has anyone ever used a private health visitor

[Reallytired]

If so, how did you go about finding one and how much did it cost?

I only got a temporary health visitor as my GP surgery has no health visitor. I have a history of severe postnatal depression and I am little concerned about the ridiculous workloads that health visitors have and lack of continuity. There are just simply not enough hours in the day to support mothers.

Also I think it would be good if I could have a listening visit when I return to work.

[FluffyBunnyGoneBad]

I trained as a paeds nurse and have worked with a health visitor but heva never heard of private ones. Have you thought of a therapist?

[Sidge]

I'm not aware that there are private HVs - as you know HVs usually have a Child Health caseload based on the GP population practice, so if they're not attached to a GP practice(s) then where would they work from IYKWIM? Who would they take referrals from and liaise with? I suppose you could try contacting a private midwife in your area and asking if they know of any private HVs.

Maybe you need a postnatal doula? Or if you are at high risk of PND maybe a CPN? (I suppose that depends on their referral criteria, you may not meet their threshold).

[dorisbonkers]

Hi. My friend from abroad who had her baby at the Portland had an NHS HV but also paid a private midwife to come and advise her about post baby care (breastfeeding, vaccinations, weaning etc)

She was the wife of one of the Portland doctors, I believe. I could get her number if you wanted to.

I hired a lactation consultant when I lived in Singapore who used to be a UK health visitor so she covered the same ground with me. Expensive, but really money well spent. 8 months later I'm still breastfeeding so I saved the money in formula!

[shish]

This is interesting cos I agree that there seems to be no sort of continuity in the advice that HV's give and they tend to just rush you through. I also wouldn't mind paying for aomeone privately cos I'm really pissed off at the moment with all the conflicting advice I've been getting this week.

[shish]

Dorisbonkers I'd like the number

[peppapighastakenovermylife]

I used a doula - depends what you want really - listening support or baby care advice. I needed support when I started thinking about baby no 2 as had bad pnd with my DS. She came over and did a series of visits whilst we talked things over. I was then going to have her for DD but she left and I used a different one who continued to support me postnatally and now if I wanted support I would just ask.

[dorisbonkers]

OK Shish, let me ask my friend but it may be a few days as she lives abroad.

[shish]

No worries. Thank you x

[Annaloo9]

Hi everyone - New to this thread but very interested in your musings. I had a really helpful health visitor when we had our darling son a few years ago, now we have just had our daughter, it was a complete turn around. The health visitor says she can only visited us once and it was at a time when we were having our baby's naming ceremony. Totally inappropriate. She said she could only visit us then and it would only be the 1 visit - so I had to leave the ceremony and listen to over an hour of 'words' which I couldnt take in. As I was tired, pre-occupied and certainly in need of the loo!
My only wish was that this was done at a time when I more relaxed and possibly when my husband had returned home from work so he could have been a part of the proceedings.
I asked for an evening visit and was told they only work 9 to 5pm and certainly no weekends. This we saw as a huge gap in their service delivery. The only way around this is to ask for a private visit- which of course they cannot do. Now my friend has just told me about a new service which she got a leaflet at her clinic its a new website //www.privatehealthvisitor.com[u][/u] - does anyone know anything about private health visitors are they any good? How do they work? I am interested in using this service I will of course dig some more and offer any more info I find about this service through this forum.

[birdandbee]

There are Health Visitors who work privately- you can find them on google....