to think that a HV should have pointed out the health dangers associated with...

[becaroo]

...putting a 6 month old baby on cows milk????

Was a baby clinic this morning - I go in, weigh my son and then leave - and the girl next to me in the queue was talking to the HV who was stood next to me and said...

Mum:"I've taken her off formula as it was making her sick and put her on cows milk as shes much happier on that"

HV: "How old is she?"

Mum: "26 weeks"

HV:"oh, alright"

Shouldnt the HV have mentioned iron deficiency/anaemia etc etc that occurs when babies are put onto cows milk before 12 months? There are plenty of formulas out there for babies with sensitive tummies...she never even mentioned taking her to GP to see if it was reflux....bloody HV's....I was really shocked....have a mind to complain to someone!!!!!

ok,well i shant be doing so unless you are going to launch a campaign against everyone else who swears on an open forum(assumedly that includes anyfucker every time she posts??)

star thank you, but this poster is really not worth getting yourself worked up about

Just for the record (again!) As far as I am concerned the lady in question could give her baby cola and raw steak if that is what she wants to do, my unease and concern was about the health visitors reaction/lack of one. I have a low opinion of them generally and this experience has not changed that. And I live in an area where child poverty causes big problems and children suffer. That is a fact, whether you like or not sleepless. child pverty and low incomes go hand in hand obviously. I think HV should help parents understand how their (sometimes seemingly small or irrelevant) actions can advsersley affect their baby/infants health and emotional wellbeing. As far as I am concerned they dont do that. Its all about targets, and how many babies get weighed each week, which makes me very sad.

I will not be posting again, as my original question has been constantly misinterpreted and I actually have a life to go and lead

Thanks to all who have posted for your comments.

I no longer go to the baby clinic because of the lack of privacy described earlier in this thread. I am on my 4th baby and work in child development so, whilst I certainly dont know it all, I am confident I would be able to spot problems myself.

In the borough I used to live in there was a main waiting/weighing room and if you wanted to see a HV you went into a separate room. I was shocked when I saw the system in the borough I live in now. It was particularly awkward because I was attending with DS2 who we were fostering. There was absolutly no privacy so i was forced to discuss DS in front of a room full of very interested local mums. I put up with it because DS had to be closely monitored and weighed regularly.

I did start going with DS3 but the last straw was a horribly nosey and inappropriate HV so I dont go anymore.

OP - I understand your concern but I would be mortified if something I said to a HV was held up for examination on an internet forum.

oh starlight-i'm crushed.
someone on an internet forum doesn't like me.
grow up woman
And if you are so concerned about the whole personal attack elements of things perhaps you ought to pipe down and keep your opinions of people (however low)to yourself in case that person thinks you might be a bit of a hypocrite.
and what's worse is-you did it in public so now other people might not want to be my friend on the internetzzz.
seriously,beak out.

Perhaps she wasn't using