Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

aaaarrgggh, need to rant about health visitors...

36 replies

LadySanders · 15/04/2008 15:07

i just took ds2 aged 8 weeks to be weighed for first time at baby clinic. i politely asked if they could weigh him in his babygro as he was asleep and i didn't want to wake him.

it took 2 Health Visitors to discuss the issue, tell me repeatedly that it would be more "beneficial" to weigh him naked, with me saying "really, it's no big deal, i jsut want to know roughly what he weighs and i don't want to wake him up by undressing him". it then rather deteriorated and ended up with both them and me getting cross.

i should add that he weighs 16lbs, ie is pleasantly huge for an 8 week old so its clear just by looking at him that a) he's thriving and b) the weight of one babygro isn't going to make any significant difference.

are these people just totally incapable of dealing with any tiny variation from the normal routine, and if so, how do they cope with daily life???

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

SueBaroo · 15/04/2008 16:07

Like Sidge says, it's the graph. You throw out the measurement arc and then they won't know what centile your obviously healthy child is on, and there will have to be investigations and they will have to fill in much more of the all-hallowed red book.

I lost my first daughter's red book, and the replacement for it, because they were in nappy bags that were stolen (with dirty nappies in, so instant karma!)

And Dd1 didn't explode. I was quite surprised.

Original poster

LadySanders · 15/04/2008 16:09

suebaroo - my ds1 has a blue book which has nothing filled in after about 2 months and he has miraculously also made it to 7 years of age.

i am tempted to go and weigh a babygro and a dry nappy now just to see what all the fuss is about...

OP posts:

VacantlyPretty · 15/04/2008 16:17

Message withdrawn

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Families General parenting

Original poster

LadySanders · 15/04/2008 16:36

surely there's not much point checking for bruises on babies who have been brought in to a 'voluntary' drop in clinic by their mother? i mean, if i'd been beating him up i would probably not choose that week to take him in to see the HV?

OP posts:

Original poster

LadySanders · 15/04/2008 16:39

that said, when a hv came to see me after the birth, she asked me in front of my partner whether or not i was worried about domestic violence, which also displays a bit of a lack of common sense i'd have thought... its all just box ticking and form filling innit?

OP posts:

BouncingTurtle · 15/04/2008 16:54

VP - that's crap! My HV's are very good when it comes to weighing, yes they do insist on babies being weighed naked but the room is always lovely and warm (a bit too warm for me lol) and they put some paper toweling on the scale so baby isn't in contact with the cold metal. I heard one of them saying to a woman who normally goes to a different clinic that she was "better off coming here, these scales are never moved so the weight will be far more accurate than at the other clinic where the scales are used all over and you are not guaranteed to be using the same one". It can make a huge difference even just moving a set of scales (I use scales in my line of work so I know what the variances can be like), they could be out by up to 3-4 0z just by changing the surface they are sat upon!
So if you go from weighing naked, to weighing fully clothed then you will not get consistant weighing. If you are happy your baby is thriving and are not bothered with an accurate weight, then why waste your time and the HVs by going? If you have reasonably accurate scales at home, weigh yourself then weigh yourself holding the baby and work out the difference. I tried it with mine, he was weighed at 12lb3oz at the clinic, and 12lb on my scales.

YouCantHideFromTheFlipside · 15/04/2008 16:58

I once took DS in for a jab with a nasty black eye.
The practice nurse asked and I told her what had happened ( DD smacked me squarely in the face with her wooden shapesorter)
The next day a HV turned up at the house unannounced and certainly 'nosied around'.
I found it really intrusive, though I admit they have to follow up 'concerns.
Damned if they do, damned if they don't.

ggglmpp · 15/04/2008 19:19

I really do not understand all this hv bashing

Anna8888 · 15/04/2008 19:24

I thought my HV was fantastic

VacantlyPretty · 15/04/2008 20:40

Message withdrawn

Sidge · 15/04/2008 21:14

VacantlyPretty - that's such a shame that your HVs are so awful. Some (very few it seems) are brilliant, and can be such a great source of advice and support. Mine certainly is.

I actually want to train as a HV but wonder if it's worth it

Flip

1 2