Henry's Stats

shots suck.

Henry had his one year appointment yesterday. For the first time ever he was actually walking around the doctor office, examining every toy/book, and trying to open all of the cabinets and drawers. Any other day I'd usually care about the bajillion germs he was probably picking up by doing all of these things but yesterday? Meh. He seemed real happy and it was just easier for me to let him do whatever he wanted. And besides, he was going to get SHOTS. Like, a ton of them. And that is NO FUN.

The doctor said Henry is healthy and right on track, everything a mama wants to hear about her baby. We're so fortunate.

Here's his stats:

Weight: 20.6 lbs (17th percentile)
Length: 2 ft 6 inches (or 30 inches. 77th percentile)
Head Circumference: IDK 52nd percentile or something (who cares?)

I felt like I had a lot more questions for his doctor than I usually do. I mean, so much happens when babies turn one... they eat and drink differently, their sleep pattern changes, and car seats get flipped the freak forward! I seriously couldn't wait for this appointment, I felt like these questions had been on my mind forever and while you can find any answer online or in a baby book, I'm way more confident when I hear it from an actual person (wait. yahoo answers isn't always right?)

I thought I'd share with you my questions and the answers that my pediatrician gave me. There's got to be a handful of you that are wondering the same things I was but you're still too far away from your baby's one year visit and you JUST CAN'T WAIT.

(Every baby and every pediatrician are different. If you have any questions regarding your baby's individual needs, call the nurse line and they can help you out.)

When can I turn Henry's car seat forward?: At one year of age OR 20 lbs, whichever comes first. Make sure your current car seat is suitable for your baby's weight because most infant seats won't support over 23 lbs.

Can my baby have honey, peanut butter, shrimp, etc?: If there are no food allergies in your family, then it's perfectly fine to start incorporating these foods into your baby's diet (FYI: Some pediatricians prefer you wait until two years to introduce peanut products).

How much cow's milk should Henry be drinking?: 16-24 oz. daily.

Whole milk or 2%?: Whole.

Is it okay that he still eats mostly pureed foods? We give him finger foods but he'd rather eat mush: It's totally fine for him to still be eating baby food. It's quick and convenient and he's still getting the nutrients suitable for his age. If he's still into it at 15 months, start weaning him off of it.

I still give him baby oatmeal in the morning and Gerber rice with dinner, is this okay?: Yes. Baby cereals are packed full of vitamins and a great way to fill their tummies. Again, start weaning him at 15 months.

How many times a day should he be eating?: Three full meals with small snacks in between. A full meal would be a source of grain (bagel, oatmeal, toast, etc), a fruit or veggie, diluted fruit juice or water, and occasionally a dairy source too (maybe as one of his snacks).