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failure to  thrive???

I finally gave in & took Abbie to get her blood work done.  Due to the amount of labs the NP ordered she had to be taken in twice to be tied down & tortured.  It was not fun.  After the first traumatic experience it was Dad's turn to perform the anaconda squeeze on Abbie.  A few days after, the not so pleasant experience the NP called to give me the "results".  "Everything was normal", said the NP.  Really.  Really.  That is totally unexpected.  NOT.  I could have told her everything was normal.  She is fine.  She has small parents.  She is developing completely normal.  She has no delays.  She sleeps through the night.  She has normal bowel movements.  She is a very happy little girl.   

Then the NP says: "could you please bring her back in to the office?  We would like to weigh & measure her again."  Ok.  Whatever.  So today I brought her into the office.  She weighs 17 pounds.  I was very pleased.  She has gained an entire pound in two months.  So then I ask: "Does she still need to have the sweat chloride test done?"  The NP tells me that it "couldn't hurt" to have it done.  She has no symptoms of cystic fibrosis.  When I asked the NP what other symptoms she has that are leading her to believe she may have cystic fibrosis she tell me: "if she had cystic fibrosis we would probably already know it by now."  Then why on earth are we wasting everyones time & putting Abbie through testing she does not need!

I know that there are parents out in the world who do not take proper care of their children.  I understand that the NP is doing what she thinks is best for my child, but I am her Mother, & believe me, I am doing everything I can to get her to gain weight.  This is super frustrating.  Every time I take her to the doctor I feel like such a failure.  Failure to parent.  That is what they stamp on my forehead every time I leave the doctors office.  I have started to second guess myself and think: "is their something I could be doing differently?  What am I doing wrong?"

Then I look at my sweet little baby girl & I remind myself that she is going to be just fine.

Does this look like a child with failure to thrive?

I don't thinks so.