That award will SOOO not be going to me...
We went to Stratton's 9 month check up today with some concerns and issues we had about him, one being his flat head in the back. Turns out he has Plagiocephaly, also referred to a “flat head syndrome," occurs when a portion of an infant’s skull becomes flattened due to pressure from outside forces. What does all of this mean? The poor kid has to wear a correctional helmet now! We have to take him up to Primary Children's Hospital to get fitted for one that he will have to wear 24/7 for who knows how long, months probably, until his head rounds out properly. If we don't get this corrected he could suffer from distorted facial features and a permanent misshapen head (insert me tearing up right now).
Our second concern was that his physical development is extremely delayed. He barely sits up and that's it. No crawling, cruising, scooting, nothing yet. The reason for that is because he is so HUGE! He can't hold himself up, therefore he has spent most of his life on his back (or sometimes in my arms until my back and arms feel like they are going to fall off and I have to put him back down again). By the time he got steady enough to sit up in a walker or his Bumbo chair, it was too late. The Plagiocephaly had taken its tole.
So, why no tummy time you ask? His other problem he has been suffering from his entire life is Acid Reflux. Let's just say it was Hell the first 4 months of his life, then it got a tiny bit better. Every time I put him on his tummy he would up-chuck everything, and honestly, I got sick of cleaning up the messes. So, I majorly slacked on the tummy timing; which meant when I did occasionally do it, he detested it and would scream until I flipped him. I can't stand my babies screaming at me so I always gave in.
And finally, I was informed that my baby is "obese" and that I need to and should put him on a calorie controlled diet (aka: cut down his portion sizes). Grrreeeaaat! Ask me how good of a Mommy I feel about now?
Stratton's 9 month Stats:
Height: 31 inches (off the charts)
Weight: 26.5 lbs (way too much off the charts)
Ok, I'm going to go cry some more.
6 comments:
Oh Heather, I'm so sorry. I'm sure you've been on a roller coaster of emotions over this. But you've got to think eternally...the things that matter most like meeting your child's nutritional needs all hours of the night you did do and offering so much love and tenderness to your sweet baby boy you did do. There are so many infants around the world that are starved of food and love and you've been able to offer both in abundance! What a blessing you are to your beautiful children.
I love you and would nominate your unconditional love, selfless service, physical sacrifices, and heavenly smiles as deserving recipient of "Mother of the Year!"
Heather, I am so sorry the checkup with Stratton made you feel so badly. Us Moms have enough to feel guilty about without having to feel bad that we have mothered TOO well (fed too well and held and comforted him too much). The situation could have happened to anyone. Don't beat yourself up about it! You are an exceptional Mom.
I have seen several other babies with those little helmets before in my ward at home. Now I know what they are for, and I am grateful for the info. (I always wondered but was too polite to ask! ) I am sure he will be just fine, and he looks perfectly healthy to me. At least you are getting it figured out sooner rather than later.
I have had two other friends who's baby's had the same issue because of acid reflux... they wore helmuts and everything turned out fine. You are an AWESOME mom! This stuff totally happens. It's not your fault at all... I LOVE YOU!
Don't beat yourself up about any of that. You're a wonderful mom! I know plenty of babies that have worn helmets and it works out just fine. I would have done the same thing about tummy time if I had a baby like that.
Doctors definitely don't know everything...I'm married to an almost one and he can tell you that every doctor's oppinion of a situation is different. Also, medicine is less of a science than people think. It's such a guessing game...they go off of statistics but many of the statistics are not reliable since every person is so different!
You and Dave are both TALL people. Your children SHOULD be very large at this stage in life so they can have enough meat to stretch over their bones when they grow taller. (Believe me - all my siblings were 100th percentile and over in all categories and we all turned out just fine - and too skinny at many points in our growth.) One of my bros was a CHUNK and didn't roll over until he was 10 months and the next month he was walking... He was about the size of Stratton and kept gaining until he turned one and only gained a couple pounds from 1 to 2, but grew a ton!
What I'm trying to say is, you know what's best for your child and doctors don't know everything. Maybe Stratt is about to hit a major growth spurt and needs to store a little extra fat.
Sorry to be so long-winded. :)
A kid in our ward wore a helmet for several months. It's off now and he looks great :-)
When Stratton does start walking, crawling, etc. you may long for these quieter times...
And YOU are an AWESOME mom.
Love,
the Mother-in-Law
Would you feel better if I told you that my friends daughter had the same thing they they chose NOT to get the helmet because they didn't want to pay the $1000 deductible. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!??! Her ears are crooked! They just said she will always wear her hair long and left it at that.
Is it just me, or is that INSANE!!!
So I say you ARE the other mother year, because something you had no control over happened and you are choosing to fix it, despite the cost.
Plus, look how cute he looks in that helmet! DARLING.
I love you.
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