Well Baby Visits...

[mamakims]

Do you take your baby to them? Do you feel that they are worthwhile?

After we were discharged from our m/w at 6 weeks (sophie is 9 weeks now) we were told to bring her in to our family dr. for a wbv at 2 months. My dr. works in a busy downtown clinic that also serves as a walk in clinic so it's quite germy and honestly, I didn't get anythign out of the visit. I mostly went because I was concerned about her slow weight gain when I made the appt but he dismissed it but mentioned the F word: formula top up and then said to "kick my son off" when I told him I tandem nurse. So with all that, I don't think I'll do anymore wbv unless I have concerns.

[memz]

Wondering the same here. Melodie is 10 weeks now and I didn't go for the 2 month check up. She is gaining well, almost doubled her weight at 10 wks, she is doind fine and she's not getting vaccinated....so I didn't know if I should bring her anyway...

[momofsamandaddi]

If I had a doctor I liked & no deductible to where insurance paid for it 100%, I'd probably take Micah just to get an accurate weight check... And I'm going to be taking him to get some vaccinations I think - delayed, etc. But there's no real reason for it if you don't want to do it. I don't think I took Addi to any after her initial visit (she's unvaxed) & she's 26 months old now. She's perfectly healthy. I didn't wanna deal w/the negative so I didn't wanna go. I had her "established" with someone most of the time just in case I needed to go, but honestly I liked the after hours clinic at the hospital near us better than the doctor we go to now.

[sunshadow]

I mostly just go for the weigh-ins. I should really just get my own scale!

[pink_emerald77]

I read a lot of books when DS was a newborn. I feel like I knew what to expect. Several times, I've taken him to a dr for a rash and several times by several doctors in the span of 2-3 days was told 3 different things. Sometimes, I feel I can't trust a dr's opinion. I took him to his 2 month visit when he was about 3-4 months because "that's what you do" and when I realized that this was just a way for them to round up your children for shots (or one of the ways), I realized that I wasn't gonna do them anymore. It's not an issue with insurance, it's just that I don't feel it's necessary unless I have a concern. Usually, a mother's intuition is incredibly strong and she knows when something's really wrong.

I stopped vaccinating DS at 6 months - so that might be why I'm apprehensive towards the WBV's.

[marinak1977]

We go, we do selective vax (he'll be in daycare soon) and I do like to be reassured as a new parent that everything is going well and he's growing. Our Dr is great too and has a great philosophy.

[Marylizah]

We go. They are monthly here in France for the first year, are fully reimbursed, and I have a doctor who's ok with our choice to delay/selectively vaccinate. It's mostly to check growth and to be reassured that everything is ok.

[smokeylo]

I go (although I tend not to start until 5/6 months). I feel like docs are more open to selective/delayed vax when they trust I will be bringing my baby back in 3 months. Plus I like having someone who's seen my kid more than once to ask questions (like my dd1 who may have asthma).

For that reason it's worth it to me.

[rlmueller]

Wbv

I'm taking Laura to her 2 month today. If I get hassled about selective vax--I won't take her again until she is sick. The office is a formula haven but the Dr I really like--even though he's surprised she can gain more than 2lbs a month on BM only. Finally.

[Mawood]

We haven't gone to the 2 months visit yet but I do feel like it would be great to get her exact weight. The two visits we had so far were not really necessary in my eyes. I have a feeling the dr. wants to see us regularly though. He said he would be open to a different vaccine schedule but as far as I experienced him he seems pretty "old school". We'll see but actually I do have other people (including the mothering community I rather consult when I have concerns like sleep or bowel movements.

[caefi]

we went at six weeks to have a general check up and the newborn screening bloodwork done. I told them, "unless we have any problems, we'll see you at 6mo!" No arguments from them. So, that's the plan. If I have any worries, they'll be available and I'd take him in.

[akat]

I go because

it's covered

I'm an anxious mom and usually have 12 questions/things I want checked

and I completely love and trust our doctor.

[boigrrrlwonder]

We have an extremely supportive physician and no deductible or co-pay. We go to maintain a relationship with a physician (should something happen).

[mamakims]

I think I am going to stop going to them unless I have concerns (I'm bringing in ds for his 2 year wbv because I have speech concerns). I don't immunize (we selectively delay until who knows how long) and although drs here don't do the immunizing and I have a small health unit that has great supportive nurses and a scale should I have minor concerns or want her weighed.

Unless I find a dr. I really like in a small clinic then I'll go because as biogrrl said, it's good to maintain a relationship.

[AfricanQueen99]

We go, but usually later than scheduled because I'm lazy. Honestly, I can't think of a good reason to not have a relationship with a physician.

[~Christina~]

We go to them as well. All of my kids love our doctor and I want them to have someone they like and trust if something should happen. My first two kids were very healthy and we pretty much only had to go to well visits. My son on the other hand has had a lot of sinus/ear issues so seeing our doctor not only for sick visits but well visits as well was a good thing for him. Now that my oldest daughter is needing some medical attention she has no issues trusting our doctor and having conversations with him b/c she's seen him on a regular basis.

[StrawberryFields]

I do occasional well visits. Our ped is actually our family doctor and she also delivered two out of the three kids (one hospital transfer, one planned hospital birth), and she totally supported my homebirths. She respects my vaccine decisions and all around is just perfect I like to maintain a relationship with her as well as have a baseline on the kids--how they are growing, etc. We did 2 months, 6 months, 12 months, then yearly with the other kids. With dd2 we might go more often because she has a problem with one of her eyes and we are going to be seeing a ped. ophthalmologist soon. I might go in again at 4 months so we can discuss her eye depending on what the opth. says is wrong.

[Kidzaplenty]

I don't do "well baby visits". Only taking them to the doc when I think they need to see him. The only exception with this one has been on the times that I went to see the doc and he was "due" one, since we share the same doc and he was going to be there anyways, I went ahead and did it. No, I don't think it was worthwhile at all.

I do take all the children annually, though, just to keep their medical records open and active.

[indigoscot]

we do them. we do delay and selectively vax and our ped is ok with that. my insurance covers all the costs so we don't even have a co-pay. ds1 has only been there once outside of his wbv for an ear infection.

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[jtrt]

We don't do well-baby visits. None of our four are vaxed and we have a baby scale at home. I'm a RN so I feel comfortable triaging my kids' complaints and deciding if they need a doc to take a look. Thankfully, we have had super-healthy kids!