Pediatrician

Today is D's 2 month birthday!

She had to go in to the pediatrician's office for her routine check up, which means she had to get four shots. Four shots!!!

Remember when you were a kid and you hated going to the doctor's office because you always needed a shot? Well, it's still like that.

I guess the good news is that the shots prevent polio etc. Fortunately, doctors have started giving the shot series' at an earlier age, so all three (or is it four?) shots for each series has been administered before the kid is 18 months. Years ago, shots were given until age three by which time the kid associated the doctor with the pain from the shot.

Even though D received two shots in each of her tiny little thighs, the nurse was very quick and the gauge of the needle was very small. The Bandaids practically covered her whole leg. I learned when I was pregnant that if you're scared of a needle, you don't ask the length, you ask how thick it is.

Poor baby D screamed her head off and of course the doctor and nurse reassured us that the shots are always more traumatic for the parents than the child. B was certainly wide-eyed, but I had blood drawn three or four times during my pregnancy, not to mention the IV in the hospital. Not that I enjoy the experience, but I guess I try to think about why I'm getting the shot rather than the shot. When I went into labor the nurse couldn't hit my vein three times and had to get another nurse to poke me.

Tonight we gave D some children's Tylenol, checked to see that she didn't have a temperature and put her to bed.

We go back in two months to do it all again.