Opinions on health visitors please!

[weesaidie]

Hello

My mum works in management in NHS and used to be a (fantastic!) health visitor... she wanted me to ask for mumsnets views and experiences, good and bad, of health visitors. So they can work on the system...

So. EVERYONE, please... Tell me what they do right, what they do wrong, personal experiences and so forth. What could be changed/improved?

Thanks very much.

so do we

Sorry, that was a bit insensitive putting it after your replies... I read the original message then posted my reply without thinking about how the thread might be developing.

My HV is obsessed with the weight charts and can't seem to see beyond them. My son was v big at birth and in the 98th centile, and has since gradully dropped to the 50th. But despite him being v healthy, happy and sleeping and feeding well, every time I get him weighed she says how concerning this is, without explaining why or giving any helpful advice about getting his weight up (not that he looks malnourished in the slightest) other than recommending Munch Bunch yogurts

Fimrie- I had the same problem with my son, although he was very small to start with and although he looks fine and pudgy, the HV was 'concerned' as he started losing / not putting anything on at 8 and 9 months. To get his weight up I only gave him jars of fruit at lunch, not evening as they were digested too easily and instead, always made sure he eats a starchy/ protein type meal at night,like cheesy potato followed by yoghurt. As well as this, I sometimes give him Weetabix instead of a pudding to really pack him up before bed.
I was obsessed with making sure he ate lots of fruit but actually he was probably having too much and not putting the weight on because of it. He is now sleeping for longer and putting weight on.

Now on my second child and fourth HV who is an absolute godsend! (Only had one VERY bad HV who lasted all of a few weeks but caused so much distress).

Other than the usual obsession with weight here are a few gems that I picked up from them....

Quotes so far:

ALL health professionals - "Is this your first?" Results in massive feeling of being patronised also undermines mothers self-confidence and should be stamped out now. Stock answer, as provided by my own mother - "Yes, but it's not my mums first / sister's first and they agree with me. Is this your first job?"

Regarding potty training..."Get him to name each poo as he waves it off down the toilet" - Result: DS actually began to see a reason to become too attached to let go of them. Lots of amusing times though.

Regarding DS 'fiddling' hands down pants.... Lots of (unrepeatable on this site) quotes from Freud which the entire group of playgroup mums enjoyed as an afternoon's entertainment - HIGHLY recommended to ward of any post natal blues. Result - Much less stressful time for mum.

Advice given to me by HV when discussing objections received to breastfeeding in public. (Obviously intended to 'shock and shame' the person out of it with humour). "I don't see what your problem is. I'm showing no flesh. Men walk constantly walk around with hands in pockets and nobody seems to object to that!"

I have a lovely HV and life is good except when she is not at the clinic and I have to see 'the other one'! He told me (when dd was 8 weeks) that she should not be sleeping through the night and that I should be waking her for an extra feed 'because everyone worries about cot death' - his words. I went away sobbing and seething (pnd kicking in too) and decided to ignore him.
Told my normal HV the following week, naturally she was mortified and now intercepts if it looks like he might try to see me at the clinic, bless her! By the way, she told me that I was right to ignore him since dd was finding her own sleeping pattern and clearly wasn't hungry either. Lucky me!