Reid:
Aiden:
We took the boys in for their 9-month checkup on Wednesday. Reid was 19 lbs, 14 oz and 29 inches tall. Aiden was 19 lbs, 6 oz and 28 inches tall. Our doctor was a little concerned that the boys weren't sitting up on their own. We haven't practiced sitting up with them as much as we probably could, but I didn't think they were lagging in development by any means. The next morning Eric worked with them on sitting up. By the evening they were doing a great job when I recorded these videos. (Forgive me for saying the exact same thing to both boys. I didn't realize I had done that.)
Overall it was a more frustrating visit to me. Sometimes our pediatrician can be very supportive and other times I think his bedside manner is lacking. My twins books AND friends have all talked about being careful not to compare your kids to other kids too much as well as not comparing them to each other too much. Especially because they don't have the benefit of developing with a couple of years in between, when parents may be more forgiving of differences. It's been really tough nursing twins for 9 months, yet when I asked about weaning and introducing cow's milk, I felt like I received a very flippant response. Us moms could all use a few more words of encouragement. Of course everyone could benefit from that. I'm trying to dish it out left and right to those around me, because it means so much to me.
(P.S. I'm not soliciting responses from all of you. I've appreciated all of your comments over the past few months. They mean a lot to me. Just some thoughts after spending a Friday night grading. Uggh. Time for bed.)
3 comments:
Hi Keri,
I think my pediatrician isn't the greatest either. Sometimes I think I should find a new one, but I don't have the guts to say "I don't like you very much" plus I like her nurses and staff, just not her that much. What did he tell you about cow's milk? I'm curious. I had a friend who had to go back to work before her little girl turned one and she didn't want to start her on formula for just a couple of months. Her mother-in-law (who was a nurse) said the main reason they don't want you to start on cow's milk too early is to ensure the baby is getting enough iron. So she had her daughter's iron level tested and when it was normal, she started her on cow's milk. So I'm curious what your doctor said.
One thing I have learned is that every child is different - both in personality and how they develop. Wyatt took longer to sit up on his own than Lila did. He also never really crawled but scooted around until he decided to stand up. I had a friend whose little boy at age 2 didn't talk very much (and when he did he was hard to understand). They even had some speech therapists come work with him a little bit. Now at age 4, he won't stop talking! In my opinion, the guidelines are just that - guidelines. They don't apply to every child. It looks like Aiden and Reid are doing great! Once they've mastered sitting up, it will probably only take them one day to figure out how to stand... THEN they'll find all kinds of fun :)
You're a great mama, chickie! Hang in there on the hard days and enjoy the easy ones!
Ditto on that last part--you're doing a great job, Keri! (and Eric too :)
Hi Keri ...
Absolutely agree with Colette and Janina ... you're doing an AMAZING job. I wonder if the further away you get from these first few years, the harder it becomes to remember how much stress and guilt we put on ourselves as new mothers. Doctors should be extra careful. I'm not sure they realize how much of an impact tone or a look can have on an already stressed-out mom. I recently called my doctor's office to see about adding cow's milk to Madeline's diet. My supply seemed to be slowing down a bit, and I found myself biting my nails to the quick every time I pumped ... I was so worried I wouldn't get enough. At the time I called, she was one month away from being a year old ... just a month. And the nurse scolded me for even asking. I honestly believe my doctor would have said something different (she has already poo-pooed guidelines for strawberries and citrus), but I didn't get to talk to her, and so I worried. Of course, our parents were raised on cow's milk (or even goat's milk, in my dad's case) and they did just fine. So after talking with my mother who reassured me that Madeline and I would both be happier if I trusted myself and did whatever I needed to do to keep myself from feeling overwhelmed and overstressed ... I bought some whole milk and let her try it.
Your boys look amazing. Whether it's at 6 months or 9 months or 12 ... everybody sits up. And then walks and talks and goes on to keep their mamas busy chasing after them. :)
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