6 Month Well (?) Baby Check-Up

Henry and I just got home from our most traumatic doctor's visit yet.....

a. The "yes" to the question "Was your house built before 1960?" question led to a finger prick for lead in Henry's blood stream. For this I was glad -- I've been worried about lead poisoning since before I ever got pregnant....our house was built in 1949 and once the trim paint started to peel and crack, we sent a sample and a $30 check to the chemistry department at MSU. Our lead levels are above the federally mandated level. Now we wait for the lab results. I will keep you posted.

b. The finger prick went surpisingly well. No tears.

c. The aftermath of the fingerprick is where it got traumatic....Henry was immediately intrigued with the blue bandaid wrapped around his finger. As I studied his chart, like I always do when the nurse or doctor leaves the room, he went to work sucking that bandaid. Soon, he was eerily quiet.....not only had he sucked the bandaid off his finger, he was in the process of beginning to choke on that same bandaid. I swept the bandaid out of the back of his mouth, he gasped for air, and he was just fine. Thank you very much.

d. Yet, his finger still bleeds. Bleeds. Bleeds. Still bleeding after 10 minutes of applied pressure with a piece of gauze I found in a drawer. By the time the doctor gets into the room, I have decided he can just bleed on his hand-me-downed through several children outfit. By the way, he was still bleeding when I strapped him into his carseat for the ride home.

e. I get out my list of concerns to share with the doctor. She shares my concern for his full body rash and declares that this rash/dry skin is most likely the reason he is not sleeping well at night. She breaks the news that this rash is definitely uncomfortable and itchy. I am immediately devastated. He has had this skin issue for months now and I have done nothing more than apply aquaphor and insist that it doesn't bother him. Bad mother of the month.

f. All of my concerns (rash, coughing, wheezing, hoarse voice, sneezing) share the common thread of allergies. Why would I expect anything different from my child? He gets some sort of cream for the rash and medicine for the allergies. Hopefully it helps. It would be nice to sleep again at night.

g. I was told to expect his top two teeth any day now. His gums are very puffy and swollen.

Henry weighs 16lbs 12oz (50%). His head circumference is 44.5cm (75%).
Drumroll please....he only grew half an inch in the past 2 months....he is now 24.5in long, placing him in the 5th percentile!!! Looks like he will be a little bit like his daddy!