Doctor banged my baby's head off the wall

[lavei]

Went along for our 6 week check up and I wanted them to have a look at why he is sick as much as he is, also his cry has changed which I've read can be a sign of something.
She called me through and asked why I was there... I said 6 week check up and she asked what for. Now I just assumed that she would have know seeings how she had my records open. She then spent 10 minutes reading through all my notes etc and then complained that we were running over. Well I am having some issues with my stitches so wanted her to look at those (I was told this would happen anyways) but she said that I would have to make another appointment. She asked me about contraception and then complained when I said I wanted some as I should book another appointment for that.
When my OH brought DS through for his part of the check up she made us undress him and then sat for another 10 mins reading his records (he's had a few health problems).
She checked out all his bits and then started checking his hips. As she was moving them up and down she banged his head off the wall! It made a thump noise so wasn't just a small tap. I I was furious and walked away so she let go of DS when he was on the hospital bed to see if I was okay and my OH grabbed him as it looked like she was just about to walk over to me. She told us not to worry, she wouldn't have left him. Tbf, I'm sure she wouldn't have but she did nothing to suggest otherwise! She asked if I was okay and apologised and said his hips were fine and asked if I wanted a cuddle.
She then wanted to check his eyes and had me prop him looking over my shoulder. He was full on screaming at this point and she was trying to look in his eyes. My OH had to tell her to stop and when I brought him down his eyes were bright red from where she was pulling at them trying to force them open. He had his face screwed up when he was crying so obviously resisting her.
He wouldn't stop screaming after that and it took me ages to settle him. While I was doing that my OH asked about his sickness again and she said she didn't have time to look at that as she had spent too long with me and we had already run over.
I'm absolutely furious!
Sorry I needed to rant.

Afro I think she meant mum to cuddle baby not go to cuddle mum ?

Do we share GPS (though she DID walk away resulting in my baby falling!)

Still annoyed six years on

Wouldn't it be better to talk about contraception and check stitches and the baby at the same appointment instead of making THREE different appointments? That sounds really OTT!

Ds 6 week check we got 2 separate appointment 20 minutes each, same with Dd. When booking they said it requires a double appointment. Went over with Dd as she had a lot of problems there was no rushing and the doctor was happy to talk about everything, prescribe Meds, send for paediatrician referral. My check I got my contraceptives, pnd checklist they do, I didn't have stitches but if I did she would have checked them.
I would definatly see what your surgerys procedure is for these checks and complain if necessary.

She clearly wanted to look at his eyes because she'd banged his head

LOL she hadn't knocked him out . She was checking for a red reflex in the eyes which is a normal part of the 6 week examination.

TBH the head bump was an accident and at least she was doing the hip check thoroughly. I'd be more hacked off about refusing to prescribe contraception - that's a key part of the mother's 6w check. I

That sounds like a terrible experience with the GP but maybe also booked incorrectly by the Receptionist.

At my surgery app'ts are 10 mins and there are signs to discuss with the Receptionist if you want to discuss multiple issues as it may require a double or separate app'ts. I've always wondered about the reality of this as you may not know how long a Dr will take to discuss each issue!

The '6 week checkup' seem to vary across the U.K, there was a Mumsnet post last week about this. Many experienced what I did where where the HV completes a number of checks at 6 weeks and the baby's check with the GP covers other things and occurs around 8 weeks as it's booked automatically. However the 6 week check post birth for the Mum needs to be booked yourself and only involved for me a quick check of my CS scar and contraception.

All very confusing and if my HV hadn't explained why my DS was having 2 checks I would have presumed they were a duplicate and also presumed one of them would have checked me! I think HVs and Receptionists need to ensure it's clear why and how many checks are involved dependent on their area

Yes, but within the normal 6 week check allocation there is also time for the parent(s) to ask any questions. And since we're talking about anxious first time parents of newborns here a lot of the time, it's not unheard of that the question part may take some time.

At my 6 week check they looked at my stitches, I thought that was normal? This was in 2008.

The app was meant to be 30 minutes, the first 10 on my and the other 20 on DS.
I had been advised by my HV to go in alone for my bit so they actually look at me otherwise they will be distracted and go straight to the baby.
As I say, she was completely unprepared for my appointment which caused the delays. Delays were because she kept having to read through my notes several times, she kept complaining as I had DS at a different hospital from the one they usually deal with and so the notes were a different layout.
I had been told that I would be asked about my mental health, my physical health, have my stitches inspected should I wish and contraception would be discussed and issued if needed. This should take 10 mins apparently.
DS appointment should have been a complete top to toe physical, ask about his feeding and bowel movements and any issues I wish to discuss. This should take 20 mins.
I appreciate she had other appointments but I felt like she was totally unprepared.

I know she didn't do it on purpose but surely common sense would dictate that if baby's head is near a wall and you mark his legs up and down whilst he's lying on loose paper towels, he will slide up and down.

I don't know, I just feel unsatisfied. I've been concerned about his being sick for a while but all I get told is that he's gaining weight well so not to be worried. He's been issues gaviscon but he refuses to take it, as in he physically spits it back out. I've tried him on infacol, gripe water and colief incase it was milk sitting on trapped wind. We go through all 4 grow bags every night and several fitted sheets, I could even tell you how many costume changes the little guy has a day... it'd be easier to just keep him nude or put him in a wipe down suite. Shame he's a 'nevernude'.

My HV is okay, she forgot to mention that my DS had an umbilical hernia and thrust after her first appointment with him and casually dropped it into conversation last week. He was on phototherapy for the first 2 weeks because of his jaundice and she randomly started panicking me by saying he was much more yellow than he has been previously and sent us to A&E to get checked out... the dr practically laughed me out the door as his BR levels were lower than they ever had been and he was quite clearly peachy.

I'm just fed up. I want someone to take this seriously! He's my world and I feel like I'm failing him!

Was the 6 week check for both if you? Mine was done separately (as was everyone in my area) either baby at HV and mum at doctors or both at doctors but different appointments depending on surgery. so if this one was just for your baby that would make sense to why she didn't want to prescribe contraception, check stitches etc.

Cross post

I had mine and babies 6 week check together. The surgery books out a 30min appt. My Dr was running 45 mins late when she called me in but did not rush the appt at all. She spent about 5 mins discussing me as I had a few issues that she needed to cover. Then 15 mins with baby. She did all the checks and was lovely. In the 15 mins with baby I had time to ask some questions about some health concerns we had. She had obviously read my notes before hand so was very on the ball. Op if I had your experience I would complain. Her off hand manner is bad enough but suggesting you needed seperate appts for everything is really not on.

If you're worried, be the squeaky wheel. Change doctor and get a second opinion. You're his mum, you know if something's wrong.

I'm just fed up. I want someone to take this seriously! He's my world and I feel like I'm failing him!

You're not, but it's natural to feel like that. It's also completely understandable that you have lost faith in this GP. Make an appointment with someone else and talk through the sickness.

get the sickness checked out, is it projectile, my gd had pyloric stenosis and needed an op , its where the opening at bottom of tummy is too tight and food can't pass through so comes back up , its more common in boys than girls and she was 8 weeks before diagnosed and was very ill in days before op.

I'm sorry that you had this experience OP. I haven't read the other posts but I just wanted to say that two of my (breastfed) babies were very sicky and I found the kellymom website very useful for looking into this. I found giving up dairy for a little while (it takes a couple of weeks to go out of your system I think) made a massive difference, particularly with my middle child. Of course, dairy can have lots of benefits too but this worked for us.

Also, to add, I'm not a doctor and I would definitely discuss this with a good doctor.

It just sounds like everyone had a really bad day. I'm sure it will never happen again. I'd keep this doctor as I'm sure she will be super careful next time.
It's not their fault they only have 10 minutes, it's a bloody disgrace and you can do nothing in that time.
In my surgery we have to wait 2 weeks for a non emergency appointment and even then they no longer do soubles.
I have a chronic condition that needs proper investogation and I've just given up.
The problem isn't with your GP, petition your MP, this has to change. It's very shabby indeed if every new mum gets this rough 10 minute treatment, you deserve better than that.

I had our 6 week check back in November and it took approx 40 mins..... She checked everything and was in no rush.
Your dr should have had a few slots booked out for these checks

Please change your dr she sounds awful! Can you complain?

lavei even though my checks were great I still felt like gp was laughing at me and they had an answer for everything. Her snuffling was normal - until I went back with a recording and she then referred us to make sure nasal passages were open as she had never heard anything like it. I persisted and finally got gaviscon and lactose free milk. An a4 sized list of symptoms disappeared. I new myself what was wrong as had been through the same with my son. Be persistent, and maybe see a different doctor, I always ask for 2 out of 5 of ours if it's to do with the baby as the one who does baby clinic tends to fob us off. I always get a good result with the ones I ask for.
If your baby isn't taking to the gaviscon I'm sure renatidine is another one they can prescribe, this maybe only under paediatrician though, not sure.

I booked my 6 week check with GP and got a 10 minute one as well. It felt very rushed. I went to HV at a drop in clinic at sure start centre to check my stitches and ask questions about my baby, they were great.

6 week check up for us was bloody awful. Doctor didn't have a clue, and walked off to get something leaving dc3 high up on the examination couch, when I rushed over to him she looked at me like I was insane!

Very rushed, very poor, I wasn't examined only baby, told 6 week check up wasn't for me but for baby.

Sorry you had a bad time today x

If you've got a lovely HV can you make an appt with her to check out sickness queries?

can 6 week olds roll themselves off a table?

If I were you I WOULD make a complaint - if for no other reason than it gets it on record and they can review their appointment procedures as well as what happened.

She should have been more prepared for your appointment so that the time was spent on you and your baby - not on reading - and if more time was needed for that then it shouldn't have had a detrimental effect on your appointment - that's not your fault.

Personally - I would make the complaint and request another doctor. In my experience, once you've lost trust and confidence in a doctor, it's hard to come back from that. I've refused to see doctors before due to a bad experience - its my body - my very personal healthcare at the end of the day - whoever is attending to it should make me feel comfortable and confident in their ability to do what they are supposed to do.

Report her straight away.that's no way to treat a patient let along such a young baby.

Thank you everyone for your replies.
I feel much better now knowing that it's not just me overreacting.
I was going to ring the dr in the morning for an on the day appointment about his sickness just so I feel proactive. While I'm there I may ask to speak to someone about today.