officially chumbly

"Chumbly:" a term of endearment used to describe a baby who is chubby; used by Charlie and Eddie Washuk for their younger brother Joey. And now, yes, we use this word to describe Eddie IV. We have used it since his birth but the trip to the doctor on Monday confirmed that he is a big boy: 13 lbs. 1 oz., 23.5 inches long, which put him in the 90th percentile for weight and 75th for height. We were sort of surprised by him being only in the 75th percentile for height since he seems fairly long. Even breastfeeding is getting more challenging because his body stretches longer than the width of the chairs' seats so I have to angle him appropriately. Although we have been quite proud of Eddie's growth and size (and it is right on par with Daddy Eddie's - thanks Bonnie for keeping such good records!), the doctor seemed to indicate a slight concern in the comment she made to me following our review of his charts. She said, "have you used the bottle much?" and I responded that we had a couple times, and he takes it, but no, not much. And so she suggested that we use it more often. I was in a sort of frenzy, trying to soothe Eddie, keep him warm in his nakedness and trying to remember all the questions I had, which I did have written down but the notebook was in my purse across the room. Anyway, I was in a stupor and forgot to ask the simple question of "why?" So as I was driving home I was recapping the visit in my head and was perplexed at why she would have pushed the bottle on us...was it because she knows how tough it is for a woman to leave the house and get some free time when she is breastfeeding? doubtful. I think it was her way of indicating that we should somehow be regulating Eddie's consumption. But it pissed me off that she didn't just say that...that she didn't explain why she was telling me to use the bottle more. It is the only thing I can think of since it followed our discussion that he is in the 90th percentile for weight. I am very aware, because of my prior job with Organic School Project, of the growing obesity epidemic. The medical profession is monitoring and educating against obesity as early as the toddler years because they are seeing such a rapid increase of BMIs (body mass indexes) and its association with diseases like diabetes, heart attacks and even asthma. And I know that our doctor is heavily involved in Chicago in obesity research and prevention - that is one of the reasons I chose her. Regardless of her intentions of the bottle comment, what upsets me more (other than my own stupidity for not asking why) is that she did not explain to me in an educated way why she was recommending what she was...that she thinks it's okay to just prescribe or recommend something at face value and not explain why, is a major turn off to me, and enough to get me thinking about switching pediatricians.

The doctor's visit also marked Eddie's first set of vaccinations. I have opted, like many of my educated peers, to not follow the recommended CDC schedule which groups many of the vaccines together, and instead am following Dr. Sears alternate approach which means less shots at once but ultimately more visits to the doctor. You still get all the recommended immunizations, just not lumped together. So instead of going every two months to the doctor for shots, we have to go every month. But after talking to people and reading the materials I decided to do this for two reasons: 1) to accurately measure any adverse reactions that he may have; if you get the versions of the vaccines that are combined, and/or get multiple vaccinations at once, and your baby has a reaction, you have no idea which vaccine he reacted to; and 2) aluminium content. Aluminium is present in all vaccines as a preservative but has not been effectively studied to measure the levels of toxicity in infants; what has been studied, and what many parents are familiar with is mercury, and all of the vaccines we are getting are mercury-free. Also there was a now famous UK study on the association of the MMR vaccine and autism, related to the mercury levels. Aluminium present in the vaccines at the levels that it is has the potential to be just as toxic and harmful to the brain, and yet it has not been researched because if it was determined that there were any harmful effects, the pharmaceutical companies would have to re-manufacture their drugs yet again and that would cost millions of dollars...hence, it hasn't been researched...if you get my drift. Again the only draw back is it means more visits to the doctor, more co-pays and more pricks of the skin for little Eddie. But he handled the first one fine - he got the DTaP and an oral dose of the Rotavirus - and he did not have any reactions whatsoever.

I am a supporter of immunizations, I want to communicate that forthright. I recognize that they have led to the abomination of deadly illnesses like polio and smallpox. And I want to use this platform to also indicate my support of one of the newest vaccines they are providing to youth, the meningococcal vaccine (given around the age of 12). One of my closest friends in college, Jenica, died of meningococcal meningitis...she literally went from being a healthy college student drinking beers with her friends to critically ill in the O.R. in less than 24 hours by this bacteria that inflicts largely congregated areas (university campuses and military communes). In some carriers it appears like a minor cold, and in others, like Jenica, it takes over the entire bloodstream and limbic system thereby affecting a thin layer of fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. It can be treated with heavy doses of antibiotics, but in Jenica's case they could not diagnose quick enough to save her. Jenica was a vivacious, social person who took very good care of herself and in many ways epitomized health and beauty. That a bacteria like this could take the life of someone like her, made me realize that these diseases are real and it can happen to anyone. So, I would encourage any parents with young kids to get this vaccine - I know Jenica's Mom would too.