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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

What is my HV on

39 replies

Beccarollo · 02/12/2003 15:09

Ive just been to clinic and dont understand a word of what HV has just said.

I mentioned his sickiness and she put it down to over feeding. He was weighed and is 15lbs at 12 weeks. He is sleeping very well at night and is generally great except this sickiness. He is going through growth spurt at the moment so feeding more often but usually goes about 3-4 hours between feeds BUT she has just told me to start weaning him and put him on hungrier baby milk?!?! What the hell?? He is breastfed so she is telling me to stop that put him on formula and start weaning at 12 weeks?

Im stunned!!

OP posts:

popsycal · 03/12/2003 11:40

The misleading thing about 50th centile is that people think that this is what the majority of babies are on.

That is not true...all the 50th centile weight line means is that 50% of babies are heavier than this and 50% of babies are smaller than this!

It isn't a majority thing - I spent ages thinking that it was a majority thing and felt better when i realised that it wans't!

popsycal · 03/12/2003 11:41

[oh my god - am mortified by that wrong apostrophe....typing error!!! Got to preview more often!!!]

Clarinet60 · 03/12/2003 16:47

my hv's also gave me a hard time about this for months and it made me more determined to b/feed exclusively to 6 months. They tried to tell me the WHO advice was just for 3rd world women, which I knew to be bollocks so it just spurred me on. In hindsight, I think it would be worth a discreet letter to your GP's, as to say that HV's should be better informed is the understatement of the century.
I don't know why they're so obsessed about starting solids early, but lots are.

Epigirl · 03/12/2003 18:57

Have also experienced a negative reaction from hv as dd was below the 50th centile. Surely the point of an average is that some people are below and some above?

IMO too mcuh emphasis is put on conforming to the '50th line' when very few babies must stay on that exact trajectory.

Are women who live in the 3rd world supposed to be so different to those in the 1st world then??! Very strange!

Clarinet60 · 03/12/2003 19:38

I think the idea is that there are hygeine factors to take into consideration, as their access to clean water is often dire. Therefore, breastfeeding longer means less chance of gastroenteritis, which is a killer in such conditions.

Evita · 03/12/2003 21:35

Blimey, Beccarollo, your HV sounds as horrible as mine. I literally don't take my daughter anywhere near her unless absolutely necessary even though I would like to get her weighed sometimes. She makes tactless comments and leaves me feeling like a useless neurotic type of mom (which I probably am a bit but don't need it spelled out!). My daughter was a very sicky baby too. It got much better actually when her neck muscles got stronger (she was a real wobble head) and her back straighter. It had nothing to do with quantity or type of milk (she's been breast fed always). I do know however that babies who were breast fed and NOT sicky, when switched to formula and bottles became sicky. Your HV's advice is pretty squiffy.

secur · 04/12/2003 11:22

Message withdrawn

secur · 04/12/2003 11:23

Message withdrawn

Evita · 04/12/2003 16:23

7 9oz bottles ... blimey ... My daughter's now on bottles after having been breastfed since birth and she has 4 4oz a day if I'm lucky. Aren't babes different?

motherinferior · 04/12/2003 16:33

I am going to see if anyone wants an article on HVs. Watch this space.

secur · 05/12/2003 10:37

Message withdrawn

popsycal · 05/12/2003 10:41

The most worrying thing is that many people don't have access to things like mumsnet or don't buy all the pregnancy books and magazines. That is what worries me the most - that some people take advice like this as though it were gospel

secur · 05/12/2003 10:51

Message withdrawn

KMS · 06/12/2003 15:01

this makes me soooo cross. how dare they. as a first time mum you look to your h/v for the "correct" advise and reasurance. and you follow what they say. Its only with experience (& mumsnet) that you know they talk such tosh! the guidelines are 6mths.

I am cross with myself for keeping quiet at my clinic this week, when I heard HV suggesting weaning for nearly every baby that came in, some as young as 12 wks. She didn't comment on weaning at all with mine at 18wks weighing 16lb 7. she knows I am waiting till 6 mths. "don't make youself a martyr for it" said h/v and I am now determind to get there.

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