One year appointment w/ pediatrician - What should I expect?

[@llli*kevins-mom]

My son turns ONE tonight at 12:28am! I am so proud we have made it this far breastfeeding. We had a lot of issues in the beginning and I was bullied into supplementing with formula while we were in the hospital (even with the help of a lactation consultant, we were still unable to get my son to latch). Eventually, with the help of a nipple shield, he was nursing, and we weaned from the shield by the time he was 3 weeks old.

I feel like my son is healthy, but doctors have had concerns regarding his weight since he was born (full term-5lbs 15oz). By the time he was 2 months old, he had climbed to the 20th percentile, but dropped back below the 5th by 4 months....and has only dropped percentiles from there. He is currently just under the 17lb mark (and about 27.5" short).

I try so hard to be educated and stand my ground when it comes to pediatrician's advice, but every single time we have an appointment scheduled I get so much anxiety.

My son eats A LOT, but I wouldn't know how to describe his eating habits to a doctor. He has a preference for breads/grains/potatoes and can eat a full slice of pizza in one sitting, but he generally will just graze all day long. We did BLW and started him on table foods shortly before he turned 7 months (against pediatricians instructions to feed him jarred baby food - we tried that stuff, my son hated it and I don't blame him). He still loves to nurse, too. He gets 2 bottles of 1/2 EBM and 1/2 organic whole cows milk when he is at daycare (11am and 3pm) and still nurses upon waking, 5:30pm, bedtime and overnight. I plan to stop pumping soon, but do not feel like this is a topic I need to discuss with my son's pediatrician.

We do not co-sleep, but I still feed him upon wakings in the night (which is usually 1-3 times from 8pm-8am). I was given instructions to let him cry-it-out and no night feedings by our pediatrician at either our 4mo or 6mo appointment, but I didn't listen.

It's weird that at one point they can be son concerned about weight gain, and the next minute they are telling you not to feed your hungry child.

I hate being told I'm not parenting "right" because frankly, I'm an awesome mom! I work my tail off for my son and do my very best to give him only the best.

[@llli*mommal]

Congrats on making it to the 1 year milestone! You ARE an awesome mom!

I think that when the pediatrician asks about your LO's eating habits, be honest. "He's a big eater, loves his starches, gets plenty of snacks, nurses a few times a day, and gets whole cow's milk at daycare." At worst, I think you'll be advised to add in some more veggies and fruits and maybe some more high-calorie solids, and to watch your baby's starch intake. All of which you're probably doing, or trying to do, anyway! There's absolutely nothing wrong with your baby's diet- except perhaps for the love of starch, but then what baby doesn't love carbs!- and any pediatrician who finds fault with it is applying an unrealistic standard to the diet of a 1 year-old.

Any advice about sleep you can simply ignore; it's parenting advice, not medical advice. If the pediatrician asks, say "He sleeps great, thanks!" and then proceed to your own concerns. The pediatrician doesn't need to know how many times your LO wakes at night.

[@llli*kevins-mom]

Thank you!

We always include vegetables in his meals (and sometimes won't add the breads to his try until later in the meal), but if he notices that mom and dad have bread - and he doesn't - he will refuse to eat and just scream until he gets bread!! It's so hard because we don't want a screaming son throughout our shared dinner

[@llli*maddieb]

if your ped suggested cry it out and no night feedings before, I would suspect you will get more of the same. They may also tell you that your child no longer needs breastmilk, or your breastmilk is no longer nutritious, or similar nonsense. or that they will eat more if you stop or cut back on nursing. Wrong again!

[@llli*ngs215]

I try so hard to be educated and stand my ground when it comes to pediatrician's advice, but every single time we have an appointment scheduled I get so much anxiety.

I hate being told I'm not parenting "right" because frankly, I'm an awesome mom! I work my tail off for my son and do my very best to give him only the best.

Have you thought about getting a new pediatrician? It sounds like you are getting a lot of advice that does not match how you want to raise your son. I can't imagine feeling anxiety over just having to face a well-baby visit.

I don't agree with everything DS's doctor says. At 4 months, he said we could start solids, and I said we would be waiting until 6 months. He said ok. At 15 pounds, he said we could night wean. I said we would be waiting until at least a year. But in neither case was he telling us what we HAD to do. We see a family medicine doctor rather than a pediatrician. I don't know if that makes a difference.

We just had DS's 1 year appointment. He asked about feedings, and I listed off the foods DS likes and expressed my concern that he wasn't too interested in solids. He said to give it time. He said he wanted me to keep nursing for now since DS was not taking many solids and he has an allergy to cow milk. I wasn't planning to wean yet anyway. He said we could re-evaluate at 15 months. We talked about milestones, walking, and talking. And they did a blood test for lead and routine blood work. It was all very low stress.

[@llli*kevins-mom]

I really have been considering finding a new pediatrician, but haven't taken the plunge just yet. I am hearing great things from one of the mom's who uses our daycare about her pediatrician and have decided to make the switch if doctor is over-concerned with my son's weight but still pushing night weaning (it really doesn't make sense....I really can't comprehend how that could possibly be beneficial).

[@llli*kevins-mom]

I just wanted to update.

Kevin's one year appointment was yesterday and it went great! The nurse asked me how long he was sleeping every night, and I told her 12-13 hours (but did not say that he wakes to eat during those hours since she didn't ask). I told them we had introduced cows milk, so they wanted to measure his iron levels. He passed with flying colors!

He was "off the charts" for height and weight, but I expected that. His head is in the 6th percentile. He's just a tiny little bean.

I was told not to push solids too hard. Just set good examples and always include my son at meal times (which we already do), and he even touched a bit on potty training (which it is obviously too early, my kid doesn't even walk yet, but we do EC here and there and he loves the potty).

It was really low stress. He got his vaccinations and that made him really sad. He looked at the nurse after she was done and reached to give her a big hug. It was sweet. She said no baby had ever done that.

[@llli*auderey]

he looked at the nurse after she was done and reached to give her a big hug. It was sweet. She said no baby had ever done that.

awwwwww.

[@llli*bfwmomof3]

The nurse asked me how long he was sleeping every night, and I told her 12-13 hours (but did not say that he wakes to eat during those hours since she didn't ask).

This is exactly what I do.

That's so sweet that he gave the nurse a hug. I'm sure that made her day!