Natasha had a doctor's appointment today, so we finally have an update on how big she is! (the bathroom scale said she was 12 lbs over a week ago, but it's a very optimistic scale.. unless you're a grown up.. then I guess it's sort of a depressing scale.. )The official numbers are in: She's gained just shy of 3 lbs and 3 inches in the last month!
11 lb 11 oz puts her in the 30th percentile of all kids her age, NOT taking into account that she was 7 weeks early!
At 23.5" tall she's in the 50th percentile for height!! This little lady isn't going to stay little for long!
And her head circumference, which hadn't quite made it on the chart at the time of her last visit, is 39cm, which puts her in the 25th percentile.
With growth like this, if she'd been full term she's likely to have been off the charts at the top end!
Next up was a bunch of shots.. I read about a topical anesthetic that numbs the area so babies don't have to feel all the pain of the shots - it just seems so much worse when she can't understand what's going on, only that it suddenly hurts. The doctor gave us a prescription the day before, as it needs to be applied an hour before the shots, but she said it doesn't really help all that much as they can still feel the pressure of the needle once it breaks the skin and the pain as it enters the muscle. I still thought it was worth a try, as Natasha has screamed her head off with every shot she's ever gotten. I applied it an hour before her appointment, but unfortunately we were taken really late and the shots were at the end of the appointment.. it had been 2 hours by the time we were ready for the shots
So I asked the nurse about another method of pain relief I'd read about: breastfeeding. She said she had no idea if it worked, as she'd never seen anyone try. Natasha was hungry by then, so I decided to give it a try. The first shot, nothing! Not a peep! It was like she didn't even notice!! Same with the 2nd shot! The 3rd shot she noticed about halfway through.. I'm not sure if she was eating less intently by then, or if we'd just pushed our luck far enough. She screamed for a couple seconds, and then I was able to get her to eat a bit more, and after that she was totally fine! This wasn't very scientific, because now I don't know if it was the cream or the breastfeeding, or even the combination that ultimately helped. But I do know that it was MUCH better than any other injection she's ever gotten.
And then we went out for ice cream :D
If the world was a fair place, the person who got the shots would've gotten the ice cream..
What mama eats, baby eats too, so I suppose she did get the ice cream in the end, right?
ReplyDeleteThat's awesome that breastfeeding worked to keep her calm during shots. So much less stressful for you.
Breastfeeding is awesome for everything! Really! I'd never heard that one, but it doesn't surprise me. Keep doing it as long as you can. Ben was a long term breastfeeder and he has NEVER, ever been to the doctor in 9 years for anything but well-baby/child and sports physicals. No ear problems (ergo, no yucky tubes), no strep throat, etc. He is also a lot calmer than any of his friends, now I'm not saying he is totally calm, as you know, but calm-er. :) Don't know if that is nursing or discipline, maybe a combo of both.
ReplyDeleteIsn't that shot thing the worst though?! They look at YOU when they get shot, not at the nurse, and say "Why?!" with their eyes. We also always thought it was funny that the poor nurse gets the dirty work, the "nice doctor" leaves the room for the shots. Hope you have great pediatrician that makes it nice, we LOVE ours, still do.
Keep growing, Natasha! ~Aunt Carolyn