Health Visitor - Home visit at 6 months?

[OnNaturesCourse]

Hello.

Since having my 2nd I've only seen a HV about 4 times. Never the same person, and even once I had to go to a different clinic in a different area to see one as my area were short staffed.

Last time we seen anyone was when the baby was 4 months old, or there about. I got a phone call this week from a completely new HV advising me she was taking over from X, my previous HV. I had to tell her I didn't even know who X having never met her! Anyway this new HV advised me that she would be doing a home visit next week when my little one will be 6.5 months.

I don't remember getting this done with my first, in fact I didn't have a HV in my home after the first couple of newborn visits.

Are these home visits a thing because of covid?

I asked if I could go into the clinic instead (saves my anxiety cleaning the house all night before) but was told no? But no reason why, she just brushed it off.

You can always refuse, HV visits are optional and you definitely don't have to have anyone in your home that you don't want to have there.

You can just say ‘no thank you’. I didn’t have HV at all after the initial home from hospital contact. I said I would call them if I needed them. There was no issue with this. Then they came again for the 2 year checks. Then I never saw them again.

They aren’t interested in whether you’ve cleaned unless you are living in filth.

It’s just a check up, will probably ask about sleep, weaning etc health promotion/advise if any local activities/schemes you might not be aware of.

I’ve had 4 children and moved house 6 times since my first, doesn’t seem consistent place to place/ child to child, I presume it was just a case of resources and when they have enough staff they can “offer” full service and when they haven’t they cut some things out?

It just seems pointless aside from getting his weight checked...which I can get checked at a walk in weight clinic.

I know they aren't bothered about the house but personally I am when people are coming in, especially poeple I don't know. If it was a HV I knew then it would be different I guess.

I felt the same about the midwives after birth as I'd never once seen the same midwife through pregnancy then I got three different ones with my aftercare.

I didn’t see the HV past the newborn stage, you don’t have to

Now I've said she can come though I'd feel odd suddenly phoning and saying no thank you, as much as I'd like to.

I feel like they'd feel I was hiding something (which I'm definitely not, just hate having them in my house.)

Prehaps I could do the "I could come to you" thing again

No they won’t think you are hiding something please ignore people that say that on here, they just say it to make you see them, they called me about my daughters 2 year check and I said no thanks! Haven’t heard from them again since and she’s 4 now, just say you’ve thought about it and you have decided you don’t need the services anymore but if you change your mind in future then you will contact them. They can’t do anything about you declining an optional service