Do you think health visitors know best?

[Tegans Mama]

I'm dreading HVs because of LOs heart condition. They honestly won't know anything about heart block babies as it is a rare condition. I'll take the word of my son's pediatric cardiologist over an HV any day.

Actually some HV's are very good with chilren with extra needs. If they don't know they try to learn. There are no other children in our district who have SB but our HV is learning fast.

You are right - once your LO is born you really need to stick to the advice from cardio or other specialists. If your HV tries to contest it, don't listen, because they can be a bit dumb sometimes. Totally different but we took Tegan to an appointment at the hospital and they told my OH to stand her on the scales to be weighed.
Because she's in a wheelchair but her legs work really, she's just fibbing

 

[pachamama]

Hiya,

I haven't seen my HV since our initial 'birth' visit at 10 days. I really don't see the point. I can tell my lo is gaining weight well (he's ENORMOUS!) and I can see that he's developing well. If I had a concern about either I might consider consulting an HV, but would probably go to GP instead.

They make it sounds like it's compulsory to see them, which it's not. I certainly wouldn't be changing my lo's routine/food intake etc on the advice of a HV (particularly if I hadn't asked for it) and that's probably why I don't go to see them! It sounds like you're doing a fab job, I'd continue to trust yourself to know what's best for your lo.

x

 

[leoniebabey]

I tend to just shrug off comments by them urgh they grate on me
got him weighed tues she didnt even mark the chart at the correct age so i had to correct it being the OCD that i am she was bloody useless

 

[Kimmy25]

noooooo deffo not...I say shhhhh dont tell the HV lol

 

[Ozzieshunni]

I'm dreading HVs because of LOs heart condition. They honestly won't know anything about heart block babies as it is a rare condition. I'll take the word of my son's pediatric cardiologist over an HV any day.

Actually some HV's are very good with chilren with extra needs. If they don't know they try to learn. There are no other children in our district who have SB but our HV is learning fast.

You are right - once your LO is born you really need to stick to the advice from cardio or other specialists. If your HV tries to contest it, don't listen, because they can be a bit dumb sometimes. Totally different but we took Tegan to an appointment at the hospital and they told my OH to stand her on the scales to be weighed.
Because she's in a wheelchair but her legs work really, she's just fibbing

She's just fibbing??!? That's shocking!

I have already talked to DH and we agreed that we really don't want a HV coming around anyways, regardless. I'm not really for them having not had them growing up in the US. Not to say they are incompetant or anything, I'm sure some are lovely, but it's just not for me. LO's doctor will weigh him and give me advice because he'll be seeing them frequently in the first few months.

By the way, how are you?!?!?!? Sorry for going o/t but I haven't seen you about lately!

 

[oliviarose]

No I dint think they know best. There are guidelines that they have to follow, but all babies are different.

They can advise us on what to do if we ask, but us as mummies know our baby best.

They would let us know if they weren't happy.

 

[Mrs Doddy]

I've always found them helpful but I don't think they always know best as they don't know your baby like you do, if your baby takes that amount of milk then she needs it, it's not a huge amount off the recommended and that's a guideline anyway

Saying all this I had a hv contradict another on the phone to me today, I've never liked her anyway as she jumps to conclusions to quick

 

[Tegans Mama]

I'm dreading HVs because of LOs heart condition. They honestly won't know anything about heart block babies as it is a rare condition. I'll take the word of my son's pediatric cardiologist over an HV any day.

Actually some HV's are very good with chilren with extra needs. If they don't know they try to learn. There are no other children in our district who have SB but our HV is learning fast.

You are right - once your LO is born you really need to stick to the advice from cardio or other specialists. If your HV tries to contest it, don't listen, because they can be a bit dumb sometimes. Totally different but we took Tegan to an appointment at the hospital and they told my OH to stand her on the scales to be weighed.
Because she's in a wheelchair but her legs work really, she's just fibbing

She's just fibbing??!? That's shocking!

I have already talked to DH and we agreed that we really don't want a HV coming around anyways, regardless. I'm not really for them having not had them growing up in the US. Not to say they are incompetant or anything, I'm sure some are lovely, but it's just not for me. LO's doctor will weigh him and give me advice because he'll be seeing them frequently in the first few months.

By the way, how are you?!?!?!? Sorry for going o/t but I haven't seen you about lately!

We're all good here thanks hun!

The one thing that HV's ARE good for is weighing kids. Normally consultants don't have scales in their offices (at least they don't here and we see gazillions of them ) they do sometimes weigh them before appointments but not often.

Our HV is a HUGE support to us - and very very necessary. If your LO is going to have ongoing health problems (I'm not sure if he will, sorry ) a HV will be a door to many things to help you. They're not all bad hun xxx

 

[NaturalMomma]

No not at all. And after hearing so many stories on here (daily) I don't think they know much of anything at all.

 

[aliss]

No but then again I think plenty of mothers don't know best either!

 

[Windmills]

My hv is a bint. She told me Daisy was completely fine and made me feel like I was crazy and paranoid. 15 hours later she was in a major trauma room having a lumbar puncture.

 

[Kimmer]

My hv is a bint. She told me Daisy was completely fine and made me feel like I was crazy and paranoid. 15 hours later she was in a major trauma room having a lumbar puncture.

Oh gosh, what was wrong with her? Hope she's okay now!

I've had a few run-ins with doctors. Apparently a floppy 6 day old baby that wouldn't wake up is nothing to worry about

 

[AppleBlossom]

No. The only person that knows what is best for your child is you. No "experts", no family members, no friends and no HV's. You know your child better than anyone in the world

 

[summer rain]

I don't get on with most HVs; firstly I hate the way many of them hoodwink parents into thinking that its obligatory to see the HVs and that their advice is better than that of a doctor; often there are serious medical issues that HVs are not qualified to deal with such as baby failing to gain weight, but instead of advising the parents to take the baby to the GP or setting up a referral (which HVs can do in some cases) they instead just keep telling the parents to bring the baby weekly for weighing. I myself have had experience of this; they even wrote in my red book that my son (my second youngest, not this LO) needed to be referred to a specialist but what they told me IRL was to just put him on formula and he'd be fixed. With the approval of my GP (she doesn't like HVs either lol) I am weighing my LO at home with a proper baby scale, and if I notice anything amiss with his weight or otherwise I know that I can go direct to my GP with it rather than just be fobbed off by HVs xx

 

[minties]

I had a bit of a rubbish one at first, she was far too pushy, but I changed and now have a FANTASTIC HV!

She's about 65 and used to be a midife in the 1970's, then was a nurse. She and I get along very well, she always listens to me and praises how I raise my baby. So far we have agreed on everything which is just wonderful.

M first HV was always telling me that my son was far too underweight, even though his weight has always been above avergage for his length. She more went on what his weight was for his age. Thomas didn't like her either as he always cried and pee'd on her (good boy!).

My new HV even gives me a hug when I see her, which I think is sweet. She's like a really cool warm caring grandma.

 

[Sweetie]

I think they may well know a lot more than they're allowed to share with you and are probably only allowed to tell you the "guidelines".

I always joke with our health nurses, "ok that's the party line... What would you do/ recommend?" I always get a answer that's more in line with what I"m doing. Guidelines aren't always right but they have to "suggest" them iykwim

 

[wishuwerehere]

I've met some very nice HVs and some fairly idiotic HVs, but I wouldn't say any of them know my baby better than I do. And kimmer, my baby is 14 months old and still has over 20oz of milk a day, and she's happy and healthy - I wonder what your HV would say to that!