{"id":3507,"date":"2014-03-12T08:22:25","date_gmt":"2014-03-12T12:22:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/?p=3507"},"modified":"2014-03-12T08:22:25","modified_gmt":"2014-03-12T12:22:25","slug":"dealing-with-doctors-visits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/2014\/03\/12\/dealing-with-doctors-visits\/","title":{"rendered":"Dealing with Doctor’s Visits"},"content":{"rendered":"

Yesterday Doodle had his 10 month well visit with the pediatrician.\u00a0 We\u2019ve taken our kids to the same doctor since Honeybun was a few days old and even during the time we were living in Dublin, we still kept up with our well-visits with our pediatrician in Florida (Honeybun never missed a single check!\u00a0 Though Sugarplum did have most of her infant checks in Ireland).\u00a0 So, after over 10 years (all children combined) of doctors\u2019 visits, going is more like meeting with a family friend than a stress-inducing medical ordeal.<\/p>\n

Our pediatrician knows me now.\u00a0 \u201cI assume you\u2019re still exclusively breastfeeding?\u201d Yep.\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s been healthy?\u00a0 Your children have always been in good health overall\u201d Yep.\u00a0 \u201cBaby dropped to 6% on his weight, but all your kids are tall and slim so you know that\u2019s nothing to worry about.\u201d\u00a0 Yep.\u00a0 \u201cAt this point it\u2019s most important that baby is starting to understand what you are saying. \u00a0What he is saying, or not saying isn\u2019t a concern right now.\u201d Yep.\u00a0 \u201cIf he\u2019s pulling to stand and pushing things, I\u2019m sure you know he\u2019s getting close to walking.\u201d Yep. \u201cOf course, walking is considered normal up to 15 months and if he does it before a year that\u2019s considered early.\u201d\u00a0 Yep.\u00a0 \u201cI see the two bottom teeth came in, but no sign of anything up top which are typically the next to come in.\u201d Yep (and nope, no signs of top teeth!)<\/p>\n

Our conversations are usually short and sweet.\u00a0 I usually have very few questions and he usually has very little to tell me that I don\u2019t already know (even with Honeybun, my childcare experience and personal research left few doctor’s office surprises!)<\/p>\n

And though our visits almost always go smoothly, there are a few tricks I\u2019ve picked up along the way that make the process and visit easier for everyone.<\/p>\n

1)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Find a doctor you like<\/b> and then stick with him\/her.\u00a0 We used to travel across the ocean to see our pediatrician and now I travel 15-25 miles to see him because he is a good fit for us.\u00a0 He believes in breastfeeding, knows that my children tend to drop off the weight curve as they grow and is not in a hurry to prescribe antibiotics which are all things that are important to me.\u00a0 Do I wish he were closer, especially when my kids are sick?\u00a0 Of course, but the drive is well worth it!<\/p>\n

2)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Schedule your appointments first thing<\/b> in the morning or right after lunch if possible and avoid Mondays for well visits as all the kids who were sick over the weekend show up Monday morning which can back up the schedule and create more germ sharing opportunities.\u00a0 Just like any other doctor, pediatricians can easily get backed up and waiting an extended time with a restless infant or toddler is worse than waiting most places.\u00a0 Taking the first appointment gives you a better chance of getting in on time and out in a reasonable amount of time.<\/p>\n

3)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Schedule your appointment around baby\u2019s schedule<\/b> when possible.\u00a0 Don\u2019t try to do the doctor thing during baby\u2019s usual nap time or a toddler\/child\u2019s usual meal time.\u00a0 If it\u2019s going to overlap a baby\u2019s feeding time, be prepared to feed at the office before the appointment, while waiting for doctor or nurse and\/or after the appointment before heading out (a lot of pediatricians will let you hang out and use the exam room to nurse after your appointment).<\/p>\n

4)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Try to be early<\/b> (or at least on time\u2014I struggle with this one!).\u00a0 Every office\u2019s procedure is different but if you\u2019re late it\u2019s possible the person with a later appointment that shows up early could get taken back ahead of you which will just prolong your time at the office.<\/p>\n

5)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Expect to wait<\/b>.\u00a0 Unfortunately even if you have the first appointment of the day and arrive early, there will still be some waiting involved.\u00a0 You\u2019ll have to wait for the doctor to come in; if you vaccinate, you\u2019ll have to wait for the nurse to draw the vaccination after the doctor makes sure baby is healthy enough; if you need to schedule another appointment you might have to wait to do that. Basically, be prepared for the long haul.\u00a0 Bring toys, snacks, a boob, a bottle or whatever else keeps your baby happy and entertained<\/p>\n

6)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Be flexible with baby\u2019s needs<\/b> and relax your usual rules.\u00a0 I give my babies unlimited boob access while at the doctor just to keep them from enduring more trauma and stress than the visit will provide on its own and my big girls always want to suck on the flavored tongue depressors.\u00a0 I try not to argue with them and give them most things they want just to keep the peace (and quiet!) during the already stressful situation.<\/p>\n

7)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Dress your child in clothes that are easy<\/b> to put on and off.\u00a0 Since you\u2019ll have to strip a baby down to be weighed and an older child for their check-over, make sure to dress in clothes that can quickly and easily be put on and off.\u00a0 Weather permitting, I recommend a dress for girls who are getting shots as you\u2019ll have to leave your child\u2019s leg exposed and doing up snaps or wrestling pants onto an upset baby is no fun!\u00a0 (Boys are less convenient, unfortunately!)<\/p>\n

\"DSC00051\"<\/a>8)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Bring something warm <\/b>to wrap baby up.\u00a0 Doctor\u2019s offices or notoriously cold and since your baby will spend a good amount of time waiting in the nude, be sure to have a blanket or something else warm and easy to wrap baby up in (I usually just use my sling that I carry baby into the office in).<\/p>\n

9)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Be ready to sooth your baby<\/b> after all the poking of the exam and especially if receiving shots or blood draws.\u00a0 Have a lovey, pacifier, boob, bottle or whatever else soothes your baby ready to give baby as soon as you can.\u00a0 I also like to hold\/kiss\/cuddle\/shhh my babies when they have to be poked and as soon as they are done, I don\u2019t worry about them associating me with the pain, I want them to associate me with making them feel better, though.<\/p>\n

10)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Write down your questions<\/b> (this is another one I\u2019m terrible at).\u00a0 Nothing is worse than realizing your forgot to ask a question as soon as you get to your car!\u00a0 Write them down and you think of them and be sure to take your list with you.<\/p>\n

11)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Don\u2019t be afraid to ask questions<\/b>, no question is a stupid question when it comes to the well-being of your child! (And if you\u2019re uncomfortable asking a question, see #1 and find a doctor you\u2019re comfortable with!)<\/p>\n

12)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 B<\/strong>ring help<\/b> if you have more than one child being seen or if you have an extremely sensitive or strong child (like when I was pregnant with Doodle and Honeybun went in for her flu shot, I made hubby come to help hold her still after the nurse and I were unable to hold her to prick her finger for a blood draw a few months before).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Yesterday Doodle had his 10 month well visit with the pediatrician.\u00a0 We\u2019ve taken our kids to the same doctor since Honeybun was a few days old and even during the time we were living in Dublin, we still kept up with our well-visits with our pediatrician in Florida (Honeybun never missed a single check!\u00a0 Though […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,16,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3507","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-baby-business","category-breastfeeding","category-family-life"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3507","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3507"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3507\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3528,"href":"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3507\/revisions\/3528"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3507"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3507"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beyondmommying.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3507"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}