Do you take your babe to all their ped visits?

[*~*SewHappyNow*~*]

I am curious what all you mamas do. We have a 4 month visit today. The ped says she is going to prescribe vitamins, also. The last visit was the 8 weeks, I think (she was 10 weeks, though)

We don't vaccinate, so are all these visits really nessecary? I don't think they are. She's extremly healthy. I worry more that she will get sick at the doctor's office than anything else. : Last time the ped had a cold but then I suppose she was already past the infectious stage, most likely.

What about vitamins? If she is still exclusively bf why would she need vitamins? I feel as though it could cause more problems than it helps. We have fluorinated water, so we don't need fuoride.. I do not believe ingested fluoride does anything useful anyways.. guess that's a topic for the dental board.

I like to hear what all the other crunchy mamas's points of view are. Thanks for sharing.

[lunar forest]

We don't. We're not too big on Dr.s, and we don't see any reason to take our children unless there is something wrong.

[lilirose]

sorry, having to remove all posts with personal info due to an online stalker.

[*~*SewHappyNow*~*]

And to be honest, I enjoy having the doctor praise me for being such a great mother when he sees how smart and healthy DS is compared to most children

I have to say this is one of my reasons, as well. My dd has been advanced and extremly strong and healthy since she was born.. the ped was amazed that a baby who was only 4 days old would fight her during the examination so much and hold her head up so steady and would gain back all her weight plus 2 oz. The nurse was shocked when she was babbling and making eye contact at 4 weeks :LOL The ped always seems impressed with the baby's overall health.. aren't most babies healthy, though? I don't do anythign different than most parenst I'd think, besides AP, bfing, and non-vax.. Most moms bf now anyways.

[Evergreen]

I go to all the appointments for the same reasons, plus I want to see how much she weighs. His fees have incresed, though, so I am only going to take her in at 9 and 12 mos (she's 5 now). As for those vitamins, be wary. Its probably vitamin D, and if you live in a sunny climate (esp. if she is fair skinned) you shouldnt need them. Don't administer them until you some research, it can be fatal if overdosed.

[XmasEve]

I go, but only to make DH happy. I'm slowly fazing them out, though. Especially since at 6 months DD still hasn't had any shots or solids, and I'm not starting anytime soon, so why put up with being pressured? She's healthy. The few times she hasn't been healthy (with colds/teething/etc.) I haven't needed a doctor. And, I'm just not a worrier. (Although I don't know if that last thing is good or bad...)

[kimmysue2]

Sad to say up to his last appointment I did them because I thought I had to. I do like getting all his measurements and see the growth differenance. And even the praise on how well he is doing.
The last two visits I said no more shots. I got the ones I felt were okay. So far they just think I am waiting for the other vaccines.
I did get his 15 month notice in the mail to come in. But why? He is not getting the vaccines they so love to give. And being super healthy I see no reason.
If I have another child I will skip them all together. I know how to measure and what they like to chart. I can do that myself. Still not sure if I will do the same vaccines my son got.

[Elphaba]

no. we've only taken her twice in 21 months.

[michelle1k]

Never

I had a lay-midwife assisted home-waterbirth with my dd and she was seen by an anthroposophical physician @ 6wks (really just for "the record" and b/c we knew he would not pressure us to vaccinate).

She is now 12 months old, unvaccinated and completely developmentally on-target. We have a scale, a measuring tape and good parenting instincts to tell us if something is wrong. I don't need someone else to tell me how well she is doing; I can see it with my own eyes. In addition, taking a healthy baby into a doctor's office (yes, even the "well-baby" rooms) is risking exposing your child to too high a concentration of infectious bacteria and / or viruses.

Michelle in NY

[lunar forest]

I'd have to agree with you, michelle1k, even about the grem thing. Though, it's true that there are grems everywhere, the hospital/Dr.'s office is where the sick people go, not to mention all the chemicals and what not. Though, that would be silly if it was the only reason one didn't go.

I never had any problem whieghing, measuring and so forth, on my own.

[lisabc311]

I definitely take my ds to all his doctor visits.

I really like my ped and I always have things to discuss. Plus, I think it's good that he gets looked over by someone that might notice something that I wouldn't.

:bf

[zeldah]

I take my boys in for all their visits, and thankfully they have been pretty healthy so far. I consider my ped a partner in my sons' healthcare, and he supports my decisions about their care and well-being. We selectively vax and he goes over each and every one that is available, makes his recommendations, and goes w my decision, confident that I am making the best decisions for my children. Sometimes I think the ped supports some of my choices more than dh!
As for vitamins, I still take pre-natals, so that's enough for the 2 of us (ds #1 has started his own, but he's weaned and has a terrible appetite!).

[Arduinna]

we have a beautiful well grown 13 year old that only sees a Dr when it's medically necessary. That has been a handful of times since birth.

[Peppamint]

Originally posted by CK'sMama
DS is 14 months and I have taken him to all of his visits so far. His doctor is very non-vax friendly, supports EBF, no vitamins, our diet choices, no fluoride and all that good stuff. Seeing him isn’t a chore for me, as it seems to be with some others, especially those with pushy doctors who don’t fully support their choices.

Why do I bother to take DS to the doctor? I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself if he turned out to have some kind of heart defect or other health problem that could have been picked up. I want to make sure his soft spot isn’t closing too fast or slow, I like to know for sure that he is growing normally without all the guesswork. And to be honest, I enjoy having the doctor praise me for being such a great mother when he sees how smart and healthy DS is compared to most children

This is is exactly! My ped. admires the kids' cloth diapers, tells me how well ds is growing (was 50% when born, now the 75% on only breastmilk), encourages bf'ing (we joked today that ds could nurse until college, LOL), has never even suggested any kind of vitamins since I bf, and all that jazz. Today the nurse asked me about shots *again* and I once again I explained that we had a homebirth and we are delaying, but I said 2y this time instead of 6mo to give myself time to decide for sure (I'm leaning towards no vax, but I want to research more so I know I make an educated decision). She made a note on Jeremy's chart and the last thing the ped. said before he left the room (after praising ds' demeanor, size and cooing and smiling) was tell me he was totally okay with whatever we decide about vax. That just reinforces my good feelings about this ped. I was nervous after reading some of the troubles some mommas have had here. I should've known though because I told him at my dd's 2y visit that I was planning for a homebirth for ds (born three months later) and asked when he'd like to see him after the birth etc. Also explained we weren't doing the vit. k shot or eye goop since dh and I are monogamous and neither of us have gonorrhea. : He was cool with that. I'm lucky too... I chose this guy out of the phone book because I liked his smile/eyes (which IME are a good indicator).

PS- I feel I should do this too because we're on WIC and state insurance and since we homebirth, cosleep, ebf and no vax I want to make sure that there's Doctor records showing how healthy my kids are if I were to ever have trouble with the CPS etc. It may be the land of the free and all that, but I'm going to cover my butt! BTDT when my parents homeschooled my brother and I...

[Peppamint]

Oh, I wanted to add:

We have never given flouride to dd. We buy flouride free toothpaste. I have a filter on the fridge though, and I'm not really sure it takes the flouride out of the tap water. Still working on that...

Originally posted byLea
Most moms bf now anyways.

Not around here! Actually, only a small percentage of moms in the USA continue bf'ing after 6 weeks and the percentage goes down the older babies get.

I've only ever seen one mom bf'ing in public in my town of 15,000. The only friends I have that bf are the ones I met online!

Only 29 percent of all mothers, and 19 percent of black mothers, breast-feed until their babies are 6 months old - a crucial time period, according to the report.

CBS article: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2000/...in247737.shtml

[*~*SewHappyNow*~*]

Well, I ended up taking dd anyways today. Funny, they acted as if they were suprised I did come. I guess they assumed that since I am not vaxing and my dd is so healthy and is gaining and growing and head of her milestones that I wouldn't bother coming in. Now the ped did give me that script for the Tri-vit, but I am not sure I will even fill it atthis time. They didn't even ask me to come back in or schedule an appointment, so I guess maybe I'll just take her only when she is sick from now on. I definitely got the distinct inpresson that they really didn't think I needed to be there either. Isn't that weird?

[*~*SewHappyNow*~*]

Not around here! Actually, only a small percentage of moms in the USA continue bf'ing after 6 weeks and the percentage goes down the older babies get.

I've only ever seen one mom bf'ing in public in my town of 15,000. The only friends I have that bf are the ones I met online

I honestly don't know the statistics, but I was discusing this with one of my IRL friends who ebfs a 17 month old. She was telling me her sister confided she feels like a freak, because she ffs and so many people bf now. She tried bfing her 4th child, but her dh got angry with her for doing it, because he said "its weird"

[Peppamint]

Originally posted by Lea
I honestly don't know the statistics, but I was discusing this with one of my IRL friends who ebfs a 17 month old. She was telling me her sister confided she feels like a freak, because she ffs and so many people bf now. She tried bfing her 4th child, but her dh got angry with her for doing it, because he said "its weird"

I hate when I hear about husbands like that!

I think you're right though, some areas really are more breastfeeding friendly. I've not had any trouble or bad comments and all the people at church etc support me, but I just don't know anyone who does it! :

[Crunchier]

I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself if he turned out to have some kind of heart defect or other health problem that could have been picked up.


I do vax and I only skipped the 1 week appt, mostly because I was in the afterbirth daze. I know that Ben is healthy, but there could be things that I may not see or may not know. I have worked in the medical field and I know that there is a lot that I don't know. I also know that while no one knows a baby as well as his parents, sometime we don't notice things that are "normal" for our own babies. Ben has only had one mild cold, and is in the 85th percentiles for height, weight, and head circumference. My dr has told me NOT to use vitamins and flouride suppliments while bfing, and recommended essential oils to use for my homemade bug repellent. I was impressed by that. My dh is in the military, and we go to a military dr, so our visits are free of charge to us.

[Peppamint]

Originally posted by Lea
I definitely got the distinct inpresson that they really didn't think I needed to be there either. Isn't that weird?

Take that as a pat on the back!