With those words, my heart broke into a million tiny pieces. Just like the supposedly unbreakable Corelle bowl that Spence broke the night before when he ceremoniously rejected my attempt at prunes. (Yes, prunes. The love was a one time event.)
I just stared at the doctor. Her resident looked on, nodding knowingly. She looked to be about 24.
"If he doesn't start opening up his mouth and eating solids, he'll need to go see a specialist. He most likely has oral aversion."
Oral aversion? From the boy that nurses 24/7? What about kids developing in their own time? And the fact that he's only 8 months? Doesn't breast milk provide all the nutrition he needs until age 1? You rarely meet a healthy kid, which he is, who doesn't ever eat. Breastfeeding 18 year olds? I don't think so.
But, I nodded. Terrified.
"And how does he do with the Gerber Puffs? Yo Baby? ... What? You haven't given him Gerber Puffs?"
Call the Bad Mom Police. I have denied the boy Gerber Puffs. If you opt out of capitalism, you need to go see a specialist.
"Yes, he has another four weeks to see if he develops before we'll refer him. And how's he sleeping?"
I should have just walked out. It was a trick question. I had been counseled by friends to just lie in these situations, but like cows to the slaughter... I told her.
There was a whirlwind of words, clicking of cry-it-out, and doctor-giggles masked as empathy and then Spence and I were walking out of the doctor's office. A full 90 minutes after we walked in.
It took me a good 11 hours to realize that the doctor was full of shit. Before then, there were lots of self-doubt, fear and sweet potato Gerber Puffs. And now?
He's starting to feed himself. Sucker.
8 comments:
Do you think the puffs have anything to do with Spencer feeding himself?! HA! Crazy doctor.
Lynn
What exactly are Gerber puffs? I was envisioning a corn pop sort of thing but w/ the descriptor of "sweet potato" I suspect I'm wrong...
Spence looks good with a spoon. Can you imagine him being an indpendent spirit? :)
MY SYMPATHIES!!! There is enough to be anxious about without having someone add to it unnecessarily!!!
PUFFS??? Yeah, I'm sure that in the history of healthy babies none ever made it without PUFFS!
Your post made me so MAD for you!
Marni
(you don't know me- found you through SPC)
If it makes you feel better, my 5 month old still wakes up every hour at night. I'm still not going to let him cry it out!
i was so pissed when reading this post!
you obviously know that all that you are doing is perfect. and like marni said (actually, she found you on my site : ) there are many babies who've survived without puffs...and, they are probably much better off without them, too.
argh!!!!!!!
solid food is supposed to be an addition to breastmilk...breastmilk, really, IS all they need until one year...
and...the way you approach it, by giving him WHOLE food is the best that you can do for your sweet boy.
fresh, local produce is not found in gerber puffs...
of course, i am preaching to the choir here.
by the way.
your boy is so beautiful!!!
love this photo. xo
one more thing...(sorry)
but as long as spence is breastfeeding, he is fine. he will eat if his body needs more nourishment. this is where nature takes care of everything.
again.
preaching to the choir.
sigh.
this post just has me so worked up!
And the baby crack takes him down!
Score:
Yo Baby - 1
Spence - 0
i think you might need to find another doctor. seriously. what did people feed their babies before gerber puffs and yo baby? and what do they eat in places without gerber? and what the fuck is wrong with your doctor that she makes you feel miserable about your parenting, when your baby is healthy, happy, and normal?!? your friends who write about how babies eat when they want are right. he'll eat things that are not mama's milk when he's good and ready for it. tell her put that in her pipe and smoke it.
Post a Comment