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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To complain about unnecessary tests and useless paediatrician

6 replies

Bouncingturtle · 06/01/2008 15:43

Gave birth to ds in a hospital which has Breast Feeding friendly status.
When ds was born, his cord blood gases were low so paed drew blood from him to retest. Gases were fine but they also tested his glucose levels which were around 2.1. Paed said he was hypoglycaemic and he would need formula top ups and would need to maintain a level of above 2.6 for 24 hours before releasing us from hospital.
Cue lots of heel pricks to retest his glucose which I found really upsetting - his poor feet were really bruised. Cue Dh going on the internet - he found out that not only is blood sugar not routinely tested but if it was 50-60% of babies normally are hypoglycaemic on discharge as they are trying to get used to not be nourished constantly.
BFing Midwife was very helpful and she went to talk to paed who told her to tell me to stop bfing and go onto bottles despite the fact that I had already said I was 100% committed to bfing and that ds seemed happy and was producing wet and pooy nappies!!
MW had a go a paed, and told him not to tell how to do her job (good for her) and in the end we did a few top ups to get his levels up. DH also demanded that the testing was reduced - since they had already decided on a plan to increase ds's blood sugar levels why did they need to carrying on testing to prove what they already knew!!!
On day 2 was absolutely furious to discover that the guidelines had changed and the limit was 2.1 and not 2.6!!! Since all the tests were above hose limits bar the first, it meant that ds was subjected to a load of tests he didn't need and perhaps the top ups were unnecessary as well!!

So honestly, are we over reacting? Or should we complain? And who exactly do we complain to? I'm concerned about this because this hospital is the only one in our area with bf friendly status.
Any advice on this issue greatly appreciated.

OP posts:
lulumama · 06/01/2008 15:47

I think hunker knows about this......

PALS is usually first port of call to complain.

sorry that you had a horrible time.

liath · 06/01/2008 15:47

I probably would write a letter especially as the original glucose result was an incidental finding. Telling you to give up BF was ridiculous!

kindersurprise · 06/01/2008 15:48

Am no expert, but that is ridiculous. If the hospital promotes theirselves as being breastfeeding friendly, then the paediatrician should be up to date and ready to promote bf.

Well done to the MW, and to you and your DH for standing up the paed.

Are there specific guidelines for hospitals to enable them to declare themselves Bf friendly?

Bouncingturtle · 06/01/2008 15:50

Cheers guys. I'm still bfing, after ahaky start and lots advice from bfc, loving it now, mostly!! I feel if that someone else in the same situation who was a bit unsure about bfing would have taken the paed's advice and may have regretted it

OP posts:
liath · 06/01/2008 15:52

I had dd in a supposedly "baby friendly" hospital and the post natal BF support was absolutely rubbish.

Well done you for getting BF back on track

smallwhitecat · 06/01/2008 16:05

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