A Pediatrician Note

[Guest guest]

I just wanted to mention my new pediatrician... we

sort of found him randomly, since he's the nephew of

our current ped. who just went into practice with her.

 

I'd been bullied into asking about iron supplements

for my daughter, since she's exclusively breastfed. (I

know, I know. It was a moment of weakness.) He

explained that while breastmilk was low in iron, it

was very easily absorbed, and that iron supplements

could cause digestive side effects that would result

in a whole cascade of intervention that we didn't

want. If I was really concerned, he said, they'd do a

test at the next visit and see *if* she needed

supplements. Then we talked about her height/weight -

she's in the 98th percentile for height and off the

charts for weight (and has been since birth). He

looked at my husband and me and said that since we

were big people, and she was breastfed, that as long

as she kept following her own curve, she'd be fine,

and once she started crawling we'd see her thin out a

bit. He pointed out how healthy she was, and said to

keep doing what we're doing.

 

Imagine - a reasonable and rational sounding doctor!

I've never had that experience before, and

unfortunately, it sounds like a lot of people on this

list haven't either. Just wanted to say that they do

exist. (I'd give you his name, but I don't have it on

me. Like I said, he's in practice with his aunt, Dr.

Nora Jose, in Alexandria, so you could probably look

her up and find out. I will warn you though, their

office staff is very disorganized.)

 

p.s. Don't let anyone tell you that children of

vegetarian mothers are doomed to scrawniness. Our 5

mo. old lactarian daughter is huge and thriving.