"I left the appointment disheartened and downbeat"

I took my then 7-month-old baby for his routine review appointment. The HV assistant carried out this appointment. My baby wasn’t even taken out of his pram, no weight or length recorded, they had no idea was he on track with his weight etc. They then asked about feeding and sleeping, everything I told them they corrected me and told me I should be doing something else. There wasn’t one thing I said that they were happy with or told me  was doing a good job with.

I felt they spent the whole time ticking boxes in that they had mentioned feeding, given me a tooth brush and told me to get a stair gate. The appointment wasn’t personal to me or my child, I felt like they listed off at his age the guidelines say he should be doing/not doing XYZ. 

They mentioned in regards feeding that he should have protein before bed as this will help him sleep, their opinion was to go home and start making chicken casserole. As a young mother already overwhelmed by everything the thought of where was I going to get time to make casseroles was too much. I could feel my eyes welling up with tears, they never asked was I ok. 

In the end I left the appointment disheartened and downbeat. It felt like nothing I was doing was right in their opinion. I cried the whole way home. I know my baby is doing well, he is happy and growing, I know him, his quirks and routines and what works for us, so even if he is still getting a night bottle that’s ok (although the guidelines say not) I found this whole appointment a waste of time, like I said my baby wasn’t even looked at.