CLICK HERE FOR FREE BLOG LAYOUTS, LINK BUTTONS AND MORE! »

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Still Alive and playing catch up

I haven't posted on my blog for awhile and I haven't answered most personal emails but my goal this month is to clean out my email box and start posting again. I actually do have a lot of things to post about I just don't have the time or motivation to download my pictures to my computer.

Olivia got her first cold this weekend and even though she has a nasty cough and runny nose she has been a trooper. She is still a happy baby the only downside is she isn't eating very much. Her belly isn't near as big and her cheeks are starting to shrink a little. Hopefully when she gets over her cold she will start eating well.

Olivia will be 6 months next Monday and I took her in for her checkup and she is doing really well. She weighs 14 lbs 6 oz and is 25.5 inches. She is actually a little under weight for her height. We didn't see our regular doctor because he was out of town and I really liked the doctor we went to except for the vaccination issue. My regular doctor let me put Olivia on an alternative schedule for vaccines but this new doctor was a lot more pushy about getting her vaccinated even though she was sick. I guess the only reason they wouldn't vaccinate her is if she is running a fever. Then she chimed in that Olivia was old enough to get a flu shot and if I didn't get her shot in this time, next year she will need 2 doses which makes no sense to me. I declined all vaccinations except for the oral Rotovirus (just because she would be to old if I waited any longer and it is only an oral vaccine). I'll get her caught up on the DTap/Polio/Hep B shot when she feels better and wait until late April to get her Hib and PCV. People may think I am crazy for doing this but it makes me feel better to know she isn't getting Dtap/Polio/Hep B/PCV/Hib/Flu/Rotavirus all at the same time. But people who do vaccinate their kids on the recommended schedule, more power to you.

Then the doctor wrote me a prescription for tri-vitamins with fluoride to "help strengthen her teeth" because Logan city's water is not fluoridated. The little I do know about fluoride makes me hesitate about giving Olivia supplemental fluoride. Anyone have any thoughts on the flu shot for kids and fluoride? I would love to hear everyone's perspectives.

7 comments:

Brooke said...

I haven't researched either! I am so bad--I figure the doctors know what they are saying and I listen. So let me know what you find out. We just got Brielle on flouride because her teeth have a few problems from having a bottle for so long. But as for Teja I wouldn't even think to get her some til she has teeth. Sorry I am not of more help!

Alabama Apples said...

I've missed reading about you and your family. I hate it when babies are sick, blehhh! I'm sorry, I don't know about fluoride supplements, since my children do live in areas with supplemental fluoride in our water. I know my brothers had a LOT more cavities and teeth issues then me, Steph or Whit had and our dentist did say it was because we had fluoride when we were younger while my bros didn't in Utah. Sorry...don't know if that helps.

Amanda said...

I think flouridated water is good.

As far as a dr. giving you a prescription for Olivia, I admit I would not fill it. I loved my dr. in Logan and he gave me a prescription for vitamins for John (since I was nursing he supposedly wasn't getting enough iron and whatever else formula has in it). I didn't fill the prescription. I mean, isn't "breast best"?

I say go with your gut as far as giving Olivia flouride. You are the mom.

carli said...

I don't know, I would want my child to have both. I grew up in a town with floride in my water and then when we moved I would swish floride(my uncle who is a dentist recommends it) and i have not had a cavity. Also with the flu shot I have had the flu and it kicked my butt for four days and I wouldn't want my baby to go through that so I did get trevin and all my kids one. Also I can't believe how small she is. Trevin is four months and weighs 14 pounds and is 25 inches long. But all that being said you need to do what you think is best!! That is the most important thing.

Brenda said...

The fluoride -- I worked for a dentist for years and it is really good for kids to take it systemically to help the developing enamel of her adult teeth. I have NEVER heard of giving it to a baby. The dentists I worked for started giving fluoride tablets at two to three years old. There are lots of naturopathic articles that say fluoride is bad and it has all of these horrible side effects-- but I have only seen a few isolated incidence of "white spots" on teeth because of too much fluoride. This is usually from people that were raised in an area that have high amounts of fluoride in their drinking water. There is no other side effects other than the white spots. It is called fluorosis. Here is a link:
http://www.aapd.org/publications/brochures/fluorosis.asp
Hope this helps :)

Jenny said...

Sandy first of all Olivia has the cutest cheeks! As for the flouride thing, it really is one of the greatest public health successes in our days. It is a shame Logan does have it in their water because flouride has been proven to prevent cavities, which by the way, cause more missed school days than any other health problem for kids. But for a baby, I've never heard of them giving it to babies. I'd call and ask your dentist before filling the perscription. I know I wish my parents had given me flouride when I was little because I had so many problems with my teeth. If you really want to know the facts I suggest you look at the cdc.gov website, webmed or something like the American Dental Association.

Julie said...

When I was little my parents used sparkletts water with flouride to make our bottles. I had one cavity as a child, my brothers had none. As soon as we stopped drinking it we started getting cavities. So I think it's important.

Flu shot, honestly it's a litle late in the season. I'm waiting til fall to get Ryleigh's. I vaguely remember the doctor saying something about 2 doses, but don't remember the reason.