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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

HV wants me to take DD3 to doc's re her weight gain.

22 replies

pinkdolly · 28/03/2007 19:21

What would you do?

DD3 is 9 months old and has always been dinky. Born on the 2nd percentile, weighing 5.12oz. Now she is 13.7 oz and has dropped off the charts.

I took her to HV today and they said as she has been off the chart for some months that she wouldn't be doing her job properly if she didnt ask me to see the doctor. (she's only just off the chart and gains 7oz per month).

I am adament that my dd is just petite. Ok, she doesn't eat amazingly well (varied and balanced, just not much), she'd rather have breast milk (but doesn't that have more calories anyway?).

I'm thinking that I should take her , as the hv said she would ring me later in the month to see how things went. (does she mean check up on me?). Dont want to get on the wrong side of the Hv's but think it's pointless.

OP posts:

moondog · 28/03/2007 19:23

If you're happy with this the nremember that you are not obliged to go to the doctor and nothing will do her more good than b/milk.

raspberryberet · 28/03/2007 19:24

Is she happy, smiley, active, with lots of wet nappies? Because if so my response would be to ignore the HV and not see her again unless I was worried about the baby's health.

Those centile charts are the cause of so much needless worry.

BizzyDint · 28/03/2007 19:25

there's no such thing as the 'wrong side' of HVs, you don't have to go and see them at all. your baby IS gaining weight yes? she is happy, healthy, developing well? no signs of anything 'wrong' other than the fact she's off the chart? is her weight gain sort of mirroring the curve of the chart IYSWIM. like if you drew more lines under it would your dd's line follow parallel?

Kif · 28/03/2007 19:29

what's your gp like?

depends if you trust your gp not to immediately start a three ring circus with paediatrician referrals.

dh has a theory that in todays litigious age health professiopnals fear negligence/underreacting - whereas a referral covers their back. Not so cosy for you being a ping pong ball, though

Original poster

pinkdolly · 28/03/2007 19:29

yep, she is a bubbly, bright baby and her weight gain is following the curve, just not on it. She cant sit yet at nearly 9 months, but does weight bear really well and will even walk a few steps with help. I tried to explain to HV, but she was like (it's worth getting her checked out just in case).

I came home not having made the appointment as dont think it's at all necessary.

OP posts:

BandofMothers · 28/03/2007 19:31

TBH, when I had trouble with my dd1 dropping off the chart, cos of oral thrush and bfing I trusted my gp more than my HV(who was crap). She told me ( after misdiagnosing thrush as milk spots) to top up with ff. Not until my gp told me to did I do it.
Take her to be sure, nothing untoward should happen, and your mind will be at rest.
You don't HAVE to take dc's to HV at all if you don't want to, or so I always understood it!!!

Original poster

pinkdolly · 28/03/2007 19:31

kif, have no idea what my doc would be in this situation. HV talked about them doing tests to check absorbancy levels or whatever, and possible refferal to paeds. But that seems OTT to me.

OP posts:

BizzyDint · 28/03/2007 19:33

please be aware though that GPs often have very very little knowledge about breastfeeding. he may well suggest formula, it doesn't mean that that is the right or best thing to do.

Kif · 28/03/2007 19:34

why not find another spurious reason to take your dd to gp (doctor, doctor, I fed my baby a bag of prunes, now her tummy is runny. whyyyy oh whyyy). They always do a routine pnce over of babies tummy/lungs/heart/ears etc. Praps also a way og seeing if your gp has any concerns unprompted.

Wouldn't work in my surgery thiugh, since hv and gps share computers, so hvs leave messages for gps on your medical notes.

wildwoman · 28/03/2007 19:35

sounds like your baby is doing fine to me.

Original poster

pinkdolly · 28/03/2007 19:38

Bizzy, I have no intention of putting dd on formula. I really dont think she needs it. I am sure she wil catch up in her own time. I have heard stories of people who were told to put their dc on formula, only to find that it made no difference and ther were upset at stopping bf'ing for nothing.

BOM, I suppose I have been taking dd to hv's once a month just to check that she was following the curve (which she is), only if she dropped further down would I feel that there is a problem. And i'm sure that's all a doc would tell me.

OP posts:

Original poster

pinkdolly · 28/03/2007 19:40

Kif..it's funny you should say that.

I have been thinking about taking all my dd's to the doc's as we were recently told that my dh's mother (who dies when he was 6) died of a sub-arrachnoid brain haemorrage. Which can be passed down (apparently, i know nothing of these things). Anyway was gonna ask about this. Perhaps I could take her in for that and just mention it.

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yomellamoHelly · 28/03/2007 19:40

Wait 'til the hv calls and sets that deadline.
Have been to the gps on a number of occasions when asked set deadlines by other people but always feel like a complete berk saying ds1 is fine because ..... but ... is concerned because ........ Always get asked whether I actually am worried (to be there) and what I would like to happen as a consequence of me going. I always reply nothing (at which point they look at me disbelievingly), the conversation repeats itself several times (as I say they can't quite believe why I'm there surely I must be concerned!) and then off we go. Other party asks how it went. I say fine, no action and then they shut up - 'til next time. (So far we've had weight gain, weight-bearing, walking up stairs, speech, development generally and constipation.)
It's all a massive waste of my and the gps time.

Boco · 28/03/2007 19:44

I have 2 diddy dds. My hv in London told me to give my dd formula at 3 months as she was on about the 4th centile. Luckily i ignored her and didn't go back, then moved. Both mine have always been along the bottom of the chart - but they're totally healthy and full of energy, so i really have never worried. They were both bf too. I just think its the way their built, both me an dp are thin, and they're very petite. I think go to the gp if you have any other concerns or you're worried, but if not, she can only give advice, you don't need to take it. sounds like your baby is doing really well

moondog · 28/03/2007 19:51

Blimey Helly.
Sounds like you have a very over zealous Health Trust there!

Original poster

pinkdolly · 28/03/2007 19:52

Thanx guys.
I guess I was a little bit worried (and this sounds stupid). that if I didn't go along with the Hv's suggestion they might think I was trying to hide something. Dont want things blowing out of proportion just coz I didn't take dd to the doc's. But if you dont think it'll be a problem I might not bother. dd is so alert and happy, that I know she is just fine.

OP posts:

BandofMothers · 28/03/2007 20:06

Why don't you ask for a call back from your gp and ask if she/he thinks you need to bring her in. Then they can tell you yes or no, you haven't wasted anyone's time, and you can tell your HV the doc said no need!!!

DaisyMOO · 28/03/2007 21:03

Have you looked at the kellymom chart for breastfed babies, because according to that she seems to be doing fine as far as I can tell.

paulaplumpbottom · 28/03/2007 21:05

I think Health Visitors are great. Where I am from you don't get one and I found mine very comforting in the days after I brought my DD home from the hospital. Having said that I think that you are her mother and your instincts about her are probably right. You are the one who sees her every day not your health visitor. Trust yourself.

rantinghousewife · 28/03/2007 21:11

I think you need to trust your instincts, you think she's ok then it's more than likely that she is. All these piffling charts really do hack me off, they just seem to give mothers more to worry about. My friend is pregnant with her second and she has to have her BUMP measured. She's been told it's too small and not on the correct centile. So on top of everything else, she's now worried about that.

lisad123 · 28/03/2007 21:11

Those charts are set by bottle fed babies in US is 70s, as I recall!
Is she quite short? Are you and hubby small? My DD was 5lb at birth and never got higher than 25th line, my GP said no worries unless they drop 2 centiles
L

Kif · 28/03/2007 23:37

charts actually based on a mixed poppulation of babies - some bf some ff

same point tho

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