I am sure there are some pediatricians who double up as therapist and listen to all the issues that new parents have. Mine is a little bit different. 'Doc, he was awake all night, crying..almost howling..we tried EVERYTHING' will be met by the response, 'Oh, he is gaining healthy weight, nothing to worry about'. OK. 'Doc, he is not feeding like he used to. gets distracted after 5 mins'.'Oh, he is gaining healthy weight, nothing to worry about'. 'But Doc..'Oh, he is gaining healthy weight, nothing to worry about'. I almost always am disappointed after my pediac meeting because i had so many stories to share and all he could do was weigh him and cut me off..:( Thats my baby, not a sack of potatoes, you know!
Ok, i get it. my baby is growing well and healthy and i should not hyperventilate at every instance..but if you were there that night to see how bad the colic was, you would DEFINITELY say something was up with the little one.
So, why am i going to this emotionally redundant doc? Well, he is the one the big smart ass baby (AKA Hubby) went to for the first eighteen years of his life.. you see, there is an 'emotional' connect. now, for his medical skills, i must say, he is fantastic! but is that enough for a new mother? Maybe not...
There is almost always a way out, if you only look!
My mother got me 'Dr. Spocks Baby and Childcare in India' as a gift the day i delivered and i had picked up 'What to Expect - The first year by Heidi Murkoff'. Yup the same series of the world famous 'What to Expect when Expecting' when i was expecting.
Now, Dr. Spock is very informative about the first three months, giving some amazing advice on how to attend to a new born, how to nurse, gadgets that are needed, suffocation hazards, etc. now post that, he just goes through the other months stressing on the important milestones like teething, solids etc in a very doctor - like fashion. so even though there is real good information, its all cold..just like my pediatrician's office.
'What to Expect - the first year' was quite the unexpected.. imagine the scenario: Its 2:00 A.M, you have barely slept for 4 hrs in the last 24 hrs, your energy levels are at an all time low and your baby is crying miserably - meaning crying his lungs out - going all red- even stops breathing in between the screams!!! everyone at home is running around like headless chickens.. "is he still hungry", " why does he not sleep","did you not feed him", "is it colic"..OMG!! What did i do to this tiny thing..Oh god!! Make it stop!!! And from the corner of your eye, you notice this book lying on your shelf. You never bothered to read it before.. who has the time?! frantically you browse through it to find some answers and then, you see questions..like the ones you have..And there are answers!! There are real people who have been through what you are going through..and someone has answered them.. that someone also knows what i feel like right now!!! There is Hope, for me, as a mother.. i have found someone who will help me through it...
That night was long.. extremly long.. co relating the symptoms with the book, we narrowed it to colic. we were reassured. administered drops.. walked up and down the house with him on the shoulder, turn by turn, every family member..till he finally was at ease and went off to sleep.
The next morning, we were all smiling. me the most..i gained a new sense of confidence and pride.. i could do this.. we could do this..
So, just to be doubly sure all was ok, we visited the doc in the evening, and he said: 'Oh, he is gaining healthy weight, nothing to worry about'
Ok, i get it. my baby is growing well and healthy and i should not hyperventilate at every instance..but if you were there that night to see how bad the colic was, you would DEFINITELY say something was up with the little one.
So, why am i going to this emotionally redundant doc? Well, he is the one the big smart ass baby (AKA Hubby) went to for the first eighteen years of his life.. you see, there is an 'emotional' connect. now, for his medical skills, i must say, he is fantastic! but is that enough for a new mother? Maybe not...
There is almost always a way out, if you only look!
My mother got me 'Dr. Spocks Baby and Childcare in India' as a gift the day i delivered and i had picked up 'What to Expect - The first year by Heidi Murkoff'. Yup the same series of the world famous 'What to Expect when Expecting' when i was expecting.
Now, Dr. Spock is very informative about the first three months, giving some amazing advice on how to attend to a new born, how to nurse, gadgets that are needed, suffocation hazards, etc. now post that, he just goes through the other months stressing on the important milestones like teething, solids etc in a very doctor - like fashion. so even though there is real good information, its all cold..just like my pediatrician's office.
'What to Expect - the first year' was quite the unexpected.. imagine the scenario: Its 2:00 A.M, you have barely slept for 4 hrs in the last 24 hrs, your energy levels are at an all time low and your baby is crying miserably - meaning crying his lungs out - going all red- even stops breathing in between the screams!!! everyone at home is running around like headless chickens.. "is he still hungry", " why does he not sleep","did you not feed him", "is it colic"..OMG!! What did i do to this tiny thing..Oh god!! Make it stop!!! And from the corner of your eye, you notice this book lying on your shelf. You never bothered to read it before.. who has the time?! frantically you browse through it to find some answers and then, you see questions..like the ones you have..And there are answers!! There are real people who have been through what you are going through..and someone has answered them.. that someone also knows what i feel like right now!!! There is Hope, for me, as a mother.. i have found someone who will help me through it...That night was long.. extremly long.. co relating the symptoms with the book, we narrowed it to colic. we were reassured. administered drops.. walked up and down the house with him on the shoulder, turn by turn, every family member..till he finally was at ease and went off to sleep.
The next morning, we were all smiling. me the most..i gained a new sense of confidence and pride.. i could do this.. we could do this..
So, just to be doubly sure all was ok, we visited the doc in the evening, and he said: 'Oh, he is gaining healthy weight, nothing to worry about'
Gosh...its like sherlock holmes and cracking the mystery....but thanks twisha ill keep the book in mind when its my turn....
ReplyDelete:) trust me, the brain becomes like candy floss then.... You'll see :P
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