Baby clinic, weighing, health visitors

[Chislemum]

I was wondering whether it is wrong - or unreasonable - to stop going to baby clinics and instead weigh my baby at home?

Our baby clinic is really filthy, overheated, etc. Also, the health visitors don't really help at all, just give me incorrect and conflicting information (depending on who you talk to) and worry me needlessly.

Is it normal that all they do at the baby clinic is to weigh babies?

My DS is 5 months and I intend to have all his vaccinations done etc. I just don't like the baby clinic. What would happen (if anything), if I weighed my baby myself and refuse all further contact with HVs but instead take baby to GP if there is a real issue and/or to a privately paid pediatrician?

I have searched the threads on this forum and found lots of info (incl. a thread implying HVs were spies???) - does anyone have a link to something official were it says I don't have to go there and won't lose any entitlement of NHS treatment.... (sorry for my angry tone... was just annoying there today).

[MissyMooandherBeaverofSteel]

I never attended a single baby clinic, I hated them. I also hate health visitors and just told them I was too busy and no-one batted an eyelid.

[JakeBullet]

Hi, as an ex HV I can say you are well within your rights not to go. You don't HAVE to have any HV input if you don't want to. It sounds like a hellish clinic and you will probably do better just weighing your baby at home.

As for conflicting info......it's a nightmare and very common sadly.

[rubyslippers]

they are absolutely non compulsory - you won't lose any entitielment to any NHS services if you don't attend

you don't have to get your child weighed ever at one of those clinics

HVs aren't spies - good ones are there to help and they will. They can be very helpful; and one of mine certainly was

[JakeBullet]

...and no you won't lose any entitlement to NHS treatment.

[WorraLiberty]

Blimey, I stopped taking my 3 when they were about 4 weeks.

It's not compulsory and actually it's an unnecessary waste of their time if you don't feel you need their services.

[Pascha]

You don't have to go there and you won't lose entitlement to anything at all.

I limagine the majority of mums go infrequently at best, if at all. I didn't ever go and we're still standing.

[BigShinyBaubles]

I only took my eldest ds once, couldnt stand it so never took my other two dss!

[MrsHoarder]

Well by around 5 months a lot of mothers start returning to work, do you really think they take a day off each month to have the baby weighed?

[slightlysoupstainedbabygrows]

I went to clinic last week & that was the first time. DS is a couple of weeks younger than yours, Chislemum. Didn't feel I needed to get him weighed again after the 8 week check as he was eating well, & growing out of clothes. Eventually got curious though!

Did the immunisations at GPs. TBH apart from last week have only seen HV twice, I think they're so busy that if you're doing okay they're not going to chase you. Mine said they'd get in touch around 5 months to see if I needed any help, but other than that to feel free to phone or come to clinic if I needed help.

[ShamyFarrahCooper]

Mine pestered me for a year about my ds' 2 year check. She was lovely but argh he didn't NEED it. I made sure he had his vaccinations, but no I didn't need them to tell me that yes he can do this, that & the other.

[SneakyNuts]

I've never been!

[SamSmalaidh]

You know you are only supposed to go to the clinic once a month at most, unless you have a problem? Otherwise you're just taking up HV time unnecessarily.

Go for vaccinations, you'll probably be offered a developmental check at 2, but other than that clinic attendance isn't necessary.

[EnjoyResponsibly]

I hated going. I thought it'd be really nice and fun measuring milestones, but had the same experience as you OP.

The only part l liked was to walk with DS in the pram, but on top of all that we were summarily reassigned to a different clinic location when DS was 4 months old. New clinic all sparkly but in the middle of a really, really nasty area. Too intimidating. So that was that.

[lovelyladuree]

My DD was prem, so I used to enjoy getting her weighed etc. I didn't necessarily like the HVs very much. I guess the ones who say they never went were the working mums who only took 2 weeks of maternity leave babies are such an inconvenience Stop going if you aren't getting anything out of it.

[BartletForTeamGB]

After we had sorted out BFing, I never went at all. I don't know why people go routinely. I'd only go if there was something wrong.

[Chislemum]

Thanks very much for all the helpful answers. Yes, I only went every four weeks, well actually I waited 6 weeks with the last visit. I will get myself some scales and just get on with it.

Everyone around me seems to go on a regular basis and the HV stressed the importance of the clinic so that I honestly thought it was compulsory. Only reading through mumsnet did I start wondering.....!

Thanks sooooo much.

[Notanexcitingname]

If there are no underlying health concerns you don't even need a pair of scales until you're thinking of a new car seat :).

The current NICE (National Institute of Clinical Excellence) guidelines is to weigh 3 times in the first year, if no concerns.

Personally I'd be thinking about making a complaint over HVs who had so misled me, but I can well imagine you have other things to do :)

[Feminine]

I didn't go.

don't blame you :)

[KenLeeeeeee]

I have never been to a baby clinic. DC4 was last weighed by the HV when he was about 12 weeks old (he's coming up to 8 months now) and then also weighed by the paediatrician when he was in hospital with a chest infection.

HV visits are totally non-compulsory, don't worry about it. If you don't want to go, don't go. It sounds like you have very good reasons to steer clear of them!

[Pandemoniaa]

I used to take ds1 to the hell that was baby clinic until I realised that it wasn't compulsory. When ds2 came along, he went once and that was once too often.

[butterflymum]

You've already had plenty of good answers to your question, so can I just pick up on:

Quote: "Our baby clinic is really filthy, overheated, etc"

I sincerely hope you can spare some time to report/highlight your concerns to someone in a position to act appropriately in resolving the issues, as so far, it seems no one else has bothered (could be others feel the same but think 'someone else' will act, and no one ever has/will).

[Fairylea]

I went with dd now aged 9 as I thought you were supposed to.... I hated it. I think seeing all the other mums seemingly coping so much better than me (they probably weren't in reality) actually contributed to my pnd.

With ds now 7 months I haven't been to a single one and he hasn't been weighed by anyone since we were discharged from hv and midwife at about 6 weeks.

[mummysmellsofsick]

I've never been. DS last officially weighed at about 6 weeks. I've weighed him myself since then