Today was a very important day for me and Robert, because the outcome of our visit at the Well Baby Clinic determines the future of our breastfeeding relationship. I was positive that Robert has gained some weight; his face looks more rounded and when I lift him to my shoulder I can definitely feel that I am hefting a healthy baby, not a little kitten. Still, there is only one way to find out for sure.
Ron left us at the clinic and went to do some shopping while we waited our turn. Twenty minutes later I took off Robert’s outer clothes and nappy, then carried him to the scale. The moment he was up there he peed all over the scales and the examination table, I was trying hard to catch most of the stream in a towel so I did not look at the reading. I only heard Sister B. saying: “look at that weight!” then I did a double take and saw the number, it was 3.8 kg !
“Did you feed him mealiepap?”she asked jokingly (this is the Afrikaans name for corn porridge).
This took my mind off the embarrassment for a minute, my baby and I have succeeded ! In the past week he gained 400g – I do not know how this was possible. Sister B addressed Robert as Robert the fire-hose, and told him that he was ‘sorted’. When Ron came to get us I gave him the good news, and I must say that he was really proud of us. Best thing is that weekly assessments are no longer necessary, and we only need to come back in two weeks time to chart Robert’s weight and height.
The Loskop Diaries 