2 month check up

In my last post about Will's 1 month doctor check up I discussed how taking your kid to the doctor makes you feel like a parent. It makes you feel like you are responsible and an adult. It seems like not that long ago that my mom was taking me to my doctor appointments, and now the tables have turned. So what does it feel like in that moment when they tell you something may be wrong with your baby?

Will's second month check up started out great. The nurse came in and measured him. We weighed him, a whopping 14 lbs. Then they measured his head, entered the numbers, and left the room. When the doctor came in we talked about the basics. I had no complaints or concerns, Will has been doing great. I asked about his head size since at his last visit we were concerned about him being in the 100th percentile. She showed me his growth on a chart and explained that he was still 100th percentile but he is following the curve and his growth is consistent. I felt a weight lift from my shoulders. After we discussed his growth she began doing her exam. Will was smiling and being really great for everything. I was proud of him for being so brave while this stranger moved him around to check ears, eyes, mouth, and reflexes. She then lifted him up, flipped him over, and studied his head shape. I was waiting for her to say something along the lines of "your baby wins the most awesome baby prize!", which might not be a thing but it should be. Instead she furrowed her brow and said, "you know what mom, I'm concerned about his head shape, it's triangular". I felt my heart sink. She scooped him up and told me she wanted to consult with the other doctors and just like that she was out of the room with him. I stood, alone and unsure, letting her few words sink in. I could feel the tears well up in my eyes. It hit me out of nowhere, I wasn't prepared for anything to be wrong with Will. And just as quickly as it came, it left. I took a deep breath and decided what kind of mother I wanted to be. I wanted to be logical and strong. I was getting upset about something that may or may not be a problem. Will was growing and developing normally and was a happy and curious baby. There was no need to break down over just a concern. The doctor came back into the room with Will, who was smiling with his big fat cheeks. I held him while she explained that the other doctors agree and they would like to image his head. Time to use my medical knowledge to ask the right questions. What exactly are we worried about? What imaging will be done? When will the tests be run? What do I need to watch for until our appointment? Turns out some babies with his head shape have brains that are growing too quickly. As the brain grows it pushes the skull out, and when the suture lines (the lines between the bony plates) begin to seal it can can cause increased pressure in the skull. The doctor went on to tell me that in her gut she feels that he just genetically has a large head, but she would much rather be safe than sorry. I agree, it is probably nothing, but lets check it out.

After our talk the nurse came in and gave Will his vaccines. He got 2 shots and one oral for the rotavirus. He did great for one shot, then cried his eyes out for the other. Once again he was easily consoled and was asleep by the time we were out to the car.

I struggled with whether I would write about this new turn of events. For some reason it seemed too personal. If I put it out there and something is wrong with Will do I keep blogging about it? Will it look like I want a pity party? Then I remembered the whole reason I began this blog. Not to get attention, but instead to help other parents or soon to be parents. Having a newborn can be a lonely time, which is odd considering it is such a common occurrence. Writing this blog has helped me connect with other moms and I am hopeful that it has been informative to many. So why would I not write about something that shook me to my core? Hearing that something could be wrong with my child was difficult, even when I am sure that Will is a healthy baby.

We go for an ultrasound next week. I really feel like everything will be great and we will laugh about this when he is older. I plan on using it to scare his pregnant wife. Telling her "His head was so big that they thought something was wrong with him!", or if he has a boyfriend then we can just give him a hard time about it. Yep, everything is going to be fine.