You won't believe what my ped told me today

[2boys4me]

Hi everyone. I am fuming and I need to vent to some like minded mamas...

My son had his 6 month check up today. My ped 'scolded' me for not starting solids yet...said that if I didn't introduce them now that he would refuse them all together later...

Then she told me that I should plan on weaning before he turns 12 months. She says breastmilk has no nutritional content after the first year...

Is she crazy? I couldn't belive what I was hearing. She was critical of my cloth diapers...and she tried to force the foreskin on my son's penis back. She said if she didn't so it that he would wind up with an infection and that the skin would adhere to the head of his penis. Thankfully, I stopped her before she id any damage to my son's penis.

But when I left, I was very upset by the whole visit. Does anybody have words of wisdom? Is this lady crazy, or am I? Any experience with holding off on sloids longer than 6 months?

I have felt awful since I left her office this morning. She made me feel as though I am doing everything wrong...

Ugh... : :

[Aura_Kitten]

[UrbanPlanter]

Your pediatrician is not a nutritionist. I don't offer information to my ped about solids and breastfeeding that I know will bring on the lecture...

Sorry you had to deal with that today! Think of the ped as someone who monitors the health of your child. You don't need to agree with everything she says about diapers or food or sleep or things along that line.

I'm really glad you stopped her with the foreskin. I've heard of mamas who weren't so fast with the ped, and their sons skin was forced back - ouch!

BTW - my ds didn't want solids for months and months after he turned six months. He barely ate solids at all for the first two years of his life, but when tested for anemia at his two year checkup, he was fine. He got all the iron he needed from breastmilk and no vitamin supplements, and the little solids he did eat. I still take a prenatal vitamin and drink lots of water and try to eat well and hope that that helps my milk supply. In any case, my ds is extremely healthy, no thanks to my ped's advice about solid food and breastfeeding!

[Milkymommi]

sorry you had that horrible experience Mama! I agree that peds are not nutritionists and not everything they say is "gospel". Go with your instinct on those things.

Just to reassure you , none of my babies started solids until after...waaay after 6 months. My 2 1/2 yo ds didn't start *really* eating until 12 months and even then it was very irregular.Some days he would some days he wouldn't, but he sure loved his boobs! He didn't actually touch any solids for the 1st time until 9 months.

And since when does BM loose it's nutritional value? What , all of the sudden our bodies say " oops , shut of the nutrients this kid is 1 yo!" ? I don't think so. Sounds to me like your ped has issues with extended BFing and is sadly uninformed.

Do what you feel is right for your family and do it with confidence

[hunnybumm]

I got a lecture from one of the docs at our peds office as well at my sons 6 month check up. One ped said not to start solids until at least 6 months. This one said to start cereal at 4 months and solids at 6. Funny thing is this lady is also an LC. *sigh* Just go with your gut.

[lovemygirl]

My jaw is STILL hangin open afer reading your post... I can NOT believe that she said those things to you and tried to retract his penis! OMGOSH! Run Run RUN! I would seriously consider a new doctor, and just like the others said she isn't a nutrionist but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that breastmilk doesn't lose its "nutritional" content after a year.
Gosh if she's so misinformed about those basics, think about what other stuff she is misinformed about. :

We dont' take my daughter to the peds office. Its such a waste of time for us. IMO, they think they know better but they really don't in some cases. My dd is 3 and I think we've been to the ped oh about 4 times ever. We prefer the chiropractor and the naturopath/homeopath doc when she is ill, but that is rare.

I would also consider a letter to the head honcho at that office and provide them with data about NOT retracting foreskin and the content of breastmilk and the benefits of extended breastfeeding. Its so sad---what are these docs afraid of? I guess maybe they won't get a kickback from the formula company if more peoepl breastfeed. Grrrrr :

[Aura_Kitten]

you know, if it were just the breastfeeding or the diapering stuff, i wouldn't be so shocked...

but for a pediatrician to be that obviously misinformed on so many issues...

i'd find a different doctor.

this really got me: "... if I didn't introduce them now that he would refuse them all together later..." i know pediatricians aren't nutritionists but this is just a silly thing to say. what, they're going to grow up drinking breastmilk for the rest of their life? my sister didn't start solids w/ her 2nd baby until just about 9 months... when her son grabbed a piece of her pizza and started eating it. :LOL

and the foreskin thing ~

[shelbean91]

With all of that, I'd find a new ped.

[Tiskin]

I'm sorry... That doctor is an idiot!!

Is this lady crazy, or am I?

No, you're not crazy at all! In fact, we are all very proud of you for knowing your facts, and for stopping her from injuring your son's penis!
I think you should switch doctors and consider sending a letter to her superior, because that woman is wrong on so many levels! I think she should be stopped before she gives her crappy info to any more mothers. God forbid someone might actually follow her advice!

[2boys4me]

Hi everyone. Thanks for the replies and for ranting with me...LOL

My mother siad that I took everything she said "too personally".

Excuse me? Everything she said was PERSONAL. My children are my life and I make decisions based on what I think is best for them. When someone tells me that I'm doing it all wrong...Um, well, that's personal.

I didn't even mention that she brought up the flu vaccine, which will be a 'regularly given vaccine' starting this year. She thinks my concerns over that are not warranted. And that even though my children stay at home and are breastfed (which makes their chances of infection almost obsolete) that they could still pick up the virus, so it is best for me to bring them in this fall for the vaccine.

Huh? :

[UrbanPlanter]

I've never had a flu shot myself, and I've never given one to my child. Don't think I ever will. Don't let her steamroll you. Maybe you should find a new ped.

[soccerchic21]

Originally Posted by AdrianneWe

I've never had a flu shot myself, and I've never given one to my child. Don't think I ever will. Don't let her steamroll you. Maybe you should find a new ped.

I agree! I vax but I have never and probably will never get a flu shot and I definitely won't give one to my breastfed baby. And I never get the flu either just a winter cold and a summer cold. Weird.

I would find a new ped and when you switch send the lady the info from the AAP that says that they recommend breastfeeding for *at LEAST* a year and beyond.

She doesn't know her sh*t

[Aura_Kitten]

i gave up flu shots a few years ago, because every single year i'd get one and then a month or two later, i'd get the flu!

as soon as i stopped getting the shot regularly, i stopped getting the flu.

call me crazy but i think there's a correlation.

[Evergreen]

OK, Mama, take a deep breath. COllect your thoughts. Open the Word program on your computer.

You Need tor write that letter. In fact, you need to write two of them. One to that idiot (sorry, I know this violates the user agreement, but it's the truth!) and one to whoever is in charge of her.

The poor advice about breastfeeding is one (absolutely terrible) thing, but please do not let her potentially hurt any other baby boys by prematurely retractint their foreskins! You owe them this.

Some things you might want to include in your letter include
1) how she contradicted the AAP's and WHO's recomendations on breastfeeding (atleast one and two years respectively). In the letter to her, I would make sure to ask why she felt she was more informed.

2) how the flu vaccine contains mercury

3) THe whole retraction incedent. Here is some good info to include in your letter.http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=129378 I can not stress this enough. Please, do not deley. DOn't let them hurt any other boys whose mamas may not be brave enough to advocate for them!

You can find some good info about breastfeeding and starting solids here
http://www.kellymom.com/

You have made all the right choices for your child. She is wrong. She needs to face the reprecussions, we are talking about the futures of other kids! You can do it, you are'nt crazy and you're not overreacting.

[liam's mom]

I would absolutely be finding a new ped pronto.

[Dragonfly]

I agree - write the letter and find a new ped, pronto. This woman is flat out not competent enough to care for your child. I mean, if a hairdresser were as ignorant about cutting hair as she is about the vital elements of your child's health, would you let that person near your head?

Ugh. Stupid, stupid doctors.

Personally, I'd also file a complaint with the state medical board. Maybe she'll get a warning in addition to your letter and it might occur to her to step into the 21st century before she harms someone's child.

[Peppamint]

Wow... is this ped living in the 80s or something?

Write the letter, find a new ped... hurry!

The flu vaccine has been added to the roster for all children under age 2 and those who live in a household with children under 2. Sad, isn't it? My ped is okay with our family no-vax'ing- but the nurses automatically so "such and such shots today" and I say... "um, no- check the chart, we do not vax".

[Wildcrafter]

DITCH HER!!!!!

She's is WAY uninformed about breastfeeding - it boggles my mind!

And if she tried to hurt your little son like that, I would be afraid of what's to come!

I had a few really sucky ped's at first (one told me I would never be able to satisfy the nutritional needs of my large baby!) and finally found a dr who at my nine mo. check up, said FABULOUS when she checked him over, I will never forget that one word! And she's supportive of no vaxing, co-sleeping etc. There ARE doctors out there who are more supportive of good motherhood.

Good luck in finding one!!!!!

Mary

[sincitymama]

Yeah, what they all said! lol
Find a new ped as soon as you can, ideally before the next appointment. No way would I take my (intact, bf, non vaxed, 7mo, soon-to-be cd) ds to someone who told me all that.
If you're comfortable disclosing what area you live in, people might have suggestions. You could post a thread in finding your tribe too, and probably get more names of doctors.
If it makes you feel any better, or at least gives you a little hope for finding a good doc, my son also doesn't really take table foods yet, has never been retracted, I intend to nurse for at least a couple years. Our doc just usually asks what we're doing, says ok, and leaves it at that. We also do some other things outside of the mainstream parenting ideas that he doesn't seem to have a problem with, he doesn't blink about those either, and he's never asked about diapers. Usually he just seems happy to see such a healthy happy baby, and while he doesn't necessarily outright support everything we do, he tells us after looking at ds 'well whatever you're doing it's working'.

And all that was just to say that good doctors do exist. We drive a little farther for ours than is really necessary but for us it's completely worth it.

I would definitely write those letters too, that doc needs a major wake-up call.

[Sustainer]

Run, do not walk, from that ped.