Getting seriously annoyed now!

Subject: Getting seriously annoyed now! Thu May 22, 2008 11:52 am

OK, bear with this post - its goes in a few different directions!

1st, on a positive note, Corey put 1lb on in 2 weeks cheers

wahoo!

Right.
been to clinic - and it's bint of HV again.
They take 2 in at a time - so i was able to hear the lady before me talking (which i dont agree with to start). She is BF son - same age as Corey - he has just reached 12 lb. he has put on an ounce in a week, and an ounce week before.
HV immediatley said ' you have to give him formula as a top up - hes not gaining weight quick enough'. Mummy asked why, was it she wasnt producing enough? HV said yes - thats the way it goes with some women. And proceeded to tell her how to make the transition from breast to bottle.
Having listened to all this - blood boiling - i had to say something.
So i turned around and asked how often he nursed. mummy said about 3 hourly day and night. I asked if she had looked at maybe adding things to her diet to help enrich milk, such as oats, and rather than switch over, try a herbal galactagogue such as Fenugreek.
Mummy didnt know about any of this.
HV said 'the important thing is to get this baby gaining weight and thats formula.' i pointed out he WAS gaining weight - just not as quick as some, surely there would be more concern if he was static or losing.
HV congratulated her on reaching 3 month mark BF - and said 'now go buy a tin of Actamil'.

Then my turn.
'Well done reaching 3 months - gaining weight nicely, have a free breastfeeding bib. bye.'
Not that easily Mrs - i want more ammo!
'i still have thrush in my breast and doc wouldnt give me anything - what do you recommend?'
'he has to give you antibiotics - why wouldnt he?'
'Because you dont treat thrush with antibiotics'
'you do when you are breastfeeding - you need to see a different doctor that knows what they are talking about'. Shocked

I thought i'd try one more before i left, and she actually got one right!
'when do i introduce solids?'
'6 months on a BF baby - he gets everything he needs from you, and his weight gain is good.'

How do i complain and who to?
I cant watch this stupid woman give such chronic advise any more - how many women will have stopped BF because of her?
how many have been given wrong medical advice?
I just want to make sure i complain to the right people at stage one, IYKWIM.

Thanks for reading - sorry its long winded!
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Subject: Re: Getting seriously annoyed now! Thu May 22, 2008 12:23 pm

where do they get some of these hv from. They did this to my sister in law , she actually didnt want to

but due to c-section had to stay in hospital & they encouraged her to try, she did

for 3 months then son stopped gaining as quick as he was before, hv told her her son was going hungry & give him formula its her 1st child & wanted to do what she was told is best !
Im really lucky i have a fab hv this time, Emilys weight slowed down about a month ago & my hv was away & i was told she needed to be supplemented & i said i would wait to talk to my own hv & when i told her she was furious & told other woman that for a start the charts they use were made originally to progress bottle fed babies so are not an acurate tool for

& babies weight sometimes fluctates & unless her weight dropped & then dropped again without levelling out or going back up do not tell her ladies to supplement with formula cheers

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Subject: Re: Getting seriously annoyed now! Thu May 22, 2008 3:17 pm

Kay, give me few days I'll get to the bottom if it Wink

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Subject: Re: Getting seriously annoyed now! Thu May 22, 2008 5:07 pm

Shocking who do they think they are, well done you for explaining the facts to this lady.
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Mum to Katie, Byron, Aaron, Mollie
Stepmum to Zoe & Nicole

Age : 33 Joined : 10 May 2008 Posts : 57 From : Texas

Wow! We don't have HV's here. I was trying to understand exactly what their position is in healthcare. What kind of training do they have? This person is sadly uninformed. I tried to give her the benefit of the doubt with the prior antibiotic remark, but she clearly does not understand what she is talking about. I am confused as to why the doctor did not want to treat your thrush either. That's so weird in my mind.
I am so sorry for the struggle....
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Mom to Kristen (8yo)BF for 20 months,
Caleb (6yo) 29week miracle; BF after relactating until 18mo,
Kael (1yo) still BFing!!,
and 6 angels

Age : 27 Joined : 08 May 2008 Posts : 700 From : Staffs

That's terrible. Good on you for speaking up Kay!!
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Age : 27 Joined : 08 May 2008 Posts : 700 From : Staffs

That's terrible. Good on you for speaking up Kay!!
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Age : 26 Joined : 14 Aug 2007 Posts : 1328

This has made me so mad!
A bit sad too Crying or Very sad

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Subject: Re: Getting seriously annoyed now! Thu May 22, 2008 9:03 pm

Subject: Re: Getting seriously annoyed now! Thu May 22, 2008 11:17 pm

Heath Visitor from Wikipedia Wink

Sadly most of them are deeply underinformed and ignorant. They do have some training in a bf field, but most of it is one day course (I know it from our old HV) or so, not much then. TBH- I'm doing now BF counsellor training and our HV was amazed with amount of knowledge I've had doing the most basic stage of training.They stay behind research and don't do any self learnig, whitch is so sad. Bad advice or lack of any is nothing new.
Some of them- HV's- do some work in Baby Cafe or similiar groups. I never went to one so don't know how its there lol!
HTH
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Subject: Re: Getting seriously annoyed now! Thu May 22, 2008 11:33 pm

I can't believe she said that to that women!!!

Kay in a hv clinic there is usualy one that it most upto date with bfing and trained breastfeeding support worker ( they did at mine aswell as lactation consultant) or more of the "leader" of the hv clinic, You need to complain to the high hills hun, I can't imagine how many women shes already got off bfing when there is no need!

You need to find out who is in charge there and make a complaint in writing, and then obviously to her face aswell.

Its women like this that need retraining and trained until she gets it right, it is disgusting! no wonder so many women feel like they are failers and are not able to breastfeed when you have silly little bints like her giving advice, I am disgusted.

Good on you though!
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In my life I now have room
to nourish a babe within my womb
and to my arms a welcome nest
and comfort waiting at my breast.

An it harm none, and cause none strife
my belly to swell and ripen new life
a babe to grow strong within me
as I will, so mote it be!

Breastfed for 13 months!

Subject: Re: Getting seriously annoyed now! Thu May 22, 2008 11:52 pm

No wonder so many women give up

when theres stupid hv's amd mw's out there giving complete crap for advice. I no because of things my hv has also said! Well done for speaking out kay! cheers

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