Opinions on health visitors please!

[weesaidie]

Hello

My mum works in management in NHS and used to be a (fantastic!) health visitor... she wanted me to ask for mumsnets views and experiences, good and bad, of health visitors. So they can work on the system...

So. EVERYONE, please... Tell me what they do right, what they do wrong, personal experiences and so forth. What could be changed/improved?

Thanks very much.

The HVs I have had contact with have been great.

The HV I had after DS2 was very supportive during the first 15 months when DS2 had problems and was very supportive to me - the HV was a male and I found that a refreshing change.

As always they are overstretched and understaffed but my experineces are positive.

When we lived in Moray I had an unbelievable Health Visiotr. After i had DS1, i had decided to bottle feed, he wanted fed constantly and i just couldn't do it. She tore strips off me, telling me i was going to jeopardise my childs health, and he would become asthmatic/diabetic etcetc. She then told me to get rid of the dogs as it was unhealthy. My DH had to go away for three weeks when DS was a few weeks old. She was useles then as well, told me to pull myself together. One time Dh came home when she was round and he put her out the house and told her never to come round again. What made me laugh was that she had no kids, or husband and never had. She was in her fifties and trying to tell me what to do.
With DS2 we were living in Camridgeshire and i had severe PND, i never saw my HV once, i ended up moving surgeries.

our hvs are absolutely fine, one better than the other but no major difference. My experience has been pretty good as they mostly listened to what I said and then said 'that sounds fine'. I think that's good as people do vary hugely in what's important to them and most of it is fine.

ds was losing weight and they tried so hard to reassure me - when the gp sent me off to A&E and we were in hospital for 3 days they let me know very subtly that they were glad ds was fine but they thought the gp had overreacted a bit. but they made sure that i would be ok with that info before giving it. all done very gently with no dogmatic statements. they seemed to really know how sensitive the postnatal period is.

Only bad experiences so dont bother.

My first DD is now seven weeks old. Seen health visitor twice, both different people. First one was lovely, not completely clued up on everything (not able to help with breastfeeding, good job I'd had help from midwives that looked after me when I left hospital) but they are doing a bit training drive in my area, especially on things like clicky hip, which my DD has a hosptial appointment for next week due to being a breechie. Didn't know everything but was very supportive and encouraging.
Second HV was lovely too, again nice and supportive, just came to do weight and seemed nice.
Going to baby clinic on Thursday for first jabs and all new sets of measurements etc so will have to see how that goes.

My Hv for ds told me if I didn't wean onto solids at 16 weeks, his speech wouldn't develope properly.

So, 16 weeks being the general advice at tha time, I did.

His speech didn't develope 'properly' anyway.

Seems to me that different HVs' views about things are as varied as all the different baby books out there. IMO though, I want the HV to be more impartial and more expert, so that they can help mums to know about the actual evidence-based pros and cons of eg controlled crying, breastfeeding etc but in the end leave it to the parents unless the child/family really is at risk. The HVs I've seen and heard about locally seem to do too much 'campaigning' on personal hobbyhorses or outdated info and not enough informing and really supporting.

My HV is the most drippy, ineffectual person I've come across in a long time and I thank my lucky stars that DS is doing fine without needing any input from her.

My HV is very good because:

-She always has time for me
-She does what she says she will do (I asked about getting ds' eyes checked because dd1 has a bad squint - she rang the opthalmologist at the hospital for advice and relayed this back to me)
-She is supportive of my decision to 100% breastfeed and not wean until 6 months, but does not criticise others who have chosen to bottlefeed or wean earlier (although she has been firm with another mum about not weaning before 16 weeks)
-She always has the scales with her just in case
-She is great with my dds as well. She noticed dd1 has molloscum on her face, but waited until dd1 had left the room to discuss it with me
-She is not dogmatic at all
-She picked up on a friend's PND and took the initiative in dealing with it

I could go on...she is really good. Oh, and not only all that, but she is covering two areas atm as there is a job vacancy in my area (incidentally, that's probably over 100 square miles too)!

Mine were pretty hopeless and clearly knew nothing about weed

Have had 2 HV, first was excellent, visited regularly and was never rushing, and gave me lots of support when I needed it. Never made me feel stupid or like I was panicking for no reason- also, most importantly, recognised that sometimes if I was down it was not necessarily PND- our first ds was stillborn only 9 months before ds2 was born, and she was so good at letting me talk about that and acknowledging the effect that his death had on my parenting and experiences. It was very much a mixed time for me.

With dd now have another excellent HV, think she actually retired and came back to work. Very encouraging about MW "concernes" over dd's weight and excellent support re breast feeding. Has offered to come and weight dd at home until 4m old so can avoid clinic until she is bigger. I was surprised at this but will take her up on it, as not sure ds would walk all the way to clinic! She just gives the air of having every confidence in you, which makes you have confidence in yourself. Also gave me her home phone no without me asking (not that I would have!) Said "it's not just for decoration, please ring me at the weekends if you need me" How nice is that??!! Haven't so far but wouldn't hesitate if I felt I needed to.

hi, I work as a health visitor and hope that information I give is up to date and relevant although, I must admit not everyone's is. I find it quite frustrating when there are health visitors that just serve to give us a bad name by giving out of date information and poor support. I guess one of the thing that helps is that I have two small children (3yrs and 4 months) so I definately know what it can be like as a parent. As far as breastfeeding support goes we get very little training in this and it is very much something that you pursue as an individual. i am currently training as a breastfeeding counsellor so that hopefully I can provide more support.

My main HV is useless. When my DS was born and I was really struggling with BF for which we had been tly re admitted back into hospital for as he was dehydrated she offered to come round in three weeks time to help me. 3 weeks to a woman who was struggling very badly. She is constrantly on the look out for PND so asks very inapproprite questions to hopefully discover that you have PND The only reason I would develp PND is her harrassing and useless advice. There are a number of other HV's on the team and they really vary. One is absolutely great - she listens, supports and offers practical solutations and the other just a bit strange. A mixed bag is about the kindest thing I could say.

Mine is sh*t!! She offers unasked for opinions, suggests that DH beats me as I once had bruise on my arm (was bfeeding and low on iron - should've seen my shins!), says DS1 can't hear, yet he passed hospital hearing test! (mum is partially deaf in one hear - so it's hiereditary(sp??) even though she didn't loose any hearing until she was 4 and had measles), he's got behavioural problems but still better behaved than 90% of the other kids I see, I have issues as I went to see a hypno guy for arachnophobia, DH is mental (I guess that'a a matter of opinion), DS1 has def. got a lazy eye, though the hospital again tested him, as does the opthalmist every 6 months and they both say he's got great sight - but of course they must be wrong, umm what else? She's nosey, pushy, jumps to conclusions, a right pain in the arse. I hate her. Spoke to her yesterday about something to give her another chance - am now going to ask to have someone else - she laughs that DS is being socially excluded by what she calls a group of alpha males at playschool - says there are "certain types of children who just don't fit in" and DS is one of them. Can feel arm going back and fist clenching just thinking about her. I can't tell you enough how rubbish she is and how much I destest her. Wow, that feels better. Thanks

Oh yes, the bit*h was ALWAYS late by at least half an hour - every stinking time!

had some bad experiences with HVs - found my first two very undermining and they destroyed my self confidence. Very keen on sweeping criticism, whilst giving grudging compliments. Apparently the local HV belief is that mums who are depressed shouldn't be given reassurance that they are doing well, as that means they won't actually do what the HV tells them to do.

My sister's HV tried to trick her into signing a blanket consent form for all immunisations. My sister had taken a considered view that the 8, 12, and 16 week vaccinations were too early and she would wait until her dd was a few months older. She explained politely to the HV that she was going to have her dd vaccinated but not yet. Next time she went to get her dd weighted the healthcare assistant said 'ooh, we've just got a piece of paper for you to sign.' Turned out to be a single consent form for every childhood vaccination.

My sister is NOT impressed. And not that easily tricked either.

My HV is briliant. She calls me by name and makes me feel like I'm an individual and she knows me. Knows the names of both my children. When I was struggling with DD's weight (breastfed) and doctor at hospital suggested weaning (at 3 months!!!!!!!!!!!), she supported my decision to continue bfeeding.

Had problems with return to work and she suggested various organisations who could help me out, even though I wouldn't have thought it would be part of her remit.

Btw, sister is a student nurse aged 33 with a long experience as a carer for people with learning difficulties but they still talk to her as if she's a very stupid 3yo... think her HVs talk to all mothers like that.

Current one is great. She contacted me after a miscarriage and effectively gave me a few sessions counselling. From what she said, she does this for non child related issues eg people who are going through relationship breakdowns. The GPs appear to use her as a counsellor before they will prescribe ADs. She wasn't around when my children were little babies so don't know what she would be like in the more traditional areas.

My main HV was wonderful. Caring, encouraging and professional (eg. up to date with latest recommendations etc). Others on the team who helped out during her holiday were greatas well. I cannot praise them highly enough. DS is 22 weeks and there is no pressure to start solids either. Good information and practical support. I actually look forward to clinic weigh in and a chat about DS's progress!

A couple of them gave me their home numbers/mobile numbers so that I could contact them for help with BF. I combindation fed DS for eight weeks, before moving over to completely formula feeding. My HV's support and encouragement meant that I did at least carry on with the b-feeding for this long, and that I got over the guilt that I felt for not 'doing it properly', or bf-ing for longer.

In terms of recommendations I think that every HV should be trained bf counsellor and that there should be more back up for them - caring individuals should not have to give out their home numbers to new mums so that they can ring for advice and help 'out of hours'. If the NHS is serious about supporting breast feeding there has to be an acknowledgement in practical terms that babies do not feed in office hours only and HVs cannot necessarily make flying visits!

Can't find out how to edit a post - new to MN. Meant the last line to mean that HVs need to spend time with mums and babies not just fly in and out of the house - bet their workload does not take this into account.

If HV cannot help with bf why aren't some refering mums to make use of NCT bf counsellors and the NCT breastfeeding hotline , and orgainistions like La Leache.

No need to contact HV out of hours and at home when these are available to mums.

may not be the same as taking to someone you know but the help is there.

My HV is awful. She's patronising, unsympathetic and rude. I had a severe case of the baby blues after birth and my HV just told me to pull myself together - luckily I spoke to my GP who told me my feelings were normal and would pass in time (they did).

On her first (and only) home visit, she made me feel like a bad mother for having early problems with bfing - said it was a natural thing that every woman could do. She also made me feel very guilty for even contemplating formula feeding (I'm still bfing but no thanks to her).

I tend to avoid my HV where possible and luckily there is a community health centre which does baby checks which I go to instead. However I do tend to find that the younger HV's tend to toe the latest government line and just hand out leaflets whilst the older HV's rely more on their own experience with babies.

My HV was a lovely woman. She really really cared. She told me that she wanted to become a HV when as a midwife she realised that she never got much hands on with actual babies!
She was as informative as I needed...I never had to depend on her, so only saw the good stuff really.