Today was the official 2 week Newborn screening and exam. This family likes to do things a little different so instead we had a 3 week screening and exam.
Our little man is growing and we have the doctors notes to prove it. To me he still seems as little as usual but I have proof and there's no denying it now. He weighs 8 lbs 5 oz, he's now 20 1/2 inches long and his head is 37 cm. The head measurement freaked me out since they had measured in inches at the hospital so hearing 37 up from 13 1/2 was a little alarming. Once the nurse plotted all his measurements on the graph we learned he's graduated to the 45th percentile of his age group. Not bad for the little guy that started in utero in the 73rd and 67th.
They did the heel stick to draw blood for all the tests and of course he screamed at the top of his lungs directly in my ear. If I'm not mistaken, my left ear is still ringing. Dr C commented on his cry. "That's what we call a lusty cry". In layman's terms that means it's loud enough and angry enough to peel plaster off your walls. Call us to schedule your appointment before your next decorating attempt.
They received the sonogram reports from my doctors office so they sent us on our way while they talked with a pediatrics urologist to figure out the kidney issue. If this is news to you, at one of my sonograms his left kidney measured weird and follow up was going to be likely. The secondary sonogram before he was born showed no change. We were told we may have to have testing done after JT was born.
So off we went to the office so I could have my picture/video done for work. We only planned on me running in and then back out so we could run some errands. However, after 3 people in a row asked, "are you babyless?" I recruited a co-worker to drag Kevin out of the car and into the building. Almost an hour later we headed back to the pharmacy to get some drops for JT's eyes. Of course there was the 20 minute wait and I had a screaming baby in the car. So out I went to breastfeed in the back seat of my car in the Walgreens pharmacy. It's not such a comfortable fit with th car seat back there. Add to the squishiness the fact that as I lifted JT out of the car seat his bandaid fell off and bleeding all over the place. Here I offer Exhibit A:
It took several minutes to arrange him in my lap, under my shirt and with a bloody foot not staining anything else. Granted, now that he was set, I needed to go in and get the script because dangit, we had our Chinese food waiting for us across the street! Prescription received, baby not screaming, safe trip across the street to the food and we were finally on our way home. The 40 minute drive home with fresh Chinese wafting in the car is not easy either.
Once we got home and started to eat, the doctors office called. Yes, it's highly recommended that the urologist see him - it could be nothing but they want to rule stuff out. (Internally I'm thinking $$$, but this is my little man we're talking about). I'm surprised I didn't cry when she told me that we need to take him to Children's Hospital on Monday for an additional test called VCUG - Voiding Cystourethrogram. Here's your medical lesson for the day:
A voiding cystourethrogram is performed by inserting a catheter into the urethra. Liquid contrast material is then instilled into the bladder through the catheter. X-rays are taken before, during and after filling of the bladder. When the bladder is full, the catheter is removed. While the patient voids, additional x-rays are taken.
The Purpose is to determine whether the bladder empties completely when you urinate, to diagnose reflux (in which urine backs up to the kidneys instead of flowing out through the urethra) and to detect abnormalities of the urethra (used for this purpose more often in children than in adults)
So Monday we'll find out if he's got pee reflux (hehe!) or if he's a.o.k as he is. I'll meet with the specialist after the xrays are done so we can all look at the films from the VCUG and then do the sonogram. I would like to think that with the amount he's peeing that's he okay but then this makes me wonder if all the carrying on he does when he's filling his diaper is part of this problem or if it's the general noisiness that accompanies babies as they figure out how to move their bowels. I guess I'll have my answer on Monday.
Other than that? I had the best nap of my life this afternoon. It was the typical Dad pose - asleep on the couch with baby on the chest. Now I know why that's so popular. I highly recommend that position to anyone. If you don't have an 8 pound baby, a small dog will do the trick.
It took several minutes to arrange him in my lap, under my shirt and with a bloody foot not staining anything else. Granted, now that he was set, I needed to go in and get the script because dangit, we had our Chinese food waiting for us across the street! Prescription received, baby not screaming, safe trip across the street to the food and we were finally on our way home. The 40 minute drive home with fresh Chinese wafting in the car is not easy either.
Once we got home and started to eat, the doctors office called. Yes, it's highly recommended that the urologist see him - it could be nothing but they want to rule stuff out. (Internally I'm thinking $$$, but this is my little man we're talking about). I'm surprised I didn't cry when she told me that we need to take him to Children's Hospital on Monday for an additional test called VCUG - Voiding Cystourethrogram. Here's your medical lesson for the day:
A voiding cystourethrogram is performed by inserting a catheter into the urethra. Liquid contrast material is then instilled into the bladder through the catheter. X-rays are taken before, during and after filling of the bladder. When the bladder is full, the catheter is removed. While the patient voids, additional x-rays are taken.
The Purpose is to determine whether the bladder empties completely when you urinate, to diagnose reflux (in which urine backs up to the kidneys instead of flowing out through the urethra) and to detect abnormalities of the urethra (used for this purpose more often in children than in adults)
So Monday we'll find out if he's got pee reflux (hehe!) or if he's a.o.k as he is. I'll meet with the specialist after the xrays are done so we can all look at the films from the VCUG and then do the sonogram. I would like to think that with the amount he's peeing that's he okay but then this makes me wonder if all the carrying on he does when he's filling his diaper is part of this problem or if it's the general noisiness that accompanies babies as they figure out how to move their bowels. I guess I'll have my answer on Monday.
Other than that? I had the best nap of my life this afternoon. It was the typical Dad pose - asleep on the couch with baby on the chest. Now I know why that's so popular. I highly recommend that position to anyone. If you don't have an 8 pound baby, a small dog will do the trick.
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