4 month shots, by months or weeks?

Question

Okay so I am totally confused and ticked so please tell me if I am ignorant and being a first time mom or if I am being logical in my irritation. Please no bashing, just serious feedback/advice. My little man was born on May 15th. Today(9/30) he is 15 weeks and 2days. He turns 16weeks/4months on Sept 4th. We will be traveling to NY that day and won’t return home until Sept 8th. I booked an appointment online for his 4 month vaccines for the afternoon of Sept 12th. He would be 17weeks and 1 day(4months and 8days) got a call from pediatrician’s office saying that he would not be eligible for his 4 month shots until he was 4 months old on sept 16th (15th is a Sunday and they are closed) we can only take thurs/fri appointments so it would have to be the 19th or 20th, making him beyond 18weeks. I explained that even though he was born on May 15th, a week is 7 days, 4 weeks in a month=28days. May has 31 days, June 30, July 31, August 31. So that he will be beyond 4 months at the time they are pushing. They do shots according to “months” and that is their policy, so that he will be eligible for his 1 year shots on May 15, 2020. If I go by weeks from birth instead of months as they want he would still have his shots on his birthday, since he would be 365 days on May 14th 2020. I feel like this is for the simplicity of their scheduling department and it rubbed me very wrong when two different front desk employees tried to tell me my son was  only going to be 3.5 months... like I don’t know his age🙄 is this the normal practice for Pediatric offices? And before  it is suggested I WILL NOT change peds, I absolutely LOVE her and all of the nurses! She actually was referred to me by a friend and she saved the infants life after she was misdiagnosed by two other peds and changing is not going to happen we love her that much but the front desk is “difficult” I will bit that bullet for this amazing Peditrcian. I am currently waiting for a supervisor to call me back to discuss scheduling this appointment. So am I crazy for wanting his shots at 17weeks or is 18weeks since they believe that is when he’ll be “4 months”  the norm? Btw in the last month we spent 2 weeks in Puerto Rico for our 100+ wedding and saw tons of family, we will be in NY for a week and attending a family members 300+ wedding, with family coming from Germany.  Our LO has and will be exposed to many,many relatives  since this is a once in a lifetime thing and  he is the FIRST granbaby in the family. No judging please I am not overprotective and risking my child’s health I do stop “pass the baby” but everyone loves to hold his tiny hands. This is part of the reasoning as to if I want to wait two extra weeks for his shots, he is with pediatricians blessing a well traveled baby.Please advise on your experiences I am so confused and not sure if I should battle this for my child or if it’s the usual routine?!?

Answer

It’s pretty usual though it’s annoying that they’re so strict about it - should be more of a range. 
If you break down a year and assume that 1 month is 4 weeks, you’d hit a year at 48 weeks (12 months x 4 weeks). So you’re still missing another 4 weeks there. Your baby is the equivalent of 13 months on their 1st birthday by this math. Not all months are 4 weeks so for simplicity they count by month from the date of birth (so the 15th of every month in your case). 
Doesn’t make it any less annoying for you though. They should become eligible from the WEEK and until after the MONTH date for flexibility- I feel like it’s more important to have the right amount of time between the shots than to be accurate from DOB.

Answer

When you had your 2 month visit could be a factor that maybe the front desk person isn’t understanding or properly communicating? Our two month apt was late based on my son’s bday which I mentioned when scheduling the 4 month apt. I was told the next apt has to fall 2 months after the shots just given based on the vaccination schedule.

Answer

1 month = 4.3 weeks

Answer

Like everyone else said, that’s normal. Also, no, 4 weeks does not equal a month unless you are talking about February. Every single other months has 4 weeks + a couple days so 4 weeks is not a month.

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That’s normal. Everyone at my daughter’s doctor’s office doesn’t count months by weeks. They go by months. So my daughter was born May 26 and she got her 2 month shots July 26 at exactly 2 months and then she will get 4 month shots on September 26 at exactly 4 months old.

Answer

I understand you’re frustrated but they are just following the advised calendar months for scheduling the vaccines. It’s completely normal practice. It would be nice if they could be a little more accommodating as I’m sure a week here or there doesn’t affect the safety or efficacy of the vaccines. Maybe the supervisor will have the authority to allow it. Try not to take out your frustration on the front desk staff though I’m sure they are just doing their job as they have been instructed. Enjoy your trip x

Answer

It’s fairly common to go by months. Mine was born 5/20 so his 4 month check-up is 9/24. I think he’ll be 16 weeks on 9/9.
They also might wait a period of time between check-ups for insurance purposes. For example I know most insurances will not reimburse a well visit for an adult unless the visits are at least a full year apart (not 52 weeks). Like if I had my well check today 8/30 this year I need to wait until at least 8/30 next year, can’t come in on 8/28 and say it’s close enough unless I want to pay out of pocket.
I don’t know if the same applies to baby well visits like it’s gotta be 2 months between last visit and this one, but I’m totally fine with waiting if it means I don’t have to pay lol.
With my first his visits got all out of whack, like his 6 month visit happened when he was over 7 months, just because of scheduling in the office but he was totally fine, got all his shots in the right order.

Answer

I’m pretty sure that’s completely normal I don’t count months by weeks. I count 4 months is 4 months from the day they were born. So my baby was born May 10th his 4 month shots are on September 12th. And lots of times life happens and people have to reschedule it doesn’t need to be exactly 4 months

Answer

Age is done by day of the month. If you did months by 4 weeks, then baby would be 13 months old by his first birthday. This seems like a non-issue honestly.

Answer

Normal, and your baby has the same birthday as mine! :) and where I take my baby since his first month appointment was the 17th of June, they will only see him the 17th of each month now or a couple days after the 17th..crazy, I know.

4 month shots, by months or weeks?

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