How do you handle the pedi's office with 2 little ones?

My kids have always hated the stroller and are LOUD when in it (crying, complaingin, etc.) They HATE walks, hate being it, etc. So when we go to the pedi's office I try to bring a friend to help me since they just run around the office and the exam room in separate directions. If I keep them in the stoller they make everyone in the exam room MISERABLE.
This week however I've had to take my son twice at the very last minute since he is raging sick. And I had to bring her since there was no time to get anyone to watch her. So while were were there I left her in the stroller so I could tend to him. She was a BEAR. Crying, whining, complaining.
My questions are:
a. do you take them alone to the pedi?
b. if you do, do you leave them in the stroller or do you let them run around the office and waiting room?
c. if only one is sick, do you still bring them both?

I am just trying to get some insight I must be missing.
thanks! Kathleen

 

I have always taken all mine with me (by myself)all the time unless one is at school or dad is home. I use the stroller too, only DD 3 rides in it and then I let them play in the waiting room with the toys and look at the fish.... I dont feel like mine are wild but they are kids and do walk around the waiting room but so do the other kids I dont see it as a problem. as for the noise , they talk but I dont let them yell I know for younger ones it is harder but you do what ya gotta do.... they play in the doctors room too and then we get back in the stroller and out to the car we go... HTH ....

 

I take them by myself. I take all three of them normally - we don't have any family close by or a lot of friends that don't work that could watch them, and my DH travels tons for work. DD1 is out of the stroller. DD2 and DD3 are in the stroller - they don't like it but they deal with it. Once we get to the exam room, then DD2 and DD3 are out of the stroller.

 

a. do you take them alone to the pedi?
For their well visits no, but if one is sick then yes because DH is usually at work

b. if you do, do you leave them in the stroller or do you let them run around the office and waiting room?
Our pedi has toys in the waiting room that the girls like to play with. I don't bring the stroller anymore because the exam rooms are on the small side.


c. if only one is sick, do you still bring them both?
Yep


I would think that everyone who is in the office would understand when the kids run around and get into things - it is the pediatricians office after all! Our pedi has toys in the exam rooms as well and the offices are all baby proofed.

 

My questions are:
a. do you take them alone to the pedi? Yes.
b. if you do, do you leave them in the stroller or do you let them run around the office and waiting room? No stroller, they hate it too!
c. if only one is sick, do you still bring them both? I generally have at least 3 kids with me when I have to go, if not all 5.


My twins hold my hands in and out of the office, and my 4 year old holds one of their hands. The waiting rooms have a fish tank and ( :bad: )toys.

 

I generally take all 3 of them to the office. Yes, I dread it. I always take them in the stroller. ALWAYS. They may not love it - but I do not take them out until its their turn to see the Dr. Mostly because I do not want them to get sick or sicker by putting all the yucky germs in their mouth!! UGGH that's the last thing I need! So I hope that helps! Good luck! I bring snacks etc. books, toys- I'm sure you do too! I hope its just a phase! Keep to your guns! They know what they can get away with!!

LOL

 

To answer your questions --

1. Do you take them alone to the pedi? Yes, all the time

2. If you do, do you leave them in the stroller? Yes, I bring little toys, snack w/sippy cup (in the exam room the door is close so they run around
in there w/their toys I brought them).

3. If only one is sick, do you still bring them both? I'd have no choice!

I hope this helps!
D

 

My questions are:
a. do you take them alone to the pedi? Yes.
b. if you do, do you leave them in the stroller or do you let them run around the office and waiting room? I bring the stroller in the room (they get a bigger one for me) and then they take turns.
c. if only one is sick, do you still bring them both? Yes, possibly even the oldest although I'd like to avoid that.

 

I try not to go alone but I have taken them all quite a few times. My boys have always been good in the stroller but I can't bring that in the exam room so it doesn't help. Our Dr's office has toys & books in the waiting room so I usually try to sit close to them, and as far as anyone else that I can, and I let them run around and play. They usually stick to the toys and don't bother anyone.

Now when they get in the exam room, that's a differant story but by that point we all want out of there so I don't blame them for getting upset ^_^

 

I haven't taken my boys alone since they became mobile. Our pedi's waiting area is very small (even though 4 doctor's share it) so they have a "no stroller" policy. Last time I went I took both boys and my husband and we still had a hard time keeping them in check. I feel for you.

 

There is just no way I can go alone, I always have my nanny with me.... And to those moms who do go alone, You deserve a medal!!!

 

I always schedule their appts in the afternoon when my DH can help me out. My kids won't sit in a stroller. My DS can even get out of his stroller. If we are waiting for a long time in the waiting room with a lot of sick people, DH usually takes them for a walk in the hall or outside while I wait for our names to be called. Inside the exam room, I just have to make sure that they stay out of stuff in the room. The peds are pretty tolerant of that kind of stuff, though. I have always hated going to the ped visits, but it's just one of those things you gotta do. If only one is sick, I always take both kids as I have nobody to watch them if they need to go to the dr in the morning without DH.

 

We are lucky in that mine don't really mind being in the stroller. I tried not to take them to the pedi by myself, but if I had to, I could just keep one in the stroller at all times and it usually worked OK. I had to take them for their flu shots last year by myself (they were 24 months), and that was more challenging since they were old enough to be really mad about the shots and both wanted to climb on me and wail. But other than that, it hasn't been too bad (yet).

I do let them out of the stroller in the waiting room to play with the toys. I don't worry that much about the germs (at least not since they stopped mouthing everything) -- I just give them a good squirt of antibacterial lotion when we get into the exam room.

 

I'm very lucky as I have lots of family around. If I know the girls are getting shots I always have either my mom or my mother in law come with us.. that way one can hold the other while the screaming commences!

 

If only one is sick, he's the only one I bring to the dr - dh stays home with the other one. I'm lucky in that dh is a student, so he's got a fairly flexible schedule, and if we've got a sick kid, he's likely to stay home to help out.

I don't like to bring the stroller to the dr - it's so bulky. If we bring both twins, we make sure there are 2 adults, and we let them wander around the waiting room. We see a family dr. instead of a ped, so there isn't a play area set up for us, unfortunately.

Becky

Charlie (dd) - age 4
Elijah & William (id twins) - almost 18mo

 

As long as the wait isn't too long, I can feed them snacks in their stroller. Raisins, animal crackers, cheddar crackers, etc.

Bring a comfort item, too. I bring their blankets and even DS's binky, which is restricted to the crib only.

The pedi office is a germ breeding ground, so I try to keep them contained. DD licked the floor in the exam room last time we were there. I'm sure that the 30 second rule is about 1/2 second rule in that place! :laughing:

 

I've always taken them alone to the pedi. DH went with me twice and Mom went with me once. The stroller is non-negotiable. Its not safe to have them running around. I am the only one to have the kids so they all go with me to the doctors.

I do let them bring toys or books to keep them busy but they have to sit and behave.

 

I usually have all three kids with me. My dh is there half the time, since his days off we usually book the appts, but many times it has been me and the kids. Luckily I have forced the stroller issue, but they don't want to sit in in once we get to the office because they want to play. They usually run around all crazy and I am stressing out. I try to get them to hide under the table or something. I just figure they can drive the staff crazy and maybe they will get the hint to not make us wait so long in the room.

 

Yes I take 3 to the Ped and I dread it every time. I stopped using the stroller at about 18 months old for the dr office because they would act like you describe...not wanting to sit there. The waiting room is usually Ok with a movie on and a few toys and books, but the exam room is a night mare. They need to do some more babyproofing. I asked about it once and she said they never expected to be there that long...they have a new office under constuction. Some simple baby locks on the under the sink cabinet. My boys bounce around from climbing on things, to turning off the light standing n a chair to reaching for the sink and getting under the sink! And banging on the door. It keeps me so busy, I try to read books and offer snacks, but it is 3 against 1!

I do try to take someone during shot visits. I have to take my 5 year old to several dr appts lately...he is having tubes and tonsils out, etc. And I usually try to get a sitter on those days. ONe of the drs who treats my 5 year old still comments about the time I brought the crazy bouncing crew...he loves kids and actually enjoyed watching them be so active but I did not! It is definitely work!

Cindy