on a happier parenting note

[kate_nepveu]

A friend is pregnant and asked for advice in screened comments. After some thought, I realized I did have things to say that hadn't, IIRC, come up on the SteelyKid posts to date. So, for the record:

Comments

[kate_nepveu]

It deeply distresses me . . . probably once a week.

[thistleingrey]

That icon is awesome.

[rivka]

Good list. I've noticed that last bit; I am not usually uncomfortable around other people's kids, but I do notice that when I hold someone else's baby I don't have the magic touch.

It is a happy day when your kid is old enough to hold a regular oral thermometer under her tongue. Thankfully, that day comes earlier with electronic plastic thermometers - I grew up with glass and mercury.

[kate_nepveu]

I am more comfortable around small children now, though, it's true.

I cannot *wait* until she will consent to that, and more generally until she can understand when I explain to her "no, really, even though this sucks it's important and will help in the long run, honest, please!"

[rivka]

The other health-related milestone I deeply, deeply appreciated was when Alex became old enough that, when she had a stomach bug, we could put a basin beside her and she would use it.

And that's all I'll say about that.

[kate_nepveu]

Blowing her nose for real, not just putting the tissue to her face and making the noise.

[rachelmanija]

That entire article is seared into my brain, but especially one horrific detail, which I won't even hint at in case you forgot it.

I think it probably saved some lives, because it was, clearly, SO memorable. I hope so. All else aside, I have a feeling the author traumatized himself writing it.

[mmcirvin]

Up to that point, I think he was mostly known for writing humorous and sports-related pieces.

[kate_nepveu]

He'd won a prior Pulitzer for another feature article about an award-winning violinist in a Metro station as an experiment, about which I have deeply mixed feeling, frankly: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/04/AR2007040401721.html

[mmcirvin]

Yeah, that article bothered me too. One of the general genre of "we pulled a prank on busy strangers to prove that normal people are stupid".

[missysedai]

If your pediatrician makes you feel stupid for coming in or expressing concerns, get another one.

Oh, man, this a thousand and nine times. Shout it from the highest mountain!

We spent a goodly bit of time searching for a pediatrician before Alex was born, and after half a dozen real douchecanoes, I was about done. I told my OB how frustrating it was to be treated like a total moron just because I was pregnant, and he sent me to his best friend, a tiny (seriously, like four-feet-nothing) little Syrian grandpa. Dr. Mansour gave us about 5 minutes of ribbing ("Really? You're letting Shirish take care of you? You poor thing!")...and then
years of terrific advice. He was so kind and reassuring, and no question was dumb, ever.

I CRIED when he retired. Now both boys are old enough to see my GP, Dr. Patel, who is made of awesome and cheese sauce, but...he's still no Dr. Mansour, who really did hold my hand through that first scary year of parenting without making me feel brainless.

[kate_nepveu]

We love our pediatrician and she is so good at being sympathetic and reassuring without making us feel stupid, but there's one other in her practice who we get sometimes on-call and ARRGH.

[charlie_ego]

Oh, man, we love our infant bathtub, which was given to us by a friend and we were all "what the heck are we going to DO with this??"

*scribbles down note on vibrating teethers for use in near future*

I am afraid to read that article.

[kate_nepveu]

SteelyKid has two vibrating teethers, one that's partly water-filled and goes in the fridge and one that's like a baby taser, seriously, it is so loud. But hey, whatever works.