Health visitors when you say no

[Nc4post99]

Appreciate things might have changed due to Covid but when I had dd in 2019, the HV didn’t do an ante natal check but came at day 5 for a ‘house inspection’ of sorts. It felt awfully invasive although we did oblige thinking it would be just where baby sleeps etc, but she checked every single room in the house passing comment on decor etc- was weird.

Fast forward to now. I do plan on having more limited involvement with HV past 6 weeks and not really going to weight checks as we have a baby scale at home and their advice with dd was atrocious, so don’t see the point.

But will they want to look around my house this time? DH and I are fine to do the weight checks in the early weeks of life to make sure feeding is going a ok, but I don’t want a home inspection. Is this even a thing anymore? You reckon if it’s brought up I can just explain baby will be sleeping in a next to me, we know about safe sleep and will follow the guidelines but don’t feel the need for a house inspection? Last thing I want is social services called and you hear horror stories

(We’re a relatively well off couple no concerns from a welfare point of view. We have a paed for my daughter so any concerns and we’ll be straight there (no waiting) )

^if it wasn’t 100% I’m 32 weeks with dc 2 x

My health visitor didn't do a home inspection with either child. I won't say the years but not huge amounts of time away from you. Also, they couldn't make a referral to children's services just based on you saying 'no, sorry, you can't have a nose round upstairs'

No it is optional. I said no because DS was sleeping in my room & I was bleeding everywhere including onto the carpet (sorry if too much info). HV was really understanding.

I’ve honestly never heard of this before. I had my first dc in 2012 and second in 2015. It does sound terribly invasive. I wouldn’t have thought they could insist on a full inspection unless there is a massive back story you’re not telling us. I hardly ever had dc2 weighed at the baby clinic. I could see she was thriving and gaining weight and no one commented on it at all.

I wonder why she inspected your house? Seems a bit odd. My HV just asked me how I was getting on and went through some questions related to PND. She never looked around the house.

Mine didn’t do a home inspection, but the experience with them was horrific. Watching as I’ll be opting out entirely next time(if we can).

I can't remember which visit it was but I remember my hv coming out for appointment re ds, who at the time was asleep In his cot in his room (I did have a video monitor on me) they asked a few routine questions and insisted on seeing ds otherwise they wouldn't be able to say they had completed the visit 🤨

Your HV was weird. They don’t inspect normally. Tbh you don’t need them - just decline visits.

I had DD in December 2019 and although my HV came out for a pre and post baby visit, she never once inspected the house. In fact on her pre baby visit we sat in the conservatory and chatted while she gave us all the leaflets and for the post baby visit we were all in the living room.

The only person to come to our bedroom was the midwife for DD's heel prick and to check my stitches

Mine came to the house with my first but it wasn’t an inspection. She came into the living room, asked some questions, had a chat, left. I think you got VERY unlucky & just had an unschool nosy one!

I’ve literally never seen a HV with my second. Covid. They called once or twice maybe.

Last autumn I bad the HV round for my newborn. She did pop upstairs to check baby sleeping space (she did ask first). Literally looked at next to me and went yep all fine.

Weigh clinic wise my area are not doing them as they did pre-covid. Midwives are weighing at one week give or take depending upon when you get out of hospital. Health visitor coming at one month-ish for a home weigh (and general check/chat). After that it is only for clinical need at which point I think despite your home scales you would be encouraged to have them because some sort of problem had been highlighted. If all if well they are 'at the end of the phone' but no contact until 12 month development check. I did get a letter for a free webinar on weaning but didn't do it and no one questioned me.

Different areas are doing different things though currently.

Tbh, you'll be unlikely to get the offer of HV support. The service has been decimated and spread very thinly.

You can decline anything you don't want, you are in your own home and get to say what goes on there.

(It is worth saying that some HV are incredibly skilled professionals and I was lucky to have amazing support when I needed it with my second child. I feel sad knowing that in the same circumstances today I'd have been left to flounder.)

Mine did a home inspection. She whinged because the bathroom was being tiled and wrote down that my home didn’t have suitable facilities for a baby. Said she had to come back in a couple of weeks to check the new bathroom and if we didn’t have one she’d report us to social services.

You can decline anything you don't want
Mine said if I refused access she’d have to inform social services that she had been unable to ascertain the safety of my baby and verify the suitability of his living conditions.

Starting to think it was more of a blessing than I realised having a baby during covid 🤣

That's so weird. I never had a home inspection. They kind of looked around the living room we were already in, commented on his sleep space there and the fact he had little sensory toys. I had two different HV as the first moved and both were very lovely.

She came in, and obviously saw downstairs, we have a kitchen a loo and an open plan lounge dining room, made her a cuppa and sat in the lounge. We combi fed at the beginning due to poor latch at the hospital so she wanted to see the steriliser and where we made any bottles, which was the kitchen so she saw that.
She then wanted to see where baby slept, and would sleep when it was her own room. So she saw our bedroom and what was pretty much an empty room at that point minus wardrobe. Then said it’s important to check the other rooms whilst I’m up here- felt odd at the time and we were a bit like oh ok…. This is the office and this is the spare room….

It’s a new built house to so it wasn’t like it was under renovation and something could have been dangerous. I mean you see one nee build you’ve kinda seen them all really

@CamillaRose

Mine did a home inspection. She whinged because the bathroom was being tiled and wrote down that my home didn’t have suitable facilities for a baby. Said she had to come back in a couple of weeks to check the new bathroom and if we didn’t have one she’d report us to social services.

Oh forgot she wanted to see that the baby had place for a bath too so saw the bathrooms x

My oldest is 20 and my youngest is 4 and I've had children in between those 2 as well, I haven't had a HV nosing about with any of my dc.

I said to them all that I was confident and would just be doing their jabs and their development checks and would call if I needed anything and they were absolutely fine.

@CamillaRose

You can decline anything you don't want Mine said if I refused access she’d have to inform social services that she had been unable to ascertain the safety of my baby and verify the suitability of his living conditions.

I think you making this up

No ‘inspection’ with either of mine. I did say to my first that I was worried that I hadn’t done the housework and she said she’d be more likely to offer to help with the washing up than judge me for not having done it.
The second made it into the sitting room and straight back out but that was in Covid times.

sorry but think she was pulling your leg, she wanted to nose at your house. I've had 2 babies and been involved with many others. HVs don't house check. they are simply to check the health of a baby.

I've never heard of anyone having Ng a home inspection! My boys were born 2013 and 2016. My health visitor came in a sat in the living room. I don't think she asked where they slept!

Before I had my last baby I heard so many people had the same experience as you I didn't luckily but they did ask to see bedroom for the first time and didn't with my other children so guessing rules have changed

That was recently I should have added