4 Month Baby Check-Up

Kendra had her 4 month doctor visit today - which means more shots. She had to get five vaccinations this time. It once again resulted in a very red-faced, screaming baby. I dosed her with Tylenol this time though, so hopefully her evening will be a little easier. As of right now she is still sleeping.

The good news - she is growing like a weed, and has almost caught up developmentally. {ding, ding, ding} And on the doctor's table, we have KENDRA - weighing in at 11 pounds, 6 ounces and 23 1/2 inches long!

Her length puts her in the 50-75 percentile - a very average little girl. Her weight, however, only puts her in the 10%, so she's still pretty small. The doctor isn't worried, though, because she is gaining and falls within normal parameters.

Developmentally she can do almost everything a normal 4 month old can do. The only thing she's a little behind in is muscle control. She should be pushing up on her arms more than she does. Again, no worries, she's just a little slower than average for now.

The doctor is going to try and get us insurance approval to put her on an antibody treatment for RSV. Apparently it's very expensive - basically unaffordable unless insurance will cover it. It consists of monthly shots of antibodies to help her body fight against a specific respiratory infection called RSV. Only at risk babies are offered these shots - at risk is premies, low birth weight and kids with heart/lung problems. Since we have no other children, and Kendra's not in day care or regularly exposed to other kids, she only hits a few of the "at-risk" criteria. We'll see, I guess.

Two Month Checkup - All is Well!

Who knew it was possible for a person's skin to turn brighter red than most tomatoes? Kendra went in for her 2 month check-up and the first of her inoculation series. She was less than impressed by the experience. She screamed for each of the three shots, then fell asleep as soon as we put her in her car seat. We had walked to the doctor's office, so the motion of the stroller kept her asleep the whole way home (about 5 miles round trip).

I left to pick up stuff on Craigslist, and Dan got the joyful duty of taking care of a cranky girl. She saved up all her screaming for when she woke up. She brought her daddy to tears - it is heartbreaking to watch your baby in pain and miserable.

On the bright side, Baby Girl got a clean bill of health! She is currently weighing in at 8 pounds, 11 ounces and 21 inches long. She has finally made the growth charts!! What an amazing little girl we have. She is a bit developmentally behind, but within normal parameters for a six week premature baby. The doctor is not worried. Little One will catch up at some point in the next year. She is starting to develop a flat spot on the back of her head - a side effect of the "back to sleep" advised by the American Academy of Pediatrics. She favors sleeping on the right side of her head, so we just have to force her to lay more on her left side. Maybe work in some more tummy time during the day - despite her protests. It's a fairly minor thing and happens pretty often with little ones.