Community midwives/health visitor home visits still happening?

[LillianFullStop]

Are community midwives and health visitors still doing home visits during the lock down? to weigh/check baby/c-section incisions etc? Or do they expect you to come into the hospital?

I'm due any day and asked my midwife this question a couple of days ago. In my area, they are visiting on day 5 to weigh and do the heel prick test then discharging from there. There are no more visits so anything else is done over the phone. Health visitors are also only doing things over the phone too. Babies won't be weighed between day 5 and the 8 week check here.

I asked about breastfeeding support and all the midwife could advise was that I bought formula in preparation as they expect breast feeding rates to drop to almost zero. I'm in the east so not sure how it differs elsewhere.

My baby is 2 weeks tomorrow. She was offered the day 5 heel prick test and weight as a home visit and originally they said they would call on day 14 to discharge but then later said they are actually offering a clinic session for discharge at 2 weeks but I have declined this as it's a busy health centre that the session would be at and I'd prefer not to take my baby there; I would if I had worries at all but I know she's fine and I've weighed her myself at home so know she's gaining well.
The health visitor did a video call on day 12 and said she will do the same for the 6 week review but the review with the GP will be done at 6 weeks as planned.

Agree with previous poster about breastfeeding; there is no specific support for breastfeeding; I really struggled for the first 3 days and almost gave up as I couldn't get any face to face support. Thankfully I used to work with a lady who is a specialist in breastfeeding who was able to offer some incredible over the phone support so I managed to carry on and now it seems to be going much better but there was certainly none of the traditional support you'd expect to be available for breastfeeding.

We had day 3, 5 and 10 with the midwife and day 14 with the health visitor who won’t come back to 7weeks.

He was weighed at all besides day 10, but I’m bf’ing so maybe they’re more keen to catch problems. Although I’ve moved to expressing a decent bit to make sure I know he’s feeding properly.. other option was buying scales and weighing him before and after a feed or every few days/week.

I know they’re cutting back to as many appointments over the phone as possible and at 6weeks they’re doing the gp’s checks, they’ve set up an email and phone system so you get a quicker response that way than you usually would. And if you have concerns about weight loss etc they can come out.

As a HV we are doing everything by phone now including birth visits

In our areas for health visitors they're doing an antenatal phone call, new birth visit if you're not self isolation, you can request it's a phone call, phone call at 6-8 weeks. That's for those on a universal service, those who have safeguarding concerns etc will receive lore contact but as much as possible will be by phone.

All child health clinics (weighing) were stopped a few weeks ago, they will be asking you about wet and dirty nappies, eye white colour, alertness to gage health. There won't be any breastfeeding support in person.

I'm afraid I don't know about midwives. All health visitors in my team, including the team lead, bar one are being redeployed. (I'm not a health visitor). The one who is staying will be taking on all the families in the area by herself

Like I said this is just our area but is following PHE guidance. It's a difficult time to have a baby

In my trust the HV's are doing no visits at all. Community midwife doing a face to face on day 6 (counting DOB being day 1) and day 14. Phone calls for the primary check (day after hospital discharge) and day 10.

Ante natal checks, face to face at 22, 28, 36, 40. Phone consultation at 31, 38. Scans at 12 and 20

In my trust we are doing a postnatal visit on day 5 for weighing and blood spot test. Second visit on day 14 and discharged then assuming weight gain is good. If baby has lost too much weight at day 5 we add in a day 9 visit also. Breastfeeding support sadly is almost none existent as we have to keep visits to a minimum and not overstay during these so it’s literally a quick weigh and leave.

Such a shame that there's no breastfeeding support. If you can try and join the Facebook group of whoever would have been giving the support. The one I'm on is doing 1:1 Skype sessions for support

Health visitors doing everything over the phone where we are too. Which is a shame because ours is lovely and I actually really liked her visits.

In some areas yes, in some areas no. It will really depend on what your Trust is dealing with elsewhere

There are a lot of charities offering breastfeeding support remotely. La Leche League do phone calls, email, and zoom meetings.

Baby was born on the 16th I’ve had day 2, 5 and day 18 visit from midwife. All rang prior to coming to check if any symptoms in house etc. HV was due to come on day 15 but rang and did a lot over the phone and wouldn’t come as baby had a cough. She is coming tomorrow at day 22 instead to weigh. No weight clinics anymore and unsure if 6-8 week GP check will go ahead. Immunisations will.

Hoping someone can help me on here RE HV doing a home visit! I’m 39 weeks pg and had the initial appointment over the phone when I was experiencing virus symptoms. She told me she would call back in 10 days (End of my isolation period) and would want to visit the same day as calling. I missed her call as I’ve had my bloody show and been having mild contractions, was asleep most of the day. I’ll call her back tomorrow and explain my situation. Things seem to be going slowly and I don’t think it would be practical for a home visit when I’m probably in the early stages of labour. It’s my second child so I don’t think a pre-birth visit is really necessary. My first is 4yo and I don’t think there’s much info/support she can offer that I haven’t already had or experienced. Should I insist she only visit for baby check ups/weigh ins? I see a consultant every 2 weeks and haven’t seen my midwife since I was 32 weeks she has told me I don’t need to go in. Don’t see why a health visitor appointment would still go ahead if I can’t go to my midwife for BP, urine and heartbeat checks which are quite important. I’m surprised they’re still pushing for home visits. What if they’re going in and out of lots of people’s homes all day? It will be potentially spreading the virus for a non-essential service. It’s only essential once discharged from the MW

I would be very surprised if the HV was still visiting. In our area all antenatal contacts for subsequent babies are a phone call anyway (unless there are additional risk factors). Just ring and say you're happy to answer any questions on the phone and can she pop your red book in the post.

Our local midwives have moved their hub to a closed school building and we've had to go there for checks on day 3, 5 and 10.

Health visitors are doing appointments by phone, and while we haven't had it yet apparently the GP are combining the 6 week check with 8 week injections to minimise visits.

My baby is 3 weeks old now, so I wouldnt be surprised if things have changed, but we had face to face midwife appointments in day 3 and 5 - we went to the birth centre for them, they arent doing home visits, although that was the case before the pandemic anyway.

I should have had a 10 day midwife appointment at home but it was never arranged. Health visitor appointment was done by phone on day 11. I asked for baby to be weighed as hadnt been done since day 5. She dropped the scales on my doorstep for me to DIY. Said if I had concerns to contact them, they could triage over the phone and bring scales out again if necessary.

Breastfeeding support is a big concern. We have a local support group but its closed down. I saw the group leader recently and she is worried that breastfeeding rates will really drop now, at a time when breastfeeding is more important than ever. La Leche League are doing online support and so aresome IBCLC consultants.