During one of Egg’s doctor visits to check his poor ears we had an appointment with a new person. I’m going to call her Geraldine. We’ve been going to this office for about a year, and really like the two PA’s we had previously met. They have been on board with delayed vaccinations, Coop’s home birth, my asthma issues, and kept an eye on my postpartum crazies. I’ve received good care and advice.
She's dumb.
Sadly, this last visit veered off into the realm of crazy pants. Egg was in the midst of a course of antibiotics and I was worried his infection was still raging. He had shown improvement and then was acting sick again. His off and on fever had returned. He had not slept through the night since the beginning of the year. I was so fucking tired. I mentioned casually I expected Coop to wake up in the night because he was still nursing around the clock, but my three year old needed to go back to sleeping through the night. Because I am a lady, I did not say, “For fuck’s sake if he doesn’t sleep through the night again I’m going to kill myself and or others including any medical professions failing to help me.”
Geraldine surprised me by fixating on the fact that Coop was not sleeping through the night at ten months old. He was not only not sleeping through the night, but he had the gall to NURSE during the night hours. I even nurse him whenever he wants, at his whim! She told me Coop should be sleeping through the night at ten months old and I should have already night weaned him.
Are you fucking serious?
While I would love it if everyone in my house slept through the night, I understand this period of time is fleeting. I will not have another baby to snuggle through the night. I’m not worried about him nursing at night. Not at all. Then Geraldine said the most amazing thing I have heard in a long time. Are you sitting down? I would, if I were you. She told me there is a magical way to determine when a baby is ready to night wean. Although she didn’t use the term “magical.” Geraldine stated, “Babies should be night weaned at 10 pounds. It is not about the age, it is about weight. At ten pounds a baby no longer needs to nurse at night.” Sit with this for a moment. TEN POUNDS. If your baby is born weighing ten pounds, then lucky you! You will never have to nurse your baby at night. Night weaning is unnecessary! Go the fuck to sleep already!
You're serious aren't you?
When I stated that night weaning would have a detrimental effect on milk supply she went from ridiculous to lucky I didn’t stab her with my sleep deprived eyes. She said that she had been doing this for sixteen years and maybe MY supply would have issues but in all of her experience night weaning was appropriate when the baby reached ten pounds. She touted this information as FACT.
This is where I have issues dealing with people. When someone is convinced of an utterly ridiculous point of view I have no idea how to counter it in the moment. Simply saying, “You are wrong” doesn’t change their point of view. I am saddened and horrified to think of the damage she has done to women and their nurslings in the sixteen years she has been practicing “medicine.”
That's gonna suck.
I need to talk to the head of the practice and determine if this person is a rogue crazy or speaking the views held by all them. I need to figure out how to educate without offending. Above all I need to stop this woman from spewing her nonsense to new mothers who will trust her as a medical professional. Ten pounds. Fuck you, lady. FUCK YOU.
I nursed my daughter until she was 2 years 9 months, and by that point, most of that was during the night, at her WHIM. (I finally weaned her because I was 6 months pregnant, and she was KILLING my nipples.) She is perfectly fine (RELATIVELY, I mean). Screw that.
I’m losing faith in the Medical field for the same reason I almost referred to it as an ‘Industry’. Where do they come up with this magical bullshit? I’m thinking I could come up with better explanations for much cheeper than this ‘professional’.
Time to fire your stupid Dr. and remember that 2 out of 3 isn’t bad, but they need to know about what this person is saying before they lose more business.
*Sigh* And this is why I hate doctors.
How ridiculous. I would probably have laughed in her face…because when I’m sleep deprived, I’m even less polite than usual. Babies eat when they’re hungry. You can sometimes feed them when they’re not hungry, but not often. That’s about all I’ve learned about babies.
Coop makes some awesome faces!
Wow. Know any lactation consultants? I’d sic them on her. Sounds like a doofus. Especially knowing how many 10 pound newborns I see.
WTF indeed?!? – I’m trying to remember when Z crossed the 10-lb mark (he was born 8 lbs 6 oz; many family jokes were made about my Jersey-cow milk since he was a beautiful big fat baby! – my cousin’s a dairyman)
I came across an old stash of milk-sample baggies in the back of my desk drawer (does that tell you how long it’s been since I cleaned out my desk??!!??) – they’re the perfect size for freezing 4 oz portions. I’d be happy to mail ‘em to anyone who wants or needs ‘em – probably a couple of dozen there.
First of all, LOVE the pictures of Coop! His hair looks like it’s getting so much lighter!
Second of all, I’ve read a LOT of baby books, and NOWHERE does it say anything like that about weight! I’d probably go with something along the lines of, “Hmm, interesting, I’ve never seen any research along those lines. I’d love to see the information you have”. If she can produce some actual scientific information, great, I’m either more enlightened now (doubtful!) or I have something to fight fire with (guess who’d be bringing her OWN research articles to the next appointment!) If she CAN’T produce so much as a pamphlet, I’d tell her I’d continue with the current nursing schedule as already approved by the doctor
(And now I’m glad I have it all planned out, because in the MOMENT, I’d probably be like, “Um . . . so, can we leave now?” but now if anything even remotely similar happens, I’ll be PREPARED!)
I HAVE read in a book somewhere (I think “What To Expect The First Year”, but I’d have to check) that at 9 months they’re supposed to be CAPABLE of not needing to eat during the night (I took that to mean their stomachs were big enough to hold enough nutrition to last them through the night without NEEDING to eat or they’ll DIE, or something like that). But even that book didn’t then go on to recommend night weaning necessarily (or mention weight at ALL). So, my guess is that her opinion stems from some variation of that information, though it seems pretty obviously misinformed if nobody else in the history of the world has ever given that advice
Was she a PA? I expect better of them, shame on her!
I’m with Swistle. Yes, let’s have Geraldine come over to explain it to the babies. Give me her number. I’ll call her at 2 a.m. her time around the beginning of June when my second daughter is born. My first daughter was ten pounds at like, one month old. No one, not even the most hardcore CIO trainers like Ferber or Weissbluth, suggests doing ANYTHING but feeding on demand at that point. NO ONE.
TEN POUNDS. Also, some of our best friends had a baby last night and wee Ingrid was 10 lbs, 5 oz. I’m going to send them a baby gift with a note informing them that feeding her at night is not at all necessary. I’m sure they’ll be JAZZED to hear this.
My advice to baby Ingrid’s parents: Just let her scream! Don’t be alarmed when the doctor mentions the ominous Failure To Thrive! Just have your doctor call Geraldine and she’ll set everyone straight! *sigh*
Ha! Silly. People can say all day long when a baby “shouldn’t” nurse at night, but that’s not going to make any difference to the baby at 2:00 a.m. We should invite Geraldine over to explain it to the baby, and see if that works.
I agree. Come on over Geraldine! Explain to Coop that going to sleep for the night and waking ONE HOUR LATER to eat is not acceptable. (This is his current dumbassery. He likes to keep me guessing.)
Haha!!!! Tim was about 9 pounds at birth so within a few weeks of age he was supposed to sleep thru the night according to crazy ass lady? Besides daughter sleeping for about 6 hours straight around 4 month for a week or two all my kiddies were about two years old before they slept thru the night. Not waking up to nurse even, sometimes for a sip of water or go potty
And Coop was 8lb7oz and was ten pounds three seconds later. (That’s what it felt like to me!)
I just cleared the sleep & really saw the photos here. Coop is too adorable!
Thanks! He was having a few moments of crazy baby face. I’m glad I had the camera out!
Hahahaha! I read this as my twenty-pounder slurps away!
What a harpy. I sincerely hope this is just her view & she is coached to stfu.
Me too. I’ll have to leave the practice if she is just spewing the party line.