Four Month Check-Up
We just had Taisei's 4 month appointment with Dr. Lindsay* today. Taisei's still growing. He's around 50th percentile height and weight and 25th percentile head circumference. Who would've known he had a proportionally small head. Looks alright to me. :) He measures 13 lbs 9 oz, 25 inches tall and 16 inches around the head. What cute proportions! Just kidding.He got 4 more vaccination shots, 2 on each thigh, that quickly changed his cheery disposition to a ouch-ouch-what-the-heck-happened disposition. But as soon as the shots were done, he seemed to be ok again and his teary face soon either dried up or was smeared on my t-shirt. A successful trip to the doctor's! By the way, here are Dr. Lindsay's answers to Wami's list of questions. Admittedly, different doctors probably have different opinions.
Any advice about taking Taisei to Japan?
Make sure to breastfeed him on take-offs and landings. No drugs necessary until 6 months. He's young enough not to need Dramamine or Benadryl. Bring toys to keep him entertained.
When can he use sunscreen or deet?
Avoid the use of deet and sunscreen until at least 6 months. Try Avon's SkinSoSoft to repel bugs - it works! As for the sun, keep him out of it.
He always rolls onto his belly to sleep - is that ok?
Let's avoid it. He is still at an age where risk of SIDS is high. Try to turn him over after he falls asleep. Make sure there is nothing in the crib - no blankets, pillows, toys, etc.
What's this new rash on his neck?
It's probably from drool or milk on his neck. Nothing to be alarmed about. You can apply vaseline, diaper rash cream or do nothing at all unless things get worse.
Is it time to start solid foods yet?
No, there is no benefit until about six months of age. We'll cover that at your next appointment. For now, continue breastfeeding. It's more beneficial at this point.
How much longer should we breastfeed?
It's very important for the first year. So please try to continue until then if you can. After one year, the benefits begin to wane.
* By the way, Dr. Lindsay is Sunny Chen's fiance Jonathan Beutler's pediatrician ever since he was a baby. Jonathan's grandma also lived 4 doors down from us before she recently passed away. Funny, huh? Jonathan highly recommended Dr. Lindsay - perfect since the office is only a few blocks away. After this initial recommendation, he was also highly recommended to us from our OB and two more friends who are pediatricians themselves, Dr. Hildebrand and Dr. Elizabeth.
posted by Jerin at
2:47 PM
4 comment(s):
I like what your doc said about waiting until he is 6 months to start solids. My doctor said I could start at the 4 month, and to start before the next visit at 6 months. I didn't want to start until 6 months (besides, it's such a pain at first.). So i started Adele 2 weeks before her appointment. My regular doctor was gone, and this new doctor didn't tell me much... Anyway, I think it kind of set us off in her feeding.. she didn't get enough to eat, I didn't know I was supposed to supplement with formula. At my 9 month, doc said "just give her high calorie desserts from now on"! (She was in the 5th percentile despite her huge cheeks). I also didn't know she was constipated from all the solids I started her on... until I got HOME from the 6 month appointment, but on that same day. So it's nice to ask the doctor when you go for that appointment, what they recommend you do.
Anyhow, she is doing just fine. She is a light eater, I try to feed her all the time. But she's healthy and walking this week! (She is 10 months now) - I guess I should put this all on my own blog...
By
Aaron and Emily, at
8/10/2006 11:02 PM
Interesting. I use babysunscreen on Caden everytime we go out even though he's never out under the sun long. I started him on solids but that hasn't decreased how many times I breastfeed him because the doctor said not to. But from that standpoint, starting at 6 months is a better idea because it's not until then that you gradually subtract a breastfeeding here and there whereas right now, I'm just doing double duty.
By
Nate and Mags, at
8/14/2006 12:26 PM
This is interesting stuff. I always hear about height and weight percentiles but I think this is the first I have heard about the size of a baby's head. I have a friend whose nickname is "Apple" because her head was so big as a baby that she'd fall over onto her head when they put her down. At least, that's what they said.
I'll have to read your blogs again when I have kids and they are that age so I can compare advice.
The first time I babysat a little kid with a milk bottle I couldn't figure out why he wouldn't finish his bottle but he still was acting hungry (cuz he was eating the french fries his mom had left for him as a special treat). I finally realized he couldn't get to the drink at the bottom of his bottle cuz he couldn't tip it far back enough. I just laid him on his back and he finished off the milk. He was old enough to walk and stuff (I guess that's obvious if he was eating fries). Anyway, I'm not a moron babysitter but it was just one of those things that didn't occur to me right away. Probably took me 10 minutes to figure out that he did want the rest of his milk; he just didn't know how to get to it. Maybe you know if you're a parent that starts with your kid drinking milk that way in the first place. Since he was walking around with the bottle and drinking it I didn't realize there would be a problem.
By
Esther, at
8/21/2006 5:34 PM
Looks like your son has a long head so that may skew the whole circumference thing. Nothing to worry about.
By
Anonymous, at
8/22/2006 10:34 PM
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