Does your ped do this?

[xmasbaby7]

I took dd for her 4 mo today. She is doing just great and I had no concerns or questions, and since we aren't vaxing, our well child visits are REALLY brief.

Unlike my hb mw who spends minutes looking at dd, my ped measures her length, head, and weighs her, and then opens her diaper and spreads he to look at her genitals.

That's it. But my question is, why is he still looking at her genitals? I could understand the first two visits showing something wrong, but now it seems kind of weird to me.

Anyway, protective alarm bells are ringing quietly.

Is there a medical justification for this, or he is setting a precedent so that he does this until she's -yikes- older?

[mamanurse]

I'm not sure why the ped looks at the genitals, but my female ped does it too. I have a guess, but nothing to back it up. She could be checking for signs of UTI infection. Anyway, I hope this reply helps ease your mind a little. On second thought, I think I'm going to ask my ped why she looks at dd's next "well child" visit.

[MotherWhimsey]

Mine looked only once, and only because I told him that she had discharge that looked like cottage cheese. He had a female nurse do a swab (which came back normal). He has not looked at her genitals since. I would question that.

[darkpear]

Amalie used to see a nurse practitioner who did that every WCC. The MD we have both of them seeing now (whom I like better) does not; she gave Moira's genitals a quick look at her very first visit and that was it.

They may be checking for labial adhesions, which are common - Amalie had them at one point. They may also be checking to see that she's getting clean in there - some peds seem to think all new parents are clueless Anyways, if you're not comfortable with it, ask. If it is because they're looking for adhesions, you might want to ask how they'd address them if any were present. I've seen some horror stories about forced separation :

[mamanurse]

Good thought Darkpear! I hadn't even thought of that!

[MistyB]

It is for labial adhesions...the inside lips can sometimes "grow" together.

[IncaMama]

yes, my female ped does it too...for adhesions, she said

[veganf]

Probably checking for diaper rash or labial adhesions. I remember when working in day care a family whose boys had diaper rash so severe it required antibiotics. So it's probably worthwhile for them to check that baby's diaper is being changed often enough, etc.

[DesireeH]

daph still has never seen a doc. LOL I remember they did that to jev the one well baby check I took him too. I was all worried he'd try to retract him, thats why i remember. LOL

[spiralmg]

oh good - someone else who hasn't been to the dr. i've gotten a lot of weird looks when people asked how much she weighed and I said I didn't know! Well, I know now (got a scale!) but still haven't been to see the dr. Our ped. is quite nice but I just don't see what he is going to do yet that I can't figure out myself...