Aveline's One-Month Appointment

It seems our little Avie is one healthy little girl. She weighed in at 10 pounds, 3 ounces (75th percentile), was 22.5 inches in length (90th percentile), and her head circumference measured 15 inches (75th percentile). We were supposed to see the nurse practitioner, Susan, this morning, but she was running a little behind, so Dr. Owen took us instead (which I was secretly fairly happy about -- I also really like Susan, but there is something special about getting to see Dr. Owen).

I asked her about the gurgles and slight coughs we have been hearing from Aveline lately. I told her that I read in Dr. Sears's The Baby Book that infants start developing saliva around the end of the first month, and it can often pool in the back of their throat. Because they are not yet used to swallowing this new saliva, it often causes them to cough. Jarrett and I were first concerned that she was getting her first cold, but there was not really anything coming from her nose, so after I read this, I chalked the coughing up to the new saliva. Dr. Owen said that could certainly be the case, but in watching Aveline just the little time we had been there, she thought she was also refluxing a little bit. She said it seemed to be mild, though, and did not seem to bother her terribly, so it is nothing to worry about at this point. Dr. Owen said most babies grow out of the reflux fairly quickly, and since this seemed to be a mild case, she felt it would soon pass. Let's hope so. It definitely does not seem to be as bad as it was with Elsa.

I also asked her about Avie's slightly watery, slightly goopy eyes. Dr. Owen thought her eyes looked fine, and that any of the watering could be due to tear ducts that are not quite fully open yet. She says they should open up fully in the next month or two.

Dr. Owen listened to Avie's heart -- no murmurs whatsoever, which is great. She generally just checked her out all over and said she seemed like a healthy baby. She even joked about her advanced nature as Aveline tried to grab the stethoscope and pull it to her mouth.

We go back at the two-month mark, I guess for her first vaccinations. Often she will have babies come back at six weeks, but since this is my second child and I know somewhat more what I am doing, and because Aveline seems very healthy and is growing well, she said eight weeks would be fine. Of course, if either the reflux or the eyes seem any worse, we are to schedule another visit earlier. Hopefully that will not be necessary.