
image source: Greg Clarke
So Chase had his 6-month check-up today. We're about eight days late, but we were of course out of town last weekend, so no real issue. The great thing is that his doctor's office is a few blocks away from us--a nice stroller ride on a warm day, but usually we just drive over. Anyway, he sees two doctors in private practice - two older pediatricians (early 60s) who work together and often see the children interchangeably. They're partners, if you will. Ideally, it works out well, because if one doctor is unavailable, the other doctor knows your child equally well and can see him or her instead.
Well naturally, I have my favorite of the two. One guy is Jewish, the other is a Haitian gentleman. But that's neither here nor there. My favorite doctor is the one who I initially met in the hospital after I gave birth to Chase, as he came to check on Chase each morning since his birth. To me, he is a lot warmer, more personable, funny, sweet, and also gives Chase a sticker (or "medal," as he calls it) with each visit (especially after a shot). The other doctor is colder, more formal, has a sarcastic sense of humor that I don't appreciate, and comes off way more condescending in general. Definitely a no-nonsense type of guy but, to me, that doesn't really work for a pediatrician. Now, maybe if he were the doctor performing my heart transplant or brain surgery, I might forgive his clinical coldness and brusque tone. But come on, dude. You work among babies and tots! Smile a little.... and let the smile reach your eyes.
*sigh* Anyway, so when we got to the office this morning, I was dismayed to see that my "preferred" doctor was out. We hadn't seen his partner (remember, office partner, not "life partner"... hey, gotta clarify these days) since Chase was two weeks old. After our third visit with said doctor, I told Derek I wanted to start scheduling Chase's appointments solely with my favorite doc, and he readily agreed. So for the last six months Chase has seen the sweet, warm doctor exclusively. So I was stunned to walk in and see the other guy. I'm assuming our doctor was sick.
Anyway, so he came in to the examination room and greeted me. It may have been my paranoia (as I told Derek later), but I definitely felt he was icy and short with me, even more so than usual. In my fantasy, he is offended that we chose the other doctor over him. But whatever. So he proceeds to give Chase a quick and non-thorough once over. *smh* He got three vaccinations today, and the doctor was quick and rough. No sticker, no "Good job, champ!," no nothing. Totally dismissive of his cries of pain, and discouraged us from comforting him until after the third shot. Everything was fine, health wise. Chase is developmentally where he should be, in the 75th percentile in terms of his height, and in the 90th percentile as far as weight (Oops! We better get you moving in that jumper, babe! lol)
We went in his office following the examination to ask questions. I had only a couple, the primary one being whether or not we should cease night-time feedings. At this point Chase gets up 1-2 times per night. He goes to bed for the night at 6:30 pm, so his last feeding is at that time. Then he wakes up to eat around midnight or 1 am... and occasionally he will wake up again for a 3:30-4 am feeding. Then we get him up at 6:30 am for school and he eats then. But BabyCenter.com (which I usually swear by) had said that we now need to let Chase start crying it out--that he should be able to sustain until the morning! So I posed this question to the doctor and he brusquely replied that Chase should be sleeping through the night, and these late night feedings need to stop! He said that Chase is now old enough to go 12 hours, at night, without eating. He went on to explain that we need to be consistent once we do end the feedings (which I agree with), meaning, we can't be hardcore parents and let him cry it out Monday through Wednesday, but become softies on Thursday and feed him then. It'll confuse him terribly. So once we make this decision, we must stick with it. The doctor stated that, by two weeks, Chase would be sleeping peacefully through the night.
I then asked, somewhat tentatively (because honestly, this dude reduces me to a ball of nerves, which I hate!), if I should "wean" him off these night feedings rather than doing it cold turkey. Like, since he sometimes wakes up twice, should I go a week with just feeding him once... then by week 2 or 3 cut off the night feedings completely? It seems this would be less traumatic for him and, quite frankly, minimizing his distress is MY goal. Even more ideal, by 7 months or so Chase may be sleeping straight through the night on his own, with no intervention needed by us at all. He got to the 1-2 per night feedings on his own, after all, when as a newborn he woke up every 1.5 hours.
The doctor snapped that we need to stop the night feedings pronto, and basically said that's why Chase is a fat boy now and in the 90th percentile weight-wise. *wince* I'm paraphrasing his tongue lashing, of course, but that was the gist of it. He said that if we don't put an end to this now, then Chase will be waking up demanding meals during the night at five years old. He then proceeded to give us some other crappy advice, like how Chase doesn't need to begin baby food until he is 1 years old (well guess what buddy, you're about 1.5 months too late!), and to get Chase a playpen and he needs to spend his play time in there with his toys. He kept repeating, "The crib is not a place to play during the day, he needs to associate it with sleeping only." Okay, I agree with that... but who said we place Chase in the crib to play during the day? Because we surely don't! And ummmm, a playpen? Really?!! As if! Chasey-bear is a free spirit, and he enjoys his jumper, his swing, and lolling around on his activity mat throughout the day. We are not putting that boy in no archaic, cage-like playpen. *sigh* He then went on to stress that we be mindful of accidents, and consider baby-proofing the house in the upcoming months, since Chase will be mobile soon.
Anyway, so after thanking the doctor for his time, we headed to the receptionist where we made sure to book Chase's 9 month appointment with the other doctor.... and this time I'm going to call ahead to make sure he is in! It's not that this doc isn't a smart or knowledgable man. They are both very experienced doctors with lots of degrees and certifications to show for it. *shrug* But it's more than that, you know? I don't seem to see eye to eye with this doctor... our philosophies are different. Also, I want to be treated with respect, I want to be spoken to like you've got some sense, and I want you to be playful and warm toward my baby and give him stickers, and not treat us like we're encouraging a lifestyle of baby morbid obesity. A kind word, a smile, and a twinkling eye goes a looong way with me... and I'd rather give my business to the doctor who makes that extra effort to make us feel comfortable.
Soooo stay tuned for the post about weaning Chase off his night time feedings. *sigh* We decided we're going to start in two weeks (since we're going out of town next weekend, and we don't want to do anything to upset or disrupt his sense of normalcy while in a new place). And yes, I am doing it MY way--decreasing the feedings to one time nightly, and then cutting them out altogether. I'll let you know how it goes!

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