why is my hv anti-bf?

[mollysmum82]

When the HV first came to my house she asked how I was planning to feed dd. I told her I'd been breastfeeding and I'd really like to continue. She kind of said "hmmmm" in what I can only describe as a "I don't think you'll be able to do that" kind of way - although maybe that was my hormones making me paranoid! She then started talking about how to make up formula bottles (!) and said "most people top up with formula milk so its important you know".

Fast forward 4 months... when I was having dd weighed, she had gone up gradually from the 2nd centile (she was 5 pounds and premature) to the 50th, whoohoo!

The same hv "I thought you told me this baby was breastfed?"
me "yeah, she is"
hv "just breastfed?"
me "yeah"
hv "breastmilk?"
me "errr... yeah"
hv "nothing else?"
me "nothing else"
hv ... pause "are you sure?!"

A couple of days ago... (dd is now 6 months)

same hv "Its really important you reduce all this breastfeeding. Solids are MUCH more important after 6 months. You should only bf 3 times a day but quickly aim for twice a day"

Is it just me or is it time to find a new hv?!

just don't go and see her. do you have to see her for weighing? can you weigh elsewhere? here we can go and weigh babies ourselves, if we want to, and the children's centre. not that you have to weigh them at all.

Bloody hell she sounds like an idiot. Stop going to see her. You sound like you are doing a brilliant job so don't let your HV put you off.

Complain about her. She needs retraining.

My thoughts exactly Brollyflower.
This is terrible practice. Breast milk has much more nutrients in it than some pureed carrot surely!
It's OK to say not to go and see her anymore, but who else is she spouting this drivel too?

Sounds like the same health visitor my mum had in the 80's with us. Constantly asking her if she was sure we were breastfed as we were doing so well! Its not like its something its easy to be mistaken about

Oh my God she shouldn't be doing that job!! You keep BF-ing away as much as you want for as long as you want your baby and you are doing amazingly.
My daughter wasn't interested much in solids until she nearly a year old and if I hadn't been feeding I would have been so worried she wasn't getting everything she needs.

your HV seriously needs to re-educate herself. Speak to your HV team's senior person and ask to be reassigned to someone who has a positive attitude to BF. Her comments are inexcusable from a HCP.

That is awful - what if she was saying these things to someone less confident than you? I agree you should complain.

not sure why you've posted exactly the same post here and in Netmums (Why does my HV hate BF?)
Are you looking for congratulations on breast feeding and lots of "all HVs are useless" replies?
Either make an official complaint or let it go and stop obsessing. No need to see a HV at all.

Thanks for your replies everyone. Goodness, it hadn't occured to me to complain (I was more thinking I'd need to find another clinic!) but you're right, I guess she could be saying the same thing to more impressionable mums? She's certainly not been all bad, some of her (non-breastfeeding) advice has been okay. It just upsets me that there's still these bad attitudes to bf out there, especially when its among the health profession!

you need to write to the practice manager asap

Yup, have a word.

she is full of crap - some people no matter their job title have an axe to grind - maybe she didn't breastfeed her own children? whatever, you should actually report her because this sort of thing could be very off putting for someone not so determined or informed about bf.

Silly cow - tell her i said so!

if you know she's anti-BF, why are you seeing her?

there's no need to obsessively weigh your baby.

Thanks everyone. Haha, will do highheels!

Highlander, dd had some problems at birth and had a low birthweight so the HV (same lady!) said to see her every week to have dd weighed. She is my first baby so it didn't occur to me till recently that this was excessive!

That's an interesting question about choice of HV - how would one go about searching out a more pro bf hv? Or is it a case of trial and error?! I guess I won't need to see one much now anyway but I was just curious!