8 Week Appointment

Today was Tommy's 8 week doctor's appointment. He is weighing in at 11lbs 9oz and 23in long. His head circumference is 39.5cm. This puts him in the 50th percentile in all three areas, perfectly average! He was given 3 shots (Hep B, Pneumococcal, and Pentacel) and a drinkable (Roto Virus) immunization and I cried longer than he did. He cried so hard and kept looking at me like, "why are you letting this happen." I had heard how hard shots are on parents but had no idea until it was my baby.

I went into the appointment with a whole list of questions and things to discuss with the pediatrician and here's a quick run down. He has an umbilical hernia but that's nothing to be concerned about until he is 3 years old, it should fix itself by then. The number of times a day he gets the hiccups is normal (3 on average!). She is confused by the whole formula thing, she said that if he was exclusively formula fed, she would think that the reaction he had to the Gentlease was a milk protein allergy but the fact that he doesn't react adversely to the breastmilk means he probably doesn't. She said to keep him on the soy formula if it seems to be working. His fussiness is probably gas but there isn't much that can be done, he's just a gassy, fussy baby.

Then I brought up his sleeping issues. She told me I need to get him to sleep on his own. She told me that as long as he's fed, changed, and comfortable when held, to put him down and let him cry. She told me to let him cry as long as I am comfortable with, that in her medical opinion, there is nothing wrong with letting him cry. I'm not sure what to do. I don't believe in letting a baby cry it out this young but I really don't want him sleeping in our bed either.

Completely randomly though, he is currently taking his second nap of the day in his Pack N Play. I put him down in it this morning for his nap and he slept for an hour and a half in there and I just put him down in there again. I put him down on his side both times since he hates being on his back and both times he wiggled himself to his belly. So he's sleeping soundly in his Pack N Play, but on his belly. I'm fine with it for naps since I can sit right next to him and keep an eye on him but I don't know about letting him do it at night.

This whole being a mother thing is really hard.