And the boss lady said.....

[babieseverywhere]

...nothing.

Today the unsupportive breast support group was being run by the HCA (who was toeing the line very well) and her boss who is a very lovely lady.

Boss had a word with me, which in a nutshell covered the following. (I had asked her to get more training for this HCA)

She explained that the HCA had received 2 hours of training on infant feeding and would be receiving a breastfeeding training course in the future.

That they had made a decision to keep running up group despite very varying levels of training in the people running the groups. Better in her mind to have bad groups then no groups.

As requested the peer to peer lady had offered help to the boss for the group. The boss said any help given by a volunteer (a successful breastfeeding mother with limited but specific 30 hours of training in breastfeeding) would have to be under the professional (anti breastfeeding woman with 2 hours of infant feeding training) running the group. So even if one of the peer to peer ladies attended this group she is not allowed to contradict the crap advice being given out. i.e. No point.

She implied that I had issues, especially as I was attending the group still. I explained that I attended for social reasons.

She explained that I might misunderstand advice given (that contradict guidance) as I don't understand the background of the mothers involved. Which I agree could cover some but not ALL my concerns.

I explained about my personal experience (I know my own background after all, I can not misunderstand my own situation) with my 4 month DD, whom I was told to wean straight away as she was 'dangerously unweight' The boss tried to defend the HCA saying she might of used the wrong chart (she was 50% on both charts) I explained it was not just the fact that she plotted the graph poorly, it was the following crap advice I objected to. The HCA told me I HAD to wean, I could not boost my supply nor offer more nursing sessions as it 'would not work'

So basically she felt I was an interfering mum and her employee, who encourages weaning, baby rice and early solids and discourages breastfeeding is great !!!

Well, It did surprise me, as I had heard so much positive stuff about the Boss and she was very friendly, so I had expected more action and less excuses as to why the HCA gave rubbish anti-guidline advice. But you can drag a horse to water, you can't make him drink.

All I can do is ...

Continue to write my diary of stupid advice given by the HCA.

Continue attending the group and making nice friends.

See if the training make any difference (LOL...never in a million years)

And encouraging all new mums I meet to use the proper breastfeeding help lines and another breastfeeding support groups (shame there isn't one in the immediate area)

LOL, To think I was panicking about complaining and getting someone in trouble. So on the bright side I was happy to email my full written complaint over, knowing it wasn?t going to result in any action but at least they are on notice of how much of a ?numpty? is running this group. Then they will act surprise why the breastfeeding rates will remain low in the area

[claraenglish]

Message withdrawn

[VictorianSqualor]

How wonderful would it be if at this very supportive breastfeeding group, you could arrange for someone from the NCT/LLL to come an d do a talk.
Have you thought about asking them if they could do anything?
You say the peer-to-peer lady is bascially being pushed aside even with her experience, but what about someone even more qualified than her??
Publicity is the way to go IMO.

[monkeybird]

OK BE, I think it's time to set the big guns on 'em - you've done your best on your own so now you HAVE to tell us where it is so we can all come down and ask lots of difficult BF questions...

A MN campaign! With BE leading from the front...

[VictorianSqualor]

We may not all be able to get to the meeting tiself but I'll happily write a letter to anyone who needs it

[mears]

What profession is the Boss?

[babieseverywhere]

Mears, the Boss is a specialised Health Visitor and very well thought of.

VictorianSqualor & Monkeybird...I don't want to head a campaign (cringe) I just want the HCA to give out the correct information. I would even settle for her saying 'Wean you baby with this rice. Read this rubbish leaflet about waiting for 6 months' As at least that way the mothers would have the right information to read.

VictorianSqualor, Actually I should be meeting up with one of the areas well known great Breastfeeding Counsellor's, so if I can get a private moment this evening, I will ask if she can help. I doubt they are allowed to get involved as this is an NHS thing and they are a charity but it is worth a chat.

claraenglish, Yes it is NHS run, but apparantly only tiny babies need support. Those of us feeding toddlers should just stop attending and daring to get upset when innaccurate information and contrary to guidelines advice is given.

The mother mums think she is qualified (chock) and knows about breastfeeding (Erck)so the mums to the youngest babies are happy.

As the babies get older the mums realise the group is pants and leave it. The Boss attitude is, leave the group and you won't have to listen to bad advice...Ermm but then all the other mums are subject to the poor advice and don't realise until it is too late.

[VictorianSqualor]

Maybe you could get some leaflets off the rbeastfeeding counsellor and hand them out quietly to the other mothers?

[mears]

She will have a teal leader boss then. I would find out who it is

[mears]

meant team leader

[babieseverywhere]

Mears, Can't find that information but I'll keep looking.

Sorry I missed these posts earlier....

NotQuiteCockney, Normally all ladies sit in silence in a circle. One woman is questioned on whether her child is sleeping though, on solids etc by the HCA and the HCA barks instructions back to the mother. Then onto the next victim mother.
When her boss was there, everyone was chatting and the boss and the HCA went from one mother to another talking quietly, so I only heard a couple of comments. Which were reasonable responses and when a medical question was raised, thank goodness the HCA recommended a GP visit, so maybe last week's medical advice giving was a one off...well I hope it was for everyone's sake.

mmelody,
I requested additional training for the HCA a few weeks back and the Boss lady agreed (I think it was already in the pipeline for all staff) and I have sent a complaint in writing yesterday.

[babieseverywhere]

Right, It turns out the Bosses Boss is (by chance) the Consultant Specialised Midwife I bumped into and talked to about this group a few weeks back.

I still have not had any response to my complaint from the Boss...debating whether to ring/email and check she has got it which I should do first.

I might pass it to the Consultant Midwife just because that lady said things weren't always passed up to her level. (Apparantly the word about this lady i.e. The Bosses Boss is a very supportive pro-breastfeeding lady more likely to act than lower levels but due to the wide range of work issues...doesn't alway have time to act in all cases.)

However I also have the details of the bosses bosses Boss and apparantly she is both positive about breastfeeding and has the time needed to make changes.So we have different paths to follow.

I just wish the original boss would say something to the original HCA...i.e. the information you are giving out is outdated and wrong...here are the guidelines, here is the (well written) breastfeeding policy - follow it !!! and stop giving out baby rice samples.

On another bright point, I bumped into one of the breastfeeding mums and she bought up the subject, talked to her friend about it in front of me. Saying about me, this is the mum who we listen to, as the other lady talks crap (awww)and how I had been banned from speaking and how bad the other mums thought this was and that the HCA had a thing against me. She made me promise to keep going every week. She mentioned that another mum wanted to complain about the HCA but didn't know who to complain to and so did she !!! Well, I am happy to pass on the bosses details, though I suppose further complaints from other mums will properly be tarred as 'my issues'

So the tally is up to about 6 unhappy ladies plus 4 people who want to/have complained about the HCA... but according to her boss it is all me Yeah right.

Plus I found out more about why one of the Mixed feeders is going to full FF and why she is losing her supply.
Can't be certain if my conclusion is accurate but she and me had a similar bad health experiences. I kept my supply but never mixed fed whilst she who was encouraged to mix feed, now sadly has a very low supply and a baby who won't latch on and is regretfully moving to fulltime FF (i.e. She is sad about it) after pumping for 3 months (respect to that woman for all that pumping)

We were chating last week, whilst she was FF in the group and after chating socially about her very cute son. I asked if she was happy to move to full time FF...she said not. I mentioned that some mums find it possible to increase supply and encourage baby back to the breast and would that be something she might be interested in ?

She had been told (by the HCA ) that it would be difficult neh impossible to do so and that she had resigned herself to full time formula, as it was the easier solution and she had been struggling (IMO without decent support) for too long.

I could cry for her, I really could. Now I could be completely wrong and mix feeding might not have tipped the balance but I know if the number of feeds drop below a magic level (different in every mother depending on nursing time, length etc) then the mother supply can suffer.

I honestly think with better earlier support this woman would of still been happily breastfeeding her son

[TheBlonde]

babies - I think the other mums complaining would be a good thing