn't surprise me if Dr's get a kickback from formula companies or something, ya know? Anyway, I'll climb on this soapbox with you anytime!
Loved the picture of your newborn little guy. I didn't think those were your hands, unless maybe you like to dig in the dirt. Ha! What is it with guys and their nails? I always looked at a guys hands first. Dirt under the nails, and callouses mean a hard working man. I didn't go for those pansies with soft hands!
Doesn't the first year just fly? Amazing! Toddlerhood is so much fun, though. I'm amazed every day at how smart these little guys are- I don't think we give them near enough credit! I know mine sure keeps me hopping.
Oh yeah, and the very first thing I did after we were down to 1 nursing a day was march my hiney to VS and buy myself a few new bras! LOL!!!!
Happy belated anniversary and happy soon-to-be birthday to your little man!!
He looks good to me. That said...
IF you want ideas on upping cals, let me know. We did the struggle to gain weight, too. Ethan gained and lost, but gained over the course of appts...which of course made his curve still inappropriate (he was falling %'s though, not just not gaining much and was actually dx FTT, which isn't what it sounds like you have going on!). The simplest things to do are add butter to everything and add brn sugar, syrup, etc. You can also get polycose to add to things if you NEED it (we no longer use it) and that adds cals, but not in a nutrition way, just in an empty cals way...though it works if what you have is a kid getting his nutrition who for some reason just needs more cals.
Personally it doesn't sound like, to ME, that you need to worry much, at least yet. Keep a watch on it or whatever, and add butter and sugar, push yogurt and stuff, but....growth DOES slow down around a year, and if he's not dropping more than a percetile, you're fine, I'm sure. ESPECIALLY since you haven't mentioned anything else....like Ethan's issues stemmed from (what we now know is) silent reflux which was causing all sort of behavioral problems. But if he's happy and likes interacting with people and enjoys eating, I'd say keep up the good work! :)
I'm with LeAnna, doctors are morons.
Happy 6 years!
And I'm with you, how can our boys be almost a year??? I think it's cool that they are almost the same age!
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