Bad Doctor

I must be a glutton for punishment. I should have listened to my gut and told Hubby to cancel the appointment when the secretary called to confirm.

We went back to the pediatrician, the one that made me feel like a bad mother, because we have not yet found a replacement. I weighed my son myself, and saw that he had gained 8 ounces since the last appointment, so I had hoped that the doctor would have been satisfied with that. He was not.

My son has grown an inch and gained 8 ounces and while he is still on the small side, he looks good! He is starting to take notice of his surroundings and he scoots when he is on his tummy. He rolls from back to front and front to back and he has started to grab things, especially my hair and necklace. He has the most beautiful smile with a dimple on his left cheek. We supplement his diet with one bottle of formula a day, usually when I am busy in the kitchen and no amount of comfort from daddy will quiet him. I like to think of it as when daddy and son can bond together over a drink!

At the doctor's office today, he was quite upset when we told him that we were not giving him the 7 bottles of formula a day like he told us and said we were stunting his brain development. My husband told the doctor that the boy eats and pees and poops just like all our other babies did and his slow gaining was exactly like the first child we had. While examining our son, he found nothing out of the ordinary and told us to go to the hospital to run additional tests as to why he isn't gaining faster. We said no.

I told the doctor that we feel our son is doing just fine and I would never deprive my children of medical attention and care and if I thought he needed to be tested, I would take him, but I don't feel that is necessary. My husband and the doctor did most of the talking, with the doctor turning his back on me. He wants us to come back to see him next week and I told the husband that I will not be taking my son back to him again.

The doctor seemed taken aback when we were firm in our convictions and belief that our son is doing well. I think he is used to people agreeing to whatever he says to do. He started to say this and that, and my husband calmly said that he was not going to argue with him, but that we don't agree with what he said. The doctor's brochure says he believes in breast-feeding, and my husband pointed out that breast is best, isn't it? I even quoted Trapper in a comment she left and told the doctor I was raising a baby not fattening a hog.

We will be making calls tomorrow, to find another pediatrician that will not push the panic button when a baby doesn't follow the "normal" guidelines.

I love my son with all of my heart and soul and I know that he is fine. But when there is a doctor like that, it makes me doubt myself and I start second-guessing what is best for my son. We are going to continue to do what we have been doing all along, and dammit, I will not be made to feel like a terrible mother for doing it. I have raised 3 healthy little girls and I am raising a healthy baby boy, too.