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Original poster

Arrrgh I hate the baby clinic

44 replies

Izabelblue · 14/12/2012 14:07

Hello - first time poster (and first-time mum) here so be gentle...

just wondering if there is anyone else out there who struggles with the baby clinic? I'm just back from taking my 8 week old daughter, and I find the entire getting her out of her pram, getting her undressed, settling her afterwards etc difficult with only one pair of hands, which means by the time I get to talk to the HV I forget anything I want to cover and am just keen to get out of there before DS cries up a storm.

it doesn't help that DS has peed on the scales/changing tables both times she's been to the clinic, and that I've been told off for it. Surely my daughter isn't the only baby who does this?

Any advice on how to make the experience more bearable appreciated! I don't want to dread taking her to the clinic....

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

CommanderShepard · 14/12/2012 18:00

The baby weighers are often in no way qualified - the one at my GP surgery had a go at me when my then-3-months-old daughter dropped a few centiles (the equivalent of about 50g which is the difference between weeing and not weeing as far as I can see) and told me I should 'seriously consider formula'. For a baby who'd a) gone from just above 75th to just below and b) had been suffering from reflux. Of course I didn't know she wasn't qualified and was devastated and thought something was wrong with my milk. Meanwhile, the HV there said she'd not heard of baby-led weaning and that 6-month-old DD should 'really be eating at least one jar of puree per day' and that 6 months was a bit late to start weaning... funny; that's not what the NHS guidelines say! (I'd move surgeries but my GP is a star)

And... breathe...

Is there an alternative clinic you can go to? I go to my local Children's Centre now where I can weigh her myself and the HV is actually helpful.

OddBoots · 14/12/2012 18:00

My dd used to pee in the scales too so I ended up weighing an empty nappy at home on the kitchen scales then putting a clean nappy on her just before weighing then we could deduct the nappy weight from the total to get her weight.

Clumsasaurus · 14/12/2012 21:11

Clinic avoider here

I flippin hate it! The one fleck if dry skin on DS's head gets logged as cradle cap, the look you get (usually over glasses) when you are asked if you are breast feeding and the toe tapping whilst you undress and redress them.... It all makes my blood boil!

We went a couple of times before the 8 week check as DS is EBF and wanted to check he was gaining and haven't been back since! Seeing as he is 17 weeks and growing out of his 3-6 month clothing and still EVF I figure he's ok!

As for peeing on the scales WTF do they expect?! Babies pee anywhere and everywhere!

Don't let 'em get you down :-)

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3b1g · 14/12/2012 21:14

I took DS1 to the baby clinic once. I didn't take any of the other three. I did take them to the usual developmental checks and I weighed them every now and then at home (on the same scales each time) and recorded their weights and heights in their red books.

Fairylea · 14/12/2012 21:19

I have never been to baby clinic with ds (dc 2). I was discharged from the health visitor at home when he was a few weeks old and that was it.

I found the whole experience irritating and demoralising with dd when she was little so I decided I wouldn't be going with ds.

Even with a low birth weight as long as dc seems happy and feeding well you really don't need to go. If you have any concerns you can always make an appointment to see your GP.

BrianButterfield · 14/12/2012 21:22

I used to go to the local Surestart place where they did a baby group which a HV went to, and get DS weighed there. So much less stressful as you just chatted with a cuppa while you waited.

And he peed on the scales more than once! The HV used to laugh it off.

flossy101 · 14/12/2012 22:00

Agree with going to the Surestart, weighing there is more like a mini baby group, they put mats and toys out and it's much more relaxed, more room and time to get babies dressed and sorted.

Pyrrah · 16/12/2012 13:30

I took DD only when the HV rang to find out why I hadn't been - generally every 3 months or so.

TBH, unless you are worried I don't see any point in going more often. You can get just as accurate a measurement at home if you have a decent set of scales.

Meglet · 16/12/2012 13:35

I hated it when DS was small and cried a few times as I was desperate to get out. The getting them undressed in public and trying to look competant was horribly stressful .

It got easier when he was about 3months old, yes, I went every week. He peed on my skinny grey jeans and the scales once, the HV was lovely and just mopped it up as I carted him off back to his nappy.

nailak · 16/12/2012 13:44

How low was the birth weight? if it was not that low then I wouldnt bother going myself.

rrreow · 17/12/2012 15:41

I never went. Apart from having DS weighed by the midwife a few days after birth to make sure he was back at his birth weight, I never took him to the clinic. I do have quite accurate (10g increments) scales at home though. Also when he was less than 5kg he could go on the kitchen scales

rrreow · 17/12/2012 15:43

Also I read somewhere (maybe in the red book thingie you get for vaccinations/charts?) that they don't recommend weighing more than once a month.

Loislane78 · 17/12/2012 15:55

That HV is really out of order . Shame your LO didn't do an explosive poo as well "sorry about that"

Agree with the Surestart Children's Centres for weighing (and generally).

havingastress · 17/12/2012 16:00

What is this baby clinic?! My 6 wk old got weighed 2 weeks ago (she's on 25th perc) and HV said she won't be back to visit til she's 12 weeks old.

She gave me a list of clinics I could go if I wanted to to get her weighed in the meantime.

There is also nothing for me to do with my baby until after xmas (which I'm a bit about because could do with meeting other mums with newborns. I literally know no one round here.

Guess this is another thing that differs depending where abouts you live in the uk?

Loislane78 · 17/12/2012 16:20

What about NCT babies groups, church groups, library groups as well as children's centre? All free - probably other stuff you have to pay for like massage, yoga, sensory etc.

Original poster

Izabelblue · 17/12/2012 16:52

Thank you so much for all of your advice and commiseration - so glad to know that I am not alone in finding the clinic experience quite trying! Fortunately DD is gaining weight so I don't think I'll have to go that often... and I'll definitely see if the SureStart option is available....

OP posts:

Cantbelieveitsnotbutter · 17/12/2012 17:07

I never went! Had a c section, couldnt drive OH was straight back at work day after. So that was that, they never called or visited and i never saw or spoke to them

FirstTimeForEverything · 17/12/2012 17:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

catkind · 17/12/2012 18:10

FirstTime, how rude of the nurse to shoo you out like that. I'd just go with if she seems hungry feed her more; if she doesn't want it she won't drink it.

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