How do you do doctor visits alone?

Next week the twins have their 6 month check up and shots. I want to take them to the doctor by myself. I need some advice on how to deal with undressing both of them, getting them to the scales, and also on holding them during/after shots. I will have my 5 year old with me also. My mom said she would go with us, but I feel like I am so needy since I had these two and my dh family does not help us so I feel bad that I rely on my mom so much. I think I can do it alone, so please give me some encouraging stories and some advice!

 

Next week the twins have their 6 month check up and shots. I want to take them to the doctor by myself. I need some advice on how to deal with undressing both of them, getting them to the scales, and also on holding them during/after shots. I will have my 5 year old with me also. My mom said she would go with us, but I feel like I am so needy since I had these two and my dh family does not help us so I feel bad that I rely on my mom so much. I think I can do it alone, so please give me some encouraging stories and some advice!

 

You can do it! Really, the nurses help with the undressing and weighing. They see you are by yourself and just do it (at least everytime I go). They also help carry things. And the hardest is the loving after the shots, but with my experience it usually just takes a minute for them to calm down (longer for me), and then on the the next child. Especially if your 5 year old is helpful in entertaining. Psych yourself up, give tylenol to help (and my doctor told me it's OK to give a little benedryl too- helps with the negative reactions), and then reward yourself when you get home and they are sleeping.

 

I don't!!! For the well visits DH goes with me. If one is sick I usually have my mom come stay with the other one. For RSV shots my mom or MIL will go with me. I did go one time by myself, but neither had to get undressed so it wasn't as difficult as a well visit would have been, but it was still hard. Even just getting through the halls with the 2 carriers was hard. I have help around here so I use them and don't go by myself. I too feel needy, but hey it's hard going to the dr. by yourself with twins. I just keep telling myself one of these days I won't need someone to go with me. I would take your mom with you, especially since you will have your oldest there too. I know our well visits take almost 2 hours and it's not fun with shots. Don't feel bad about asking/needing help, take advantage of it, not everyone has it.

 

I have done it twice now - the 1st time when they were 8 days old!
it wasn't easy the nurse would not help - she just kept rushing me - so I just did the best I could!!! I had them in their carseats in the stroller - and undressed one at a time!!

 

I've taken them solo too. But now I only take them alone IF they don't have shots.

I refuse to do shots alone. It's just too traumatic. They want to be soothed and held and it's too hard to do it alone.

If you choose to go it alone, ask the nurses for alot of help.

 

I don't want to discourage you, but I have never done it by myself either. My girls are 7 months old. I just don't think I could do it by myself. The nurses make us feel rushed when DH is with me...I don't know what it would be like w/o him. And I don't know how I would do it w/ shots. My pedi does one right after another with the shots and my girls usually take a little while to calm down with us holding them.

Maybe it will be okay if your 5 year old is a good helper?? Otherwise maybe consider asking your mom for help. That is what family is there for. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

 

I have gone to the dr. alone, but not when they also got shots. I just gave myself some extra time and loaded them into the stroller. The nurse did not help me, but she also did not rush me. So I didn't feel overwhelmed. I wouldn't feel bad asking for help. Thats what moms are for. Good Luck.

Stacy

 

I don't take the twins. hahaha

ok, sorry, bad joke. Its just what I thought of reading your topic line!

 

I used to take the boys to the hospital every month for RSV shots and most of the well visits alone. It is doable...your 5 year old can help too..

Put them in the easiest outfits they have and don't let them rush you. It is very busy but you can do it!

 

I've almost always gone on my own (DH has gone to a few). I just bring lots of lovies (toys) , some pacis, snacks/bottle, and lot of patience!

If I think it will be a long wait, I call ahead and see if I can arrive later than scheduled and still see the Dr.Also don't schedule it during naptime.

I've only had one bad Dr visit and with them being preemies and one with reflux...we've been to A LOT of appointments (eye, GI, developmental, allergiest)! I feel very comfortable taking them anywhere by myslef, though that may change now that they are getting more and more mobile!!!

You can do it!


KC

 

I have gone twice when my twins had to get shots- with my three year old, by myself. It is not easy, but not too bad. I promised my oldest one of those great big lollipops about the size of a golf ball if she was quiet. When we got into the room, I gave it to her- not a PEEP the entire time. Yes, it was a bribe, but when the appt was finished, it went into the trash. Mine do not get lollipops very often, just in instances like this, and it works! I took my sleep positioners with me, and put them both up on the table in the positioners, and then undressed one. Now, they are too big for those, so I put them in the stroller, take one out, get her undressed, and while the nurse weighs that one, I get the next one undressed. After that they both stay on the table while I stand there with them. My three year stays strapped into the stroller (we have the valco twin runabout with the toddler seat), so everyone is safe.

Now that they are so wiggley, I might just do an appt on one, then strap her in, and then do the appt on the next one. NOt sure. Hopefully, though, my mom will come with me this next time.

 

I did one doctor visit alone but will never do it again. I always have my MIL go with me. It's just too hard getting both undressed and comforting both babies when you’re alone. If your mom does not mind going with you I would have her go.

 

I have always gone on my own, once with 4 year old DD with us.

That means it is possible. However, it is difficult and so for their upcoming 1 year appt., I am bringing DH.

If you are bringing your 5 year old, you probably know to bring her/him activities.
As for the logistics: When weighing I would undress, put babies back in stroller and wheel to scale. Nurse would weigh, I would go back with stroller to exam room. With shots, same thing. One at a time then console each as needed. It was hard and both babies have cried at the same time. I have ended up with a baby on each knee and people staring, even offering to hold one. At the end, I would vow that was the last time I would do that. As you can see, my babies are almost 1 and I think I did 99% of appts. solo.
Now that they are mobile-ish, I am not putting myself in that position unless I have to. That and DH has no problem coming with me so I don't dare bother.

I will say there are some appointments that we have sailed through, but that was early on when they slept a lot.

 

Hey there! You can do it by yourself. I used to work at a pediatricians office before I decided to stay home. Whenever a mom came in with twins or with a single baby I always tried to help her whether it be carry her bag or carseat or getting the baby undressed and to the scales. If your nurses are like we were then they will be more than happy to help you love on the kids after the shots also.

Courtney

 

YOu can do it! I do all the appts alone and I also have a 3 yo to tag along. I bring a book for my son so he will sit still and I undress M first and do her wieghts and lengths, then put her back in teh stroller with a blanket and do the same with B. When it comes to shots you do one at a time and you will have to listen to the first one who gets the shots scream but trust me they will make it through. If you do pacifiers then put it in the babies mouth right after the shots. If you have podees, have them ready to feed as soon as the shot is done, usually it calms them right down. if you dont have a podee or pacifier, then bring extra blankets to prop a bottle in the stroller. Good luck!

 

I never do it alone. For Synagis shots, which they only do during regular business hours, the nanny goes with me. For all well visits we get an evening appointment and DH goes with us.

And I take them individually for sick appointments ... never needed to take them both in at the same time for a sick visit. If I had to, the nanny would go with me. (I work FT from home with a nanny there during the day to watch them)

I say if your mom is willing to help definitely take her up on it. I can't imagine doing a doctors visit with both of them and a 5 year old solo.

 

I've done it a number of times alone, and I don't think it's all that bad. The nurses help carry them from the weight room to the exam room and help push the stroller. And with the shots there are usually two nurses in the room, so as soon as the shots are done I comfort the one who just got stuck and the nurses entertain the other. Then we switch.

You can do it!

 

I have done it twice so far. Yesterday, what I did was got there, undressed both. The nurse takes one measures etc and then the other. The doctor was in fairly quickly. I played with the other while he examined them. When he left, I dressed the babies leaving the botton snaps undone for shots. I held whomever was getting shots and held the others hand then switched. I then finished dressing them, coats and all for the car and nursed there.

 

quote:
Originally posted by HRE:
the nurses help with the undressing and weighing. They see you are by yourself and just do it (at least everytime I go). They also help carry things.


Ditto, my nurses are a big help too. I usually pick the twin who will have the toughest time with the shots to go last, so I can hold one at a time after their shots. I also bring my SBS in and strap them in when they are not being seen by the doc. My 4 year old helps too. You can definitely do it!

 

I have always done it alone, never had any problems. But then one of the nurses is a twin mom, so she loves to help. Alot of the time they will bring the scale into the room to weigh them, so that helps a ton.

Plan on needing help from a nurse, otherwise keep one in thier carrier for the whole time the other is getting the check up etc and then switch. Keep closes really loose so while they are getting the shots ready, you can be dressing them at least part way, just leaving their thigh exposed.

Good Luck, totally doable!

 

personally, i do not do dr visits alone. it's too much to keep the girls happy and me listen to the dr effectively. plus w/ shots, it's easier if i have someone there to help comfort the first one while the second one gets poked.

 

I am usually on my own for doctors appts (with a 3 yr old), and they've needed to go in almost twice as normal, so its been a lot of appts. It was easier when they were younger and I used the snap n go stroller, but now I use a double stroller. It's a little more of a pain b/c they can't lay down in it and drink their bottles. I always try and time it for a time when they would be eating. I'd get there early, feed them their bottles and then they would be happy for a while. Usually the nurses are a help, but sometimes they don't help. Always ask for help. I also promise my 3-yr old a sticker if he's good. Usually he's not. In fact, we just had an appt this morning. They had their bottles in the waiting room and then were good to go, played with toys on the table.

 

I have taken my girls to most of their doctors appointment my self. I actually found it easier than when I went with my mom or MIL since I got to concentrate on what I wanted.

I leave the girls in the stroller (or infant carriers in the snap n go when they were in that) till I need to undress them. I do it one at a time. The nurse should help you a little.

I have even had the nurse give my girls their shots while they are in the stroller, so I can comfort them at the same time.

Good luck

 

I don't either. I am like pp, if one is sick, I leave one home with someone and take the other. For well baby checks, DH goes with me. I say if your mom is offering to help, take her up on it!

 

Ive gone to every appointment so far since theyve have been born alone...and they are 5 months old...and sometimes have our 3 1/2 yr old too. I just undress them when its their turn and redress them after it. The staff are always patient about it taking a little longer. For shots i make sure they have their stuffed animal and soother and then one at a time get shots then get put back in their cat seat in the stroller...not a biggie...everything takes a bit longer but its not hard.

 

You CAN do it. It can be tricky, especially if they are sitting up on their own or are very active. I just did it for their 9 month and right after, I called my husband and said, "Dang, I wish you had been with me." My girls are very attatched to me and dh and anyone holding them other than us they freak (more so at the peds office). They were both crying and reaching out for me and it WAS really hard for me to dress and undress them with both of them crying and what not. I have taken them to the peds office many many times on my own for ear infections and various other concerns and it was fine. That being said (IMO), if you have help take it!! Especially for the major appointments where they have shots and will most likely be crying and really need the love and support. My girls got 3 shots plus the flu shot at their 6 month and were crying and I was really really grateful to have dh there to help me with them. You will have plenty of occassions for handling them on your own. If your mom can come by all means TAKE HER!!! I think you will be thankful you did. Again, JMO!

 

Put them in their car seats and stroller... then you undress and set them back in there for holding until they are getting weighed and measured etc.

I think it's a GOOD IDEA to take your Mom....I like having a 2nd set of ears to remember and ask some questions etc.!!

 

its not as hard as it sounds i promise i have always taken the boys bye myself.the nurses will help u out. i always do 1 baby at a time. undress,weight,shot,whatever needs done than re dress and put back in carrier and do the other baby. or u can do them at the same time and have a nurse help. believe me u wont need to ask for help they will just do it. i have taken the boys for the past almost 9 mths by myself. i also take my 3 yr old too. yes it is alot of work but its not difficult i promise. i would rather take them to the dr than anywhere elese bye myself... good luck, let us know how it goes.

 

You can totally do it! I have taken them to the doctors every time by myself apart from twice when my fiancee was off and could help. Take your time and dont let anyone rush you. Make sure they wear the easiest outfits to take off and put on. Keep one in their seat and change one and then swap around. If they start to fuss dont be afraid to ask for help. It is hard not to be able to give them the biggest cuddle once they have had their shots but i just make sure they are ok and when i get home give them the biggest hug. It is totally do able x

 

I've actually had to take the girl's to the doctors by myself because Joe told me it's not hard to take them by yourself. Yeah well for me lugging 50lbs by myself plus the diaper bag - isn't easy. But the girl's in the office helped me with the undressing and the weighing. So that wasn't that bad. I feel the same way about my Mom doing everything but she offers and I accept. Joe's parents do NOTHING and I truely mean that. This past time they went like almost 5 months without seeing them.

 

I honestly think the doctors visits are so stressful and I could never do it alone. I think I'd have a nervous breakdown. Especially when they are screaming after their shots.

 

i usually have to take all three to visits alone, but i've found that the staff is much quicker at getting us in and out and helping if i'm alone. we usually get in and out within 45 minutes without having to wait in the waiting room. if we bring help they assume we can "wait".

i also keep the boys in the stroller until it's time. then we do 1 at a time. our nurses are very helpful. they've even watched my kids while I went to the Dr.

 

That is the one thing I have never done alone. Mom and I always went together. After I left the girls they were in daycare and Mom would have two different appts. She would pick one up from daycare one day and do her appt and then the next day pick up the other one from daycare and do hers. So she only had one child with her at each appt. I was there for their first 14 months. Then I was visiting for their 2 year appt. So she only had to do 15 months and 18 months alone.. otherwise she had sick baby appts and brought both for that.. they weren't getting shots.