Home antenatal visit?

[elderberryspokes]

I received a letter last week saying that I will be having a home antenatal visit one afternoon, when I will be 33 weeks pregnant. The midwife hasn?t mentioned it, and there are no other details on the letter (not even the name of who will be visiting) to give me any kind of clues about the purpose of the visit.

Has anyone else had one of these?

I had counselling for depression (related to something that happened when I was a teenager ? it isn?t a chemical thing) about five years ago but have not had any problems since. Because of this, I?ve been signed up for shared care (so far this has involved a five minute appointment with a consultant who asked how I was feeling and took my blood pressure). This is the only reason I can think for having a home visit, as none of my friends or colleagues who have recently had children have had a home visit. It had made me slightly paranoid that I am being inspected in some way...

If anyone has had any experience of home visits before the birth and what they involve, I would love to hear from you ;)

[Littlemissexpecting]

Where we are we get a home visit from a community midwife support worker. Friends have said they mostly talk about breastfeeding.

[BabyHMummy]

I had a home visit from hv 2 weeks ago. If its them its nothing to do with Ur depression it has just occurred to them that a random stranger turning up a week after baby is born and asking sh1t loads of questions is a really crappy idea.

If there is a contact num on the letter ring and ask

[Finallygotaroundtoit]

Just cos you're pregnant an un named person has told you they expect to be let into your home 'one afternoon' !

And you have no idea why!

Jeepers !!!

[Bunnychan]

I had my midwife come to my house discuss my birthing plan around that time. Is there a number you can phone to ask about it? I wouldn't worry about it though! X

[BraveLilBear]

That seems so random... And to be honest, is a little bit vague, no wonder you're worried. A lot of women are still at work at 33 weeks - and there is no phone number to cancel? I'd give your MW a call if I were you...

[craftycottontail]

I had exactly the same experience - a random note dropped through my door with an appointment time. I phoned them and told them I'd still be at work on that date and they would have to come another time, which they did.

The appointment mainly consisted of them (HV and student) asking if I'd been told about X, me saying 'er, yes, a few times', and them giving me a leaflet about X to make sure.

Ended up with a pile of leaflets that I'd already been given at antenatal classes about breastfeeding, PND etc. The only useful thing they brought was a booklet about immunisations that I hadn't had before, and the little red record book.

One of my friends had a theory that they visit you just to suss you out, check the home looks alright and that you're going to manage etc. Bit invasive and stealthy if that is the reason though!

[Persuasion]

In my area the midwives do home visits at around 36 weeks, to talk about SIDS and safe bedding etc. I was told about it in my antenatal class but haven't had the visit yet. I'd definitely call the midwife or ask at your next appointment though, you should be told why before you let some random person into your house!

[photographerlady]

my MW is coming round at 34 weeks, all routine apparently.

[Frecklers]

Photographerlady is right. I worked as a community midwife for 5 years. NICE recommend midwives do home visit between 34-36 weeks to discuss feeding, home safety & birth plan. It's all quite routine, but you can decline if you wish.

[BraveLilBear]

Frecklers - out of interest, how much is the home visit to do with 'checking up' on people? Seems like a huge resource to send midwives out to homes (rather than have them in one place to be able to see more people easily).

In which case, would there be an expectation to have a tour of the house and see where baby will sleep (and have everything ready by then)? I'm 30 weeks and tho we have a moses basket, have very little else yet and won't until 34 weeks at the earliest.

Also out of interest, are most pregnant women at home by then? Am I just a freak of nature for working til nearly 38 weeks (really odn't think I am!)?

[bogwoppitinatree]

Mine came a couple of weeks ago. We tidied downstairs for her and ended up having the whole appointment in our (extremely messy) bedroom (there were pants on the floor which I think she noticed me kicking under the bed :() so she could listen to heart beat etc. She was really nice and I didn't feel like we were being checked upon. I asked if it was just something they did for people planning home births but she said it is routine for everyone to have a home visit at around that time.