AIBU to cancel health visitor?

[Thejoysof2boys]

Hi

AIBU?

DS2 is 11 days old, and I live in London but I am currently staying out in Essex with my parents for a couple of days as DP had to go away for work unexpectedly. The health visitor called on Monday and asked to come on Weds but we had planned a day out, I tried to schedule the appointment for next week but she was very insistent that she must come this week and Fri and Mon are bank holidays. She said she would try to move someone else and come on Thursday instead which I agreed to.

I have to travel an hour to get home just for this appointment and there are lots of protests going on right now in London where I live practically outside my door which is causing travel disruption. I know I am going to struggle in the morning to get home on the tube with a newborn and a toddler (22 months), and I am very tempted to just cancel and stay at my parents.

I know they have their time limits but I have no concerns with DS2 and we have already been visited by the midwife, would it be bad to cancel and would there be any implications?

Does anyone else have experience of a similar situation? I would feel very bad cancelling at the last minute especially if she had moved someone else but this is really going to be inconvenient for me. It's also not really my fault that they're struggling to fit everyone in before Easter bank holiday.

I was staying at my sisters house when it was time for DS2 to have this visit. I told my Health Visitor where I was going to be and the local one came to see us instead. It was easy to arrange. She was only with us for about 15/20 mins. Not worth struggling home for!

Thanks everyone, I cancelled it although they were supposed to call me back to reschedule and didn't! I will call next week when I am home.

I have nothing against HVs at all and I have always found them to be very useful, I will not opt out but just wanted to reschedule this initial visit. Hopefully I will get to see them next week instead.

The cuts have made it horrendous for them, the local ones to my parents address are six months behind on their 1 and 2 year checks simply because they have no staff! DS1 is 22 months and not walking yet, a suspected issue with the shape of his feet and we had an absolute nightmare getting seen and getting a referral, we're still waiting now!

So well done to all the HVs on here still surviving and still doing a great job you are appreciated by all us mummies :)

I've had both good and bad experiences with HV and a think a lot of people forget that it's not the profession that's an issue, its specific people. You get assholes everywhere, a job title doesn't make one or prevent one.

I had as an independent midwife with DC2 who visited for 3 weeks PP. I had no need of our HV so just declined their services, it wasn’t an issue.

Cancel for sure. It’s like the dental nurse sending out an appointment when your baby doesn’t have any two! Utterly ridiculous. Mostly it’s for uneducated folk who have no idea you shouldn’t put a baby to bed with a bottle or give them orange juice