A Day of Doctor Appointments

Reese and Gus cuddling

We "started" the day with a pediatrician appointment for Gus. He was 6 pounds 9 ounces at birth and 5 pounds 14 ounces at discharge. The pediatrician sent us home with some ready to drink formula. We were supposed to "top him off" with formula after breastfeeding. Sunday night we did and he really ate almost none. Mostly it was on his shirt collar and his burp cloth. Overnight I didn't bother, but he did breast feed every 2 hours or so. Monday I realized he really got none of the formula in his mouth--he sucked it but it all ran back out. So we just stopped the formula. I was kind of worried it would compromise my milk supply by supplementing so early since I ran out of milk with Reese pretty early on. Monday night Gus ate for about 1 hour and a half straight. Still I was a little worried going in to the pediatrician on Tuesday that show would scold us for not doing the formula.

Reese and Gus

So back to when I said we "started" the day. Our appointment was at 1:30pm. We barely made it on time. WOW getting out the door with 2 babies and a really slow moving Mama is pretty time consuming. So we got there about 1:33 or so. The doctor was happy with his color--no jaundice. Also happy I had a list of times and which side he ate from and how long and what kind of diaper activity he had. Apparently some crazy people think they can actually remember this stuff without writing it down. But mostly the doctor was happy with his monster weight gain--today he weighed 6 pounds 4 ounces. Woo hoo! His feeding frenzy paid off.

Bright eyed Gus

After Gus' appointment we swung over to my OB for a "quick" blood pressure check. It was okay enough that we are not going to adjust my drugs. I have obscenely swollen feet, ankles and shins---way more than I experienced while pregnant that stayed even though I had them propped on an ottoman all evening and then I woke up still swollen. Yesterday I had a headache ALL day and I woke up still with a headache. And I have quite a lower back ache, since I"m only lifting 6 pounds it seems odd. SOOOO we were there forever waiting to see the doctor when I really had no appointment--the BP check just requires a quick check with the medical assistant---and then waiting for him to get in touch with the anesthesiologist. Apparently the swollen feet after delivery is quite common I just didn't experience it with Reese so I was surprised. And apparently a "spinal headache" while not a common side effect it is also not a rare side effect of having a spinal. Usually it is essesntially debilitating, but not necessarily. Treatment is to lie flat. Of course who ever lays down flat? So I tried it and it works so tonight I'll try sleeping sans pillow to see if it works. Next followup is July 10. After Reese this is the appointment when we cut my BP drugs in half. I suspect we'll be able to do the same this time. Gus has a 2 week check up also.