Less than ideal check up

Mary Claire had her 4 month check up today! The visit started off on a bad foot- mom forgot the diaper bag! It usually stays in the 4-Runner and I never bring it in, just refill as needed. But Chase and I swapped cars this weekend so it was taken out and I forgot to grab it as I walked out the door. So I dug around in the car and found 1 diaper (granted it was a size to small, but it would work till we got home). After her weigh in I put the newborn sized diaper on my 4 month old and headed into our room.

The nurse came back with her stats...

Weight 12.06 lbs- 12%

Height 23.25- 11%

Head Circumference 16.14 inches- 67%

Again BIG brains and a little body :)

She gained 2 lbs, but since she fell 10% on the growth chart the Doctor was concerned. She asked me if she spit up much... HA! does she spit up much?!??!?

Remember last visit??? She had to lay on a puppy pad because she was spitting up so much!

So Dr. Bennie recommended adding cereal into her diet. Try it with a spoon first, but she may not be ready for that yet. If she isn't getting any with a spoon add it to her bottle- and give it at every meal to add calories and weigh down her meals so hopeful they will stay in her tummy.

If no progress in 3 weeks then we will have to use medicine.

She has had reflux since Day 1, but has not been a concern yet since she continually gains weight. But now that she has dropped on her growth chart it is a concern. The reflux explains a lot... why she hates being on her tummy- why she is always snotty (her body produces extra mucus to coat her esophagus from the acid), why she slowed on the growth curve, etc

Hopefully the cereal will help and we will not have to medicate her... but if we do- Oh Well!

Next Dr Bennie noticed she seems to have a tendency to cock her head to the right side.

I hadn't really ever noticed until she pointed it out. She doesn't always do it... sometimes she holds her head straight, but I couldn't find a single picture where she was cocked to the left.

Looking through pictures though she has done it since day 1:

Dr Bennie asked if she was head down a lot in utero, and come to think of it she was... Every visit she was head down, and body curving up my right side and feet under my left ribs. She said her neck probably just developed with a "crick" in it (aka torticollis) and all she would need is some physical therapy to stretch the muscles back out. She has full range of motion and no flat spots so it is not super concerning. 

But another culprit could be her vision. If one eye is stronger than the other it could cause she to turn her head so she can see better. So they did a vision test...

Sure enough this sweet baby as astigmatism. She recommended we see Dr. Dunn to check her eyes too.

So we made a 3 week weight check appt, called the eye doc and physical therapist and made appointments with them too.

Oh and I forgot- she got 2 shots too... poor baby was run through the ringer!!!

Dr. Dunn could actually see her in an hour for her vision check, so we ran across the street to Wal-Mart to get diapers, wipes, and formula- since mom forgot the diaper bag and we were going to be out another couple of hours... 

After a complete eye exam including dilation

Talk about BIG eyes!

Dr. Dunn said she did have a "marked" difference between the 2 eyes (left being stronger) it was not severe enough to cause a head tilt or need any attention yet. If she were going to Kindergarden she would need glasses, but since she is 4 months old no treatment is needed. We just follow up with him in 6 months.

So now just waiting for the PT appointment... going to teach us exercises and stretches and possible changes in her routine- face her the other way in the crib/tub and during feedings...