Misinformation

So, today I am feeling like a total idiot of a mother. I know I am not stupid because I have done a really good job with him, but for those things that I don't know I have relied on asking my pediatricians for direction.

At Brady's 9 month appoinment (late in August), his doctor told me that by the time he was 12 months and came back that he needed to be off the bottle and eating mostly table food. At 12 months he can have regular cow's milk instead. She said to drop his bottles one at a time over the next few months. So, I did just that a couple weeks ago, dropping his late afternoon bottle and decreasing the amount of formula he takes in by about 7 oz (big number).

I didn't realize it, but around that same time, Brady's napping got all out of whack. He went from talking himself to sleep to screaming. I haven't been able to figure out why until another mother pointed out to me that he is likely not getting enough formula (nutrition) and is hungry and pissed off. The stupid idiot that I am just thought the doc meant get rid of the formula AND the bottle, but apparently I must be a mindreader because she never said aloud that I needed to still feed him that forumla, just switch it to a cup.

My blog today isn't about how stupid I feel (although, I truly do), it is about how I have yet to find a decent doctor out here in California. EVERYONE is so rushed and overwhelmed that the Well Baby Checkup is over before it starts. I can't get a doctor to return my calls. I can't get a doctor to answer my questions. And I guess I can't rely on the information they give me unless I force them to stay in the room and explain it the way it's meant to be taken. Doesn't anyone care anymore? Dr. Stacy in Virginia was the only doctor who took any time to care about our child - and us. Why can't everyone be like her?

This country is so fouled up with it's healthcare that it's unreal.