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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Dodgy advice by HV?

10 replies

choceyes · 07/04/2011 13:25

A friend of mine who exclusively expresses milk for her 6.5 month old (who was born with a cleft lip so can't breastfeed) is worried that her DD is not eating enough solids, even though I have told her solids are just for fun till they are one, and at 6.5 months is far too early to worry about this. I have a 7.5 month old DD who hardly eats anything as she is BLW.

Anyway she's mentioned this to her HV, who has suggested that she add water to the expressed breastmilk to dilute it down so that her DD won't get as full so leaving her hungry enough for more food. I was Shock at this piece of advice. I mean what???

i pointed out to her that if she was formula feeding she woudlnt dilute down formula feeds surely?!

Thankfully my friend has not done this as it felt wrong to her.

Please tell me this is not right, and the HV is wrong?

OP posts:
Cosmosis · 07/04/2011 13:27

I think that is terrible advice! Surely that is just going to endanger the baby?s health as she won?t be getting enough nutrition?????

BertieBotts · 07/04/2011 13:31

Um yes that sounds like terrible advice. Aside from anything it doesn't even make sense - baby will feel just as full (as same volume of liquid) but not have as many nutrients Confused I hope the HV isn't going around saying this to everyone! Shock

TheCrackFox · 07/04/2011 13:39

It never ceases to amaze me some of the crap advice HV's come out with.

Your friend would be better off contacting CLAPA for some specialist advice instead.

JiltedJohnsJulie · 07/04/2011 13:40

Could you get your friend to right to her PCT saying how worried she is about this advice?

tiktok · 07/04/2011 13:41

That's utterly appalling and in some circumstances could be dangerous.

As ever, the polite way of dealing with this is to say to the HV the advice is worrying, contradicts what she has learnt elsewhere, and could she show her some evidence it is safe and appropriate....and then if she is brave enough, she can complain if she is unsatisfied.

RightUpMyRue · 07/04/2011 13:45

Piss poor advice, she can safely ignore that.

At six months the baby should be having tastes of food but milk is very much the main source of nutrition.

Original poster
choceyes · 07/04/2011 15:02

thanks for the replies...confirms what I thought. we were talking about it at a baby group and another mother said she could see the HVs point, so i thought maybe it was just me!

Like Bertiebotts say I do worry that the HV is passing on this type of advice. I'm temped to say something next time when I visit the same group of HVs. I suggested to my friend that she go to the Baby Cafe next time.

OP posts:
Original poster
choceyes · 07/04/2011 15:19

Thanks The Crackfox for the receommendation, will let my friend know about CLAPA.

OP posts:
MummyBerryJuice · 07/04/2011 15:44

This is exactly what you get when professionals use 'common sense' to answer questions rather than evidence based information. Angry Shoddy, and once again highlight (IMO) how much public money is wasted on poorly trained hcp. It would have been better for her to say she didn't know and would get back to your friend....

FutureNannyOgg · 08/04/2011 11:22

At this age they haven't worked out food makes them less hungry, so she's going to want milk, not more solids, when hungry.
As long as she is physically able to eat, she will figure it out in her own time. DS is 8 mo, been blw since 5 mo, and is just starting to ask for solid snacks, he will accept milk instead but doesn't seem satisfied until solids happen.

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