[Catchyusername]

Hello! Today something weird happened. The doctor's office that we put down at the hospital (was going to have a home birth but baby's heart rate dropped too low so our midwife suggested the hospital just to be safe) that would be our daughter's primary physician (just in case) called because we haven't taken her to the doctor yet. She's 4.5 months old, in good health, and there is absolutely no reason to take her, especially since we will not be getting her vaccinated. I'm wondering if this is normal? Can they just call like this? Are they going to be calling CPS or DHS because we're not taking her in? We weigh her ourselves and use an online height, weight and head circumference calculator. She's right on track. I'm a little worried because we use natural health care and products and this seems like it's borderline violating. What do you guys think?

 

[Virginia Mom]

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>Catchyusername</strong> <a href="/community/t/1390882/well-baby-check-ups#post_17476188"><img alt="View Post" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style=""></a><br><br>
Hello! Today something weird happened. The doctor's office that we put down at the hospital (was going to have a home birth but baby's heart rate dropped too low so our midwife suggested the hospital just to be safe) that would be our daughter's primary physician (just in case) called because we haven't taken her to the doctor yet. She's 4.5 months old, in good health, and there is absolutely no reason to take her, especially since we will not be getting her vaccinated. I'm wondering if this is normal? Can they just call like this? Are they going to be calling CPS or DHS because we're not taking her in? We weigh her ourselves and use an online height, weight and head circumference calculator. She's right on track. I'm a little worried because we use natural health care and products and this seems like it's borderline violating. What do you guys think?</div>
</div>
<p> </p>
<p>So a ton of questions are probably going thru the mind of every person reading your post.......(well, maybe). First, is this your first baby? Some first time moms get so overloaded with stuff, that it's so easy to miss important health issues with our babies.  Do you have any traditional or non-traditional medical training? Because my first question would be How do you know she's in good health? (Is anyone else thinking this questions?)  Is it just by guessing? Her weight? Her coloring? OR has your midwife done the newborn check up and other check up on her? You don't have her vaccinated......but maybe find a vaccine friendly doctor...... But I would just guess, that if this doctor is going out of his/her way to call you bc you didn't bring your baby in for a newborn check up .....Yeah, red flags have already been raised.  Can your midwife suggest a doctor that is in tune to your choices?</p>

 

[michelleepotter]

Huh. Is it really that weird, even here, to not do well baby checkups? How is that so different from UP? None of my children have ever gone to a well baby or well child checkup. We go to the doctor when we are sick or need something. (A couple of our kids do have conditions that have to be monitored or managed, so we DO go to the doctor for that, but not just for weighing and measuring when nothing is wrong.) I'm currently pregnant with #8, and this baby will have well baby checkups because we are planning to start vaccinating, and frankly I'm weirded out by the idea that I'm going to have some doctor monitoring my healthy child like she's sick.<br><br>
To the OP, I would probably be freaked out by that a bit, too, but I have had doctors send me cards reminding me to make an appointment. I've ignored them, and nothing came of it. I think they are just standard practice, sent out to everyone who hasn't been in to the office in a while. If you are concerned, you could either tell the truth (that you aren't interested in well baby check ups), or say that you've decided to go with a different doctor. But, if you do the second, you can't really go back to that pedi if you need something. :/ Ultimately, you're going to need a doctor who knows that you're not doing well baby checkups, and is ok with it. That way you can take your baby in when you need to without fear.

 

[Catchyusername]

Interesting take on my questions. Our midwife did weekly check-ups for six weeks post-partum and is available at any time for questions. I have reason to assume my child is just fine because we live with a nurse who is also available when we have questions, which we rarely do. Yes, we are first time parents, but that doesn't mean we are ill equip. That being said (and there was no reason to have to defend myself or my parenting choices) we will continue to search the internet and talk with people to find the answer to our questions. Thank you.

 

[Gryphonn]

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">
<div>So a ton of questions are probably going thru the mind of every person reading your post.......(well, maybe).</div>
</div>
</div>
<p>(No questions for me, so maybe not everyone!)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hi OP, I don't post much but wanted to respond because we are similar. We don't vaccinate, either.  I also planned a home birth but ended up in the hospital at 33 weeks. I hadn't picked a ped before a surprise pre-term labor, because my midwife was going to do the standard WHO well baby checks until 2 years.  So I totally get where you're coming from. Once in the hospital, you can't get discharged without a ped and luckily my midwife knew some that would work for us.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>If you end up deciding to go to a well baby check... At the well baby appointments, the assistant weighs and measures, then I sit across the room from the doc, he approaches for about 20 seconds to look in her ears and listen to her heart, and it seems like all in all I am satisfying my requirement and he is satisfying his requirement, with the lowest possible imposition to our autonomy or privacy. At the early ones he checked for hip dysplasia.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>For us, it turned out that my DD has some development challenges so we go to some specialists. Because we go to the Well Baby Checks it makes a lot of other people stay out of parts of our life choices (like our PT and OT for example).  For example, I can tell my OT "my ped said it's okay to exclusively BF until at least 12 months" (which is a totally non conventional choice as it turns out).</p>
<p>So for us, with a good ped, going to these well baby visits really helps us out and keeps us from fighting with everyone else.  My DD had a seizure the other day, and if we hadn't had a ped, the neurologist would have freaked out on us. As it was, they can't really say anything, for example, about the not vaccinating because that's a discussion for my pediatrician to have with us. Otherwise I can't even imagine the heck they'd put you through in an emergency.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It doesn't sound like you have any of those complications though.  So I'd call them and explain you are doing the WHO baby checks with your licensed midwife.  Again from what I understand that's an acceptable standard until 2 years.  We definitely would have continued doing that (instead of WB) if DD was full term. I doubt they are calling to get on your case, they probably just wanted to make sure they aren't the ones who dropped the ball on the appointments.  For all they know, you got another provider (which you have).</p>
<p>nice user name </p>

 

[Sukhada]

We do well baby visits though we delay vaccination. Where I live, MW's provide care until 6 weeks pp. well baby visits involve being weighed and measured and developmental screening. We like our family doctor who is quite supportive of our choices and it's an opportunity to form a relationship and for her to understand us, which comes in handy when we do need to see her (in times of sickness). Our dr. likes to see babies every two months to check in, which is a lot. But, i think minimually she would likely suggest we see her at 6 mos, 12 mos and 18 mos for developmental screening purposes. I think it's pretty common for doctors to call to remind you to come in, particularly for children. It could also be about vaccination - we had to sign a form for our doctor indicating that we had discussed vaccination and that we had declined them, for her records. It could be less that you might get into any trouble, but that the doctor needs to prove they've done due dilligence.

 

[Gryphonn]

<p>Just wanted to jump in to say, I would definitely not sign anything re not vaxxing. I'd find another doc.</p>

 

[Sukhada]

Gryphonn: why?

 

[Gryphonn]

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>Sukhada</strong> <a href="/community/t/1390882/well-baby-check-ups#post_17476932"><img alt="View Post" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style=""></a><br><br>
Gryphonn: why?</div>
</div>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="http://www.mothering.com/community/t/1244091/signing-a-no-vax-waiver-for-doctors-office">http://www.mothering.com/community/t/1244091/signing-a-no-vax-waiver-for-doctors-office</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>I read about them here on MDC, my ped doesn't have such a form.</p>

 

[Sukhada]

Well the form doesn't go to any registry where i live. So that's not a concern. It's an internal form amd while it may be sort of bullshit, it's not that big a deal to me. Our doctor is great and it's hard enough to find doctors since there are so many that are full and no longer taking new patients. i have to sign forms for school and daycare as well, as per the law.

 

[yellow73]

Our ped is one of the more popular in town, so they keep track of active patients so they know when they can accept more. If you never see them, what makes you a patient?

 

[Catchyusername]

Thank you, everyone! Definitely makes me feel better about our decisions. We try to do everything naturally and take care of any ailments at home, so doctors really are only needed in rare cases. I am still considering calling the ped's office back. Modern medicine just kinda makes me nervous to be honest.

 

[spidersilk]

I do the first baby checkup or two just to have the doc meet my healthy baby so he can have a base to compare her to if I ever needed to bring her in when she's sick. I don't think it's a big deal and it's nice for my doc to meet my babies.