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Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Infant feeding

HV giving bad advise again!! Just annoyed

20 replies

archiesmummy · 02/10/2006 21:36

I overheard HV speaking to a fellow BFer in under 1s group, she was asking how much my friends DS is eating.
My friend said that he isn't eating a great deal, but is BF, content and putting on lots of weight.

HV said this is not good enough because he needs to eat more solids. My friend pointed out that he is 9.5 months and weighs 23 so he must be getting enough nutrients from what he gets, but HV just said that she needs to give him more solids and cut out some of the BFs...

Luckily this girl is sensible, but how many other young girls get this advise and act on it? No wonder so few mums breastfeed, when HV's are so anti it.

OP posts:

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Macdog · 02/10/2006 21:51

The HV's in my area are dishing out similar advice.
My HV told me when dd was 10days to put her on formula!
They have also stopped babies over 8months attending the bf support group.
I am a first time mum and proud to be bf!!! And to still be bf at 8months despite the best efforts of the HV's. Have actually lodged complaint with health board about the withdrawl of the bf support group

archiesmummy · 02/10/2006 22:38

Oh Macdog that is awful. DS is 9 months now and I didn't start "needing" BF group until 7-8 months because I felt like I was the only one sometimes. Good that you have made a complaint.

OP posts:

edam · 02/10/2006 22:45

Blimey Macdog, those HVs are nutters. Well done for letting their bosses know.

Macdog · 02/10/2006 22:59

Thanks for the support archiesmummy + edam.
I felt it was important to lodge the complaint. Fed up with the HV's trying to push ff.
dd was 19lb 5oz @ 30 weeks, so must be doing something right!!
I'll try to keep you updated with results of complaint(unless HV's hire hitman for me!!!!)

moondog · 02/10/2006 23:01

OOh yes,please do/
I remember your post about that daft situation Macdog.

2Cute · 02/10/2006 23:29

Well done for complaining. I came to realise that the real purpose of HVs is to make us mums feel we do everything wrong, ESPECIALLY breast feeding

Adorabelle · 03/10/2006 00:12

Bloody Hell Macdog that's awful bout you bf support group.

My bfed dd & I still go to our support group, she was 2 in June!

Good for you lodging a complaint, takes people
like you to make a difference. Good Luck, keep us posted if they let the over 8mnths back again

lorna3586 · 03/10/2006 00:22

My friends babys due in 6weeks she's going to breast feed, but only when shes alone, she said she'd feel funny doing it in front of her mum or mother father in law as they didnt breast feed. I hope she doesnt have a bad hv or she'll have no support whatsoever.

Adorabelle · 03/10/2006 00:35

lorna, Good on your friend for choosing to breast
feed but how sad that she feels so uncomfortable
that she'll only do it alone

With a little practise she'll probably be able to sit & feed him & no-one will care as they won't even know she is bfeeding her baby. You can get bfeeding tops which help hide you modesty, I hope she changes her mind when the LO comes along & decides to feed him herself whoevers company she may be in.

justamum · 03/10/2006 00:43

23lb at 9.5months! wtf does he need to put on weight any quicker- he is a proper bonny boy. My ds only weighed 29lb at 2 and that was perfectly healthy. Why do so many health professionals seem hellbent on stopping people bf. My dr has prescribed for me a couple of times since my dd was born in April and always says "oh, you're still bf" dd is only 5mnths ffs, why should I have stopped!

Adorabelle · 03/10/2006 22:08

justamum, a v.sorry state of affairs when a doc
asks if you are still bfeeding at 5months.

My dd began eating solids at just past 6 months & the silly cow of a nurse practitioner was horrified she hadn't been eating proper food for ages

She then told me that the 4/5 full bfeeds my dd was having each day was far too much. I was stunned, stunned into silence as I should have told her that upto 12mnths milk is the most important food for a baby.

Health professionals eh? One good one to every 10 lousy one

Daisymoo · 03/10/2006 22:27

Complain, complain, complain. It is worth doing. Our local HV was giving out some dreadful advice, not just wrong but dangerous. She was given extra training but still didn't change her ways and was sacked! Mind you, don't know whether the new one is any good as all HVs are banned from our house!

Adorabelle · 04/10/2006 00:25

I have a fabulous HV who comes along to our
bfesding group. She'll v.often give up her own time to make sure she pops along to see the new
mums & make sure all is well.

But I think she's one in million, most hv i've met are shite. Haven't got a clue & I wouldn't take their advice with a thousand pinches of salt.

TwigTwoolett · 04/10/2006 06:07

sorry .. is this child eating solids at all .. had the weaning process started?

lorna3586 · 04/10/2006 10:54

I know adorabelle i feel really sorry for her, i hope she does get used to it. I might buy her a breast feeding top and bra. She said she wont mind feeding infront of me so ill just have to invite her round here all the time. I just worry that shes not going to get any support with bf especially in the early days. In my expirience if id just been bf alone and had no one to ask for advise or tips, or had my mum to help me i proberbly wouldnt have bf for very long at all. Its such a lovely expirience its a shame that she may not be able to enjoy it to the full if she's embarressed by it.

lorna3586 · 04/10/2006 10:57

Does anyone know anything about nct? There are bf support groups arnt there? does anyone have any info i could pass on to her please?

Adorabelle · 04/10/2006 18:35

Lorna3586, What a Fab friend you are

I'm sure someone with the knowledge of how to get intouch with the nct & a bfeeding group will be along at some point tonight. Keep the thread bumped.

I asked my hv & midwife bout bfeeding groups in my area, very fortunate to have one in my town.

archiesmummy · 04/10/2006 22:00

The NCT Breastfeeding Line 0870 444 8708
They also run bF groups around the country

OP posts:

Rodeo · 04/10/2006 22:27

They're just so crap aren't they?!
I heard a HV the other day talking to a bfing mum of a 3 month old, the mother told her how she was getting tired with the constant feeding and instead of encoraging her and telling her how marvellous she was doing, HV said 'Well, introduce a bottle, it won't make any difference now'
They're all mainly opinionated old bints.
Ok Ok, I'm sure you get the odd good one, but they're very rare!

MacdogOnElmStreet · 24/10/2006 16:27

HURRAH!!!!
Letter arrived from Health Board today. They cannot find any reason why HV's excluded babies over 8 months from attending the Parenting group(formerly bf support, now for bf/ff). With immediate effect, the age limit has been dropped.
So, therefore, dd and I been invited to attend.
Got that warm happy glow of achievment. Was worth complaining in the end.
Thanks everyone for your encouragement!!((hugs))

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