Search Results for: blog choosing a pediatrician

Can Your Pediatrician Fire You?

Can you imagine your pediatrician firing you? Can you imagine how you would feel if the pediatrician informed you that you can no longer bring your child to their practice? It’s actually happening in some areas where parents are refusing immunizations for their infants for whatever reason. Some parents are not comfortable with immunizing an infant due to religious or medical practices. Still others would prefer to wait if their child has a cold. Many pediatricians will go ahead and give an infant their shots as long as the baby is not running a fever. If you’re like me, the … Continue reading →

Choosing a Pediatrician or Specialist for Your Child

I’ll never forget the doctor’s visit where I sat across from my son’s pediatrician, describing his congenital cataract. I was very concerned about what it might mean. I had done a lot of research, and knew the possibilities. As I ran one scenario past the doctor, she gave me a blank look. She had absolutely no idea what I was talking about. “Have you heard of that condition?” I asked. Somewhat reluctantly, she admitted she never had. As I mentioned more concerns, she nervously turned her back and got out a notepad. “What were those terms again?” she asked. It … Continue reading →

Fatherhood and Doctor’s Visits

We’ve spent a lot of time in doctors’ offices lately. A chiropractor who does many things other than spine adjustments to treat his patients has discovered and helped many of our family health problems. My wife Tristi was in a wreck that totaled both the semi truck and the Hyundai her friend drove. So we’re experienced with both getting well, and getting vehicles off crowded, icy roads. Visits to doctors’ offices are usually done by the children’s mother. As our family roles change, or as semis are taken out by Hyundais, fathers also get to bring their children to visit … Continue reading →

What grade are you in?

From the clerk at the store to the nurse in the pediatrician’s office, my kids always hear the same question, “What grade are you in?” It never fails to get a quizzical look for my kids. They look at me then at each other then at the person asking with no answer to give. Recently my oldest has decided to respond with “I’m homeschooled.” Then the only one with a quizzical look is the one who asked the question. In my homeschool we do not use a grade level system as much more than a guideline or a way to … Continue reading →

Can Herbs and Supplements Increase Your Milk Supply?

As soon as the word is out that you are breastfeeding or planning on breastfeeding, the advice will start to come out of the woodwork. Hey you should be used to it from fielding all of that baby advice when you were pregnant, right? I remember that when I was nursing my first child, or was it my second (these things can blend over the years), my husband came home with a curious little can. It was a remedy for increasing your milk supply. A co-worker had generously given it to him for me, when she found out that we … Continue reading →

Valorie’s Breastfeeding Index

Later today I will post a review of the baby blog of 2007 so why does breastfeeding get its own category? Well, in part as an answer to readers who want to read what I’ve written on breastfeeding. I’ve written so much on breastfeeding at this point that you all have asked for an index of sorts so it’s easier to find what you’re looking for. It’s also in part because I’ve become known as the breastfeeding lady. . .guru. . .whatever you want to call it. I’ve been at this breastfeeding business for a long time and many of … Continue reading →

Old Growth Charts Blamed for Fat Babies

I’m sad to say it, but some pediatricians are just not up to date on breastfeeding. I would understand, to some extent, misinformation from say, my general practitioner. I would understand misinformation from my dermatologist. After all, their specialty is not connected to babies per se. I don’t understand misinformation from pediatricians’ offices. (I do have to insert here that my childrens’ pediatrician is wonderful and I picked her because she is really very breastfeeding ’friendly’.) Every once in awhile someone will pop up in the forums or send me a PM saying that their doctor doesn’t think the baby … Continue reading →

“My Child Keeps Staring into Space.” Is it ADHD? Or a Seizure Disorder?

Before we found the right medication and dose for my stepdaughter Sunni, who has ADHD, she would often stare into space. One of her teachers explained that Sunni would sit in her chair with her head tilted and her eyes focusing on some imaginary object far away. “I can always tell when I’ve lost her focus,” the teacher said. At home, Sunni occasionally would get glassy-eyed and drift into her own thoughts. I began to get a little bit concerned about it, so I mentioned it to her doctor. He wanted to be sure that the staring wasn’t a symptom … Continue reading →

Could You Repeat That Again, in English?

The doctor phoned with my son’s kidney biopsy results, and I was more than prepared. I’d been pacing around, jumping at every ring of the phone. I wanted to know whether my sixteen-year-old son had lupus or not, and how his kidneys were functioning. I had already been a bit snippy with the receptionist at the Department of Pediatric Nephrology the day before, who had told me that some “Nurse Diane” would be calling. I insisted that the doctor phone instead. She did, although she didn’t initially seem to happy about having to do it. The pediatric nephrologist (kidney specialist) … Continue reading →

Let’s Talk About Your Homebirth Supply List

So you’ve decided to have a homebirth, or maybe you are just curious as to what is needed to give birth at home. There are numerous things that you will be advised to get for a homebirth, but you may not use all of them. Your midwife will probably give you a list of things she requires you to have aside from what she will bring in her birth bag, and this can differ between midwives. Many of these things are right at home, all you have to do is get them all together in a box or basket and … Continue reading →