4-Month-Check-up and Super Woman.

The babes had their 4-month check-up today and passed with flying colors!  I couldn't be more happy.  The babes are growing so well that they are plotting on the regular growth charts and are catching up with amazing speed.  I was happy to see that they were growing so well, but I didn't realize just how well they were doing.  Their pediatrician was so excited that she actually plotted their last weight on the same chart so she could see it for herself and then showed us.  She went on and on about how great it was.  It was so nice to see a doctor so excited for your children. 

She went through the normal questions and started with how much/often they were eating and how if they were able to get just breast milk.  I told her I make enough for them both and also have about 2000oz in the freezer.  It was then that she called me, or rather my boobs, Super Woman.  At least that is what I remember.  Peter says she used some other words with that that were even better.  I think I was imagining my boobs being red, white and blue with their own capes at that point, so that may be why I don't remember the rest of her words of praise for my boobies.  I'm serious.  That is what I was picturing in my head.   I asked about formula for the future, if that is what we decide.  I try to to make short-term goals with pumping to get me by and my next goal is to make it to the 6-month mark and then re-assess.  She said she understood how hard it was to pump/breastfeed twins and even if I quit today that I would have already given them an amazing start at life.  She, of course, encouraged me to keep on going because of the benefits to the babes and because how expensive formula is.  She said breast milk is amazing and it is amazing that they don't even know everything that it is in it or how to replicate it.  I liked that she was encouraging without being pushy and let me know that if I do decide to stop that they will still be healthy little babies.

We did discuss their flat and misshapen heads and she didn't seem to be quite as worried as I have been.  She started with Avery and said hers was becoming flat, but she didn't necessarily think she needed a helmet or aggressive treatment.  She said just to get her on her tummy as often as we can.  I explained what we had been doing to get them off their backs and she agreed that it was good but that nothing was as good as getting them on their bellies on a firm surface.  The other good news was that she didn't notice any torticollis in Avery and said she had good range-of-motion in her neck.

We then took a look at Phoebe and the Doctor agreed that Phoebe's was worse, but again, not as horrible as I thought.  She did think Phoebe would benefit from a helmet.  She also said she was surprised that Phoebe had such great neck movement as well.  She said torticollis and plagiocephaly usually go hand-in-hand and she would say that they may have very mild torticollis, but didn't think it required any treatment at all. 

She gave us a referral to a cranial-facial specialist at Gillette Children's Hospital and said she wanted both babes to be seen.  She said that she wasn't 100%  sure that Avery needed to be seen but since we were already going to make the trip for Phoebe we may as well have Avery examined as well. 

I have been so worried and so upset over their little heads for quite some time now and it was such a relief to see the Doctor and hear what she had to say.  I had been thinking I was a "bad Mom" and worried I wasn't doing enough to prevent their little heads from flattening.  I am actually hesitant to take them out of their carseats when we are out at the store because I don't want people to see their little misshapen heads.  The Doctor said she knew how hard it was to make sure your babies get on their tummies and with twins (or any set of multiples) it becomes almost impossible to do it enough.  She said she knew we were doing the best we could and she knew that them having reflux makes it even harder to get them on their tummies.  I am so glad we have been fortunate enough to have had such great Doctors.  Doctor's that listen and encourage.

We also had a great laugh over the babes because Phoebe has found her hand.  She stares at her hand almost constantly now and when we laid her on the exam table, up went the hand.  The doctor was amused by it, but then we laid Avery down next to Phoebe and Avery started staring at Phoebe's hand and started laughing.  And she just kept on laughing!  All 3 of us just stood there watching this fiasco and laughing to ourselves.  Phoebe started to get tired and her hand would start to go down and when this happened Avery would get upset.  Phoebe would put her hand back up and Avery would laugh.  Peter got some video of it on his phone, but I am not blog-savvy enough to put it on here.  If I figure it out I will.  The Doctor was actually so tickled by this whole hand-staring-laughing-ordeal that we heard her in the hallway telling some other nurses or doctor's about it and what a hoot it was. 

Ah, I feel so refreshed after today's appointment and so happy.  I love my girls, all of my girls, so much and feel so blessed to have all of them be so happy and healthy.