Baby's got fever and colds!

My baby Rian never got fever and colds during her first 10 months of life...until now!  Well, actually I am really expecting that sooner or later, she would be sick because she can't be sick-free all her life, could she?  But I wasn't expecting that she would have it now, in the middle of my busy working days (the time I couldn't take another absent for the meantime because I feel like I had taken quite a number of leaves before which were unpaid...because my employment isn't regularized yet, hehe).

She had taken a vaccine last weekend, which the doctor warned us that she would feel feverish for the next couple of days. My daughter became weak (as in matamlay) the day after her vaccination, and she started to eat less (as in  walang ganang kumain). I did not go to work last Monday to personally take care of her.  Good thing she became stronger again the next day.  I thought she was all okay...until my mother-in-law texted me last Friday, telling me that Rian was having a fever with a temperature of 38 C!  I went home as soon as possible after work.

Yup, Rian was all hot and in distress when I saw her.  She was also having colds and cough.  My husband and I couldn't sleep well for the next days because Rian kept waking us up with her cries.  She obviously didn't feel good.  That's why we decided to bring her to the doctor that weekend.

We waited from the opening of the clinic until our turn to see the doctor, which was beyond lunchtime already.  There were so many patients before us, and the doctor was even late for about 3 hours!  Anyway, the doctor (which is not her official doctor, by the way.  We just consulted an available Pediatrician that time in Healthway, Alabang) gave Rian medicines for her colds (but not anti-biotics).  He told us that Rian has flu (trangkaso), and he also advised us to just give her a sponge bath, and make sure she gets lots of water and juices (that's a bit problem for us because Rian wouldn't like to eat and drink anything except milk, which she couldn't even finish).

My mother-in-law brought Rian again to the clinic, to consult Rian with her official doctor, because she her health was still not improving.  The doctor gave Rian another medicine for her cough (her medicine box suddenly became full!).  I was a bit sad to know that Rian lost 1 kg weight (we're aiming for 10 kilos on her first birthday! Now she's back to 7 kg...).  Anyway, Rian's health quite improved because she was smiling and dancing when I saw her this afternoon when I came home from work.  As of now, she is sleeping peacefully beside her daddy (who is also asleep already, also tired and exhausted).  I am hoping that Rian would sleep better tonight, and praying that she would get well as soon as possible.

I love you my baby Rian.  Mommy and daddy will always take care of you. MWAAAHHH!!!!

Find A Reliable Pedia!

My hunny Jeff, our baby Rian and I went to Healthway in Festival Mall, Alabang yesterday afternoon to visit a Pediatrician because we planned to get a new doctor, since we're now staying here at Alabang.  It's a hassle for us if we would travel back to Batangas (which was almost an hour away from Alabang) for my baby's regular check ups and immunization shots.  Since we didn't know any doctors here, we scheduled a visit at Healthway Clinic (which has good service and more comprehensive check up results from doctors than a regular provincial hospital--- as I observed). 

I forgot the name of our new Pediatrician (sorry about that...I'm not good at remembering names...but she's a female doctor).  Anyway, when she asked why we wanted to consult a Pedia, I told her the reason.  She asked for my baby's medical history, and I gladly gave her our baby book (where our former doctor wrote her findings for every check up).  I also let her browse the immunization checklist which is written at the last pages of the baby book.  When she read it, she asked us if we weren't informed about the Rotavirus immunization because according to the immunization checklist, it was not yet given to my baby.  I told her that our former doctor didn't say anything about the Rotavirus shot.  Then our new doctor said that it was too late to give my baby the Rotavirus shot because she already surpassed the age when the shot should be given to a baby.  Silently, I felt angry because our former doctor should have said about that vaccine before.   My husband and I are first time parents and we really trust the doctor on check up results and immunizations.  But then, the trust and respect I had for our former Pedia is already lost because of that information...and I fear for her present and future clients because her service is not that reliable.

Anyway, it's the past and we have a new doctor now, who seemed like more reliable because she explains to us in detail the results of the check up.  She told us that our baby's present height and weight are within normal range and that we should aim for 75 inches height and 10 kg weight on our baby's first birthday.  She told us that 8 month olds can already sit alone (yes, our baby Rian can already sit alone for a long period) and that they have fear of strangers (well, Rian cried a lot when the doctor held her!).  The doctor also checked her ears and throat while Rian was crying aloud).  And she cried harder when she was given the Measles shot! Guess what made Rian calm?  The famous political campaign jingle / song today in our country--- "Hindi bawal mangarap ang mahirap, basta't maaabot ito sa malinis na paraan.  Hindi bawal mangarap ang mahirap, basta's may tiwala sa Maykapal, at may paninindigan.."  Haha! I guess, every kid in the Philippines knows that song.  Even my baby glues her eyes on TV and smiles a lot whenever she sees that commercial and hears that song.  If every kid can vote, well, that politician would surely win!  (and oh my, I actually memorized that song too, just to entertain my baby.  But I'm not that politician's supporter. Hehe).  The moment Rian heard my voice and sang that campaign jingle, she stopped crying.

After the shot, we scheduled another check up with our new doctor (which is on May 8).  She will again give another vaccination to Rian next month (which will be worth P4,600).  Oh, the Measles vaccine costed us P1500.  Our new doctor told us also to take extra care of baby especially in what she puts into her mouth to avoid severe diarrhea (since our baby didn't have the Rotavirus shot.  Rotavirus is severe diarrhea).  I really pray that my baby would be extra healthy so that she wouldn't have diarhhea.

Then we said goodbye to our new doctor, who, hopefully is a better one than the former.

After my baby Rian's check up with her, we went to another doctor...the Ob-Gyne...for my regular check up.  But that's another story.  I'll share it with you next time.

P.S.  Lesson to learn for new parents: Find a reliable Pediatrician.