Our Little Wellbaby

Oct 6, 2006

Sam had her 12 month wellbaby appointment today with our new pediatrician, whom I adore. Really. This new ped was worth the cross-country move ALONE. She’s smart, communicates clearly, doesn’t rush the appointment, and she pronounced Sam both “beautiful” and “perfect.” These are all good ways to earn the trust of the parents. Plus, she did not recommend that we feed our baby mashed-up Krispy Kremes.

We did get the green light to start giving Sam whole milk, and other previously forbidden foods (such as honey and eggs). I am psyched to whip her up some scrambled eggs for lunch, though in all likelihood these will end up on the floor, on my shirt, and in her hair as lately Sam has decided that all solid food–especially anything lovingly prepared by her mother– is toxic. (Yesterday she gagged on my delicious sweet potato puree and then vomited into her baby bjorn bib. Thank goodness those things have a little pocket.)

Because Sam has been a fussy eater of late and because her weight has always been a concern, we were relieved to hear the ped pronounce her 100% healthy. She weighs 18 lbs, which puts her in the 5th percentile, but at least she’s on the chart. She’s in the 50th for head circumference, and at 28 inches long, around the 15th for height.

When we explained our previous doc’s theory that Sam was IUGR because the placenta did not attach well to the uterine wall, the ped said that it is possible that Sam will always be small. We won’t know for a while, though, because she could always have a growth spurt at adolesence. As potential problems go, small stature for a woman in our culture is not a big deal. We are SO fortunate that Sam’s health and development were not seriously affected by my stingy placenta. Still, as we waited for the nurse to come in to admininster the vaccines, I remarked to AC that I very much wish for Sam to be tall, at least, taller than me. He nodded. Is it typical for parents to want their children to be bigger, stronger, and brighter than them? Do we unconsciously (or consciously) want the best of our genes to soar in our offspring? And if Sam is always small, will I feel like I failed her in some way?

(I can just picture her at 16 arguing with me about my refusal to let her wear 6 inch heals. “But Mom, it’s your fault I’m so short– you even admit it on your blog!”)

In the meantime, we’re thrilled that our little baby is healthy. And perfect. As AC reminded me, two different pediatrians, on opposite ends of the country, have recognized her perfectness. it must be true.