The doctor didn’t believe me, and I don’t blame her.
Today we packed up the girls and ventured out to the pediatrician’s office for Cricket’s first doctor’s appointment. Overall it went as well as is to be expected; Ryan spent most of the time running Emma Vance back and forth from the exam room to the waiting room to look at the “fishies” while I wrangled the wee one with the pediatrician. Our appointment was relatively quick considering the absence of new-parent-nervousness and subsequent questions, but the biggest news from the visit is that we have a hungry baby on our hands. It was the only concern I brought up to the doctor, and it took some time to convince her that I wasn’t exaggerating.
Cricket was born at 9 lbs. 5 oz., left the hospital at 8 lbs. 14 oz., and weighed in today at 8 lbs. 15 oz. I was flabbergasted when I heard this. I’ve been feeding her non-stop, ’round the clock for the 48 hours that we’ve been home, so how in the world can she not have really gained anything?!? With E.V. we didn’t even consider giving her formula until after six months, but we’ve already added (temporary) supplementation with Kit in order to satisfy her, so I KNOW the amounts she’s taking in. I’m not crazy. I’m NOT crazy. I answered every one of the sweet doctor’s disbelieving questions (for which I can’t blame her): Yes, she’s actually drinking when I nurse her and not sleeping; yes, I’ve pumped to make sure my supply is enough; no, she’s not spitting up; yes, she has a ton of seedy diapers; yes, she’s got a ton of wet diapers; no, this isn’t my first time nursing…blahblahblah. I finally joked that our baby must have two bellies because nothing else makes sense. {insert nervous laughter at doctor’s lack of amusement}
After all that explaining and convincing, there’s no real solution other than to give it some time, work our way to only feeding her every three hours, and just keep on keepin’ on. Since I brought up the concern, we’re going to do a two-week appointment to check her weight gain and feeding progress, whereas usually we’d wait until the one-month mark. Hey, different kid, different experience, right?
Otherwise, I’m happy to report that our little Cricket is 100% healthy, just hungry. And I can live with hungry. Let’s just hope that I can keep our Monster’s belly full to her satisfaction so we don’t reach the point of being hangry, because no one wants a hangry baby! :)
My Mom told me that at two days old she sent my father to the store for cereal because I was so hungry. Dr.’s today would freak out at that! But I kept crying and being her second child she was just like she’s hungry so I’m going to feed her. I turned out fine! Well I think so anyway!