The first time I rocked up to a Baby Clinic, I remember having absolutely no clue what to expect.

With a colicky baby, and not enough sleep under my belt, I was a frazzled mess!  There really wasn’t any need to worry though – and hopefully this brief rundown of what happens at baby clinics will put a few minds at ease!

It’s actually not that big of a deal, and it isn’t mandatory to attend.  Despite how stressed I was about them leading up to those first few visits, I was always glad I went afterwards as I felt vindicated as a parent when I saw that my baby was growing and thriving.

Basically, all that happens is you turn up and wait for your baby’s name to be called (this process might vary slightly by region) Then you strip baby down and the Health Visitor weighs and measures him/her. The measurements are recorded on your baby’s centile chart, which basically shows whether your baby is a healthy weight for their age or not. If your baby is on the small / big side, your Health Visitor will offer advice if deemed necessary.

Remember, this is a perfect opportunity to chat to the Health Visitor if you have any concerns about your baby.  This doesn’t necessarily have to be about their weight! It could be about feeding, sleeping or general development. The best possible advice I could offer here, would be to write them down beforehand so you don’t get flustered and forget when you’re there. This is especially useful if baby doesn’t appreciate being weighed!

Things you’ll need…

I would definitely recommend that you bring a spare nappy. Babies take being naked as an invitation to pee – wherever they are!

Your baby’s health record. You’ll have received this little book from your Midwife / Health Visitor (mine most recent baby’s was red but my older baby’s were yellow)  It’s where all your baby’s measurements and developmental milestones will be recorded.

What else would you advise? Tell us in the comments!