Health Visitor Advice

Liney · Feb 10th, 2010, 11:58 AM

Hi ladies

I am just wondering what you would do. My lo in 4 months old on Monday and only just weighs 11lbs. She has started to wake up 3 times in the night, having only woken once. I normally feed her and she goes straight back to sleep. Sometimes though I put the mobile above her cot on and she goes off. The room is dark and we don't talk!

I spoke to the health visitor today and basically she said that I am doing it all wrong. Under no circumstances should we ever put the cot mobile on at night as it is too much stimulation, I shouldn't be feeding her at all she's just using me to get back to sleep and isn't actually hungry and that I should just give her a dummy instead! When I pushed her on the not feeding, she said that maybe just once a night about 3am as she is so small.

What do you think of this advice? Am I doing everything wrong?

Thanks

Aidan's Mummy · Feb 10th, 2010, 12:02 PM

That sounds very strange

Aidan used to have a mobile and it used to get him to sleep, so i'm not sure where she got that one from

As for feeding hun if she waked up and she is hungry then I would just feed her. You do feel what you think is best for your LO
xx

lisac25 · Feb 10th, 2010, 12:02 PM

i let my little girl drop night feeds by herself, in the first few months she was having 2 feeds a night then dropped to just one and at about 5 1/2 6 months ish she dropped that one too, i think up till 6 months if they want a feed in the night you should let them x

Rachel_C · Feb 10th, 2010, 12:07 PM

Think I'd ignore the health visitor! If your LO is hungry, feed her

If she really was just using you to get back to sleep, wouldn't she just have a few sucks and not drink much at all? Isn't there supposed to be a growth spurt at around 4 months too? She probably is hungrier than usual. My LO is bottle fed on demand. She slept through the night from about 4 weeks but then at three months, started waking again. Now sometimes she wakes once, sometimes it'll be three times. I just feed her what she wants - babies know what they need.

Seraphim · Feb 10th, 2010, 12:07 PM

She's your baby hon.
The HV I saw was full of *&^%, told us to leave a 2 week old baby to cry.
They're by no means The Knowledge.
I think you should do what you thinks best.

Buffy71 · Feb 10th, 2010, 12:09 PM

They really p me off when they give this message. Your baby-your way!! Unless you are doing something that will harm your baby - they should stick to giving advice not critisism. She was clearly not listening to your MAIN concern - namely whether you should be giving extra feeds to a waking light baby or should you continue to resettle her - WHICH incidently is why we buy mobiles. FFS!!

Rather than responding with unhelpful advice about overstimulation (which if your lo is going back to sleep isn't the issue!) it would have been useful if shed given you advice in extra feeds!!

Stupid woman.

I'd ask the doctor for advice on weight gain for baby. I often wonder where these hv train! Mine is good and listens but I know some are just dreadful!!! (rant!!).

I bet you're doing a great job. You know what settles your baby. Xxx

pheobe · Feb 10th, 2010, 12:13 PM

ignore your HV she sounds like she's from planet knob head...along with mine lol!

Listen to the other ladies...your baby - your way

xxx

Lucy_lu_84 · Feb 10th, 2010, 14:47 PM

Ignore HV...they honestly talk shite!

My LO was feeding 2 hourly at night until almost 5 months and still has a night feed now. If your LO is hungry you will know so feed!

As for mobile, if it sends him to sleep then use it!

Thats why I don't bother with HV anymore lol

Liney · Feb 10th, 2010, 15:21 PM

Thanks lovelies, this is what I thought too, but you know when someone plants a seed of doubt in your head you start to question things. It's business as usual!

Gemma Simone · Feb 10th, 2010, 15:49 PM

I wouldn't listen to the HV either. You can even buy those music things that attach to the cot and are activated to play music when the baby cries. I bought one and it soothes chloe back to sleep. i can't see how a little gentle music could be bad!
my LO still has a feed in the night and she's nearly 8 months. She was feeding a lot more regularly than that until quite recently and I do believe it was because she was using me to settle rather than actual hunger but we tried a little bit of controlled crying and now she sleeps a little better. Our HV said not to feed at all but thats easier said than done!

Feb 10th, 2010, 11:58 AM	#1
Liney Pregnant (Expecting) Active BnB Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 254	Health Visitor Advice Hi ladies I am just wondering what you would do. My lo in 4 months old on Monday and only just weighs 11lbs. She has started to wake up 3 times in the night, having only woken once. I normally feed her and she goes straight back to sleep. Sometimes though I put the mobile above her cot on and she goes off. The room is dark and we don't talk! I spoke to the health visitor today and basically she said that I am doing it all wrong. Under no circumstances should we ever put the cot mobile on at night as it is too much stimulation, I shouldn't be feeding her at all she's just using me to get back to sleep and isn't actually hungry and that I should just give her a dummy instead! When I pushed her on the not feeding, she said that maybe just once a night about 3am as she is so small. What do you think of this advice? Am I doing everything wrong? Thanks

Status: Offline

Feb 10th, 2010, 12:02 PM	#2
Aidan's Mummy Mum (Mom) BnB Elite Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Hull Posts: 10,998	That sounds very strange Aidan used to have a mobile and it used to get him to sleep, so i'm not sure where she got that one from As for feeding hun if she waked up and she is hungry then I would just feed her. You do feel what you think is best for your LO xx

Status: Offline

Feb 10th, 2010, 12:02 PM	#3
lisac25 Pregnant (Expecting) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: kent, uk Posts: 1,367	i let my little girl drop night feeds by herself, in the first few months she was having 2 feeds a night then dropped to just one and at about 5 1/2 6 months ish she dropped that one too, i think up till 6 months if they want a feed in the night you should let them x

Status: Offline

Feb 10th, 2010, 12:07 PM	#4
Rachel_C Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 6,835	Think I'd ignore the health visitor! If your LO is hungry, feed her If she really was just using you to get back to sleep, wouldn't she just have a few sucks and not drink much at all? Isn't there supposed to be a growth spurt at around 4 months too? She probably is hungrier than usual. My LO is bottle fed on demand. She slept through the night from about 4 weeks but then at three months, started waking again. Now sometimes she wakes once, sometimes it'll be three times. I just feed her what she wants - babies know what they need.

Status: Offline

Feb 10th, 2010, 12:07 PM	#5
Seraphim Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Dartmoor, Devon Posts: 7,073	She's your baby hon. The HV I saw was full of *&^%, told us to leave a 2 week old baby to cry. They're by no means The Knowledge. I think you should do what you thinks best.

Status: Offline

Feb 10th, 2010, 12:09 PM	#6
Buffy71 Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: London Posts: 4,904	They really p me off when they give this message. Your baby-your way!! Unless you are doing something that will harm your baby - they should stick to giving advice not critisism. She was clearly not listening to your MAIN concern - namely whether you should be giving extra feeds to a waking light baby or should you continue to resettle her - WHICH incidently is why we buy mobiles. FFS!! Rather than responding with unhelpful advice about overstimulation (which if your lo is going back to sleep isn't the issue!) it would have been useful if shed given you advice in extra feeds!! Stupid woman. I'd ask the doctor for advice on weight gain for baby. I often wonder where these hv train! Mine is good and listens but I know some are just dreadful!!! (rant!!). I bet you're doing a great job. You know what settles your baby. Xxx

Status: Offline

Feb 10th, 2010, 12:13 PM	#7
pheobe Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Manchester Posts: 764	ignore your HV she sounds like she's from planet knob head...along with mine lol! Listen to the other ladies...your baby - your way xxx

Status: Offline

Feb 10th, 2010, 14:47 PM	#8
Lucy_lu_84 Pregnant (Expecting) BnB Addict Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Rugby Posts: 3,622	Ignore HV...they honestly talk shite! My LO was feeding 2 hourly at night until almost 5 months and still has a night feed now. If your LO is hungry you will know so feed! As for mobile, if it sends him to sleep then use it! Thats why I don't bother with HV anymore lol

Status: Offline

Feb 10th, 2010, 15:21 PM	#9
Liney Pregnant (Expecting) Active BnB Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 254	Thanks lovelies, this is what I thought too, but you know when someone plants a seed of doubt in your head you start to question things. It's business as usual!

Status: Offline

Feb 10th, 2010, 15:49 PM	#10
Gemma Simone Pregnant (Expecting) Active BnB Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Reading, Berkshire Posts: 805	I wouldn't listen to the HV either. You can even buy those music things that attach to the cot and are activated to play music when the baby cries. I bought one and it soothes chloe back to sleep. i can't see how a little gentle music could be bad! my LO still has a feed in the night and she's nearly 8 months. She was feeding a lot more regularly than that until quite recently and I do believe it was because she was using me to settle rather than actual hunger but we tried a little bit of controlled crying and now she sleeps a little better. Our HV said not to feed at all but thats easier said than done!

Status: Offline

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