child health nurse

**jarrahsmumma** · 27-04-2005 15:07

hi all,
just wondering if anyone else has this problem...i really dont get along with my child health nurse, she doesn't listen to my problens and questions she just tells me what i "should" be doing. I dont feel like i can talk to her and really dont want to go back to see her for his 6-8 month check up.

is there any way i can go to a different nurse? there is only one at my clinic so i dont know if i can change clinics?

peace
Natalie
(mumma to Jarrah 6.1.05)

**pinkandblue** · 27-04-2005 15:22

I know what you mean. Our child health nurse is the same. It seems I am doing everything wrong. We just stopped going. If we need to go, we do, but dont listen to what they have to say.
Natalie

**Rell** · 27-04-2005 15:58

I think everyone at some time has experianced onelike yours, I did with my first.I get my sons checkes done at the doctor with his injections. You could also try the local chemist they often have a nurse in once a week. I am fortunate I have found a good one at the chemist and have never taken my son to the actual clinic. Hope you are able to finds one that actualy helps

alicesmum · 27-04-2005 18:19

hi ladies
stories like yours are the reason I have never taken Alice to a CHN. The only contact with medical people she has had since leaving hospital (after being in only 22 hours mind you....yes, I don't like hospitals) has been my GP who also gives her a check up and answers my questions when ever we go for injections.

I am so strongly in favour of trusting your own instincts, getting on the web, reading, and talking with friends and family (or e-friends!!). You can't possibly get more conflicting advice this way thanyou do with CHNs. I always said that in an "emergency" I would call Riverton b4 going to a CHC. We only ever had one real emergency (bad gastro) and we took her to hospital.

I have heard so many stories like this from friends and my mum's friends, so it must have been the case for a long time (at least 28 years anyway!).

Why have you been going Natalie?? Can u just go to your GP instead (don't tell them that though, they will say that you "shouldn't take a perfectly healthy baby to a doctor's surgery"

...but we never had any probs!!

)

**mamafelix** · 27-04-2005 19:10

Yes I also had problems with my CHN, there were two at our centre and one was much more positive, relaxed and open minded than the other.

You don't HAVE to go, it's up to you. You CAN go to another centre if you hear about a friendlier nurse from friends. As said above, you can go to a GP/Chemist nurse if you want specific things done, like weight or whatever.

Really if your bub is healthy and you're happy I can't see a need for it. It's more a service to provide support for mums who don't have another source, and I guess in a public health sense to make sure all those babies out there are being looked after.

I don't think I will go for this next bub, and I didn't go back after Felix was 6 months old. I do have the luxury of a midwife who will check my baby after birth, and a lovely GP I can go to if I have any worries.

**jarrahsmumma** · 27-04-2005 20:32

wow guys thanks for your responses, i have only been twice for his check ups and the first time she told me to keep breastfeeding even thuogh i had told her i was having problems and having to express every feed for him ... for anyone who has had probs you know this is not what you need to hear. the second time she told me he was too fat cause i put him on formula, i could have slapped her

thanks again guys i will just take him to my GP from now on, she is a new mum and lovely too

i thought you had to take them to CHN

peace
natalie

**Megansmum** · 28-04-2005 22:02

Maybe it is just the fact that I live in a little country town but I have found that the Midwives at the Maternity Section of the Hospital that delivered my little girl to be very approachable with any question or problem even to the point of just showing up at the hospital without appointment or notice. Though I have heard that the midwives at the bigger hospitals don't have the time to spend with their mothers to discuss the little things as much as they would like to. They have even offered the service of vaccinations etc when it comes time. Hope this helps.

**Mahjong** · 12-05-2005 09:19

YES! My CHN doesn't listen to me either! I actually changed clinics as they were quite bullying... I went to one when WYatt was 2 weeks old, I thought I was doing an OK job, only to be told that I wasn't doing things right with feeding, sleeping etc, also told me not to listen to my mother for advice and to only listen to them and do what THEY tell me to do with Wyatt.

I came home from this clinic and cried my heart out....

I started a new clinic with the nurse who was my early discharge nurse, she was great and loved Wyatt to death.. she was always encouraging.... then the department transferred her up north

This new one I have is a total cow.... I'm not going back, Wyatt's GP is great and I'll just take him there.

I live on the GOld COast....