Health visitor

[Puddinandpie]

So my question is, is the health visitor mandatory? I've got 5 children now and have never really seen eye to eye with any health visitor, they always rub me up the wrong way or talk to you like your incredibly stupid, very condescending, the last health visitor I had physically forced me to take a sheet of paper telling me why children shouldn't be left in the bath or near hot boiling kettles, I looked at it and instantly explained that I have 4 dc (at the time) and I have kept them safe and loved and cared for this whole time, I definitely know what not to do!! She just stared at me and thrust the paper in my lap, another health visitor failed to spot that my ds had pyloric stenosis and was seriously ill even after I jad mentioned it to her! So when I rang to rearrange my hv app this morning I was told inadvertently I had to see them??? They are always sooo pushy!

I just say thank you and pop the bit of paper in the recycling, I'm the most cautious person so don't need told not to drink hot tea with my baby in my arms.

Try not to get so worked up about it, it's just someone doing their job and there are some right idiots out there, they have to cater to the lowest common denominator

You can opt out. How old is your baby?

I can’t imagine refusing to take a leaflet. Yes it’s common sense but just bin it when they leave? They have to cater for people who may not have English as their first language, people with learning difficulties etc. it’s not a slight on you.

I think you can refuse but it’s probably easier to just accept it’s an hour of your time and be done with it.

I’ve had awful ones. I thought about opting out this time around, but it seemed less hassle to just go along with it at the minimum possible level.

A nice interpretation is that they don’t know who is neglectful/ stupid/ doesn’t speak English, so they have to assume everyone is all three.

No, you don't need to see them. Totally up to you

Guidelines change and they need to make sure every dm is up to date. Imagine if the leaflets about SIDS were just binned?
My HV was indeed crap. I had dc 11 and she still waffled on to me too!

I don't know, my hvs were nice, but I was always nice to them too. It wouldn't have got to the stage where they had to force me to take a piece of paper that their job required them to hand out. You know that you know what you are doing and thst your kids are well taken care of, but they don't. Look at the uproar when abused kids have been allowed to slip through the system. They can't win and to me its a greater good thing.

I’ve had awful ones. I thought about opting out this time around, but it seemed less hassle to just go along with it at the minimum possible level.

They were so awful with second we actually complained in end - they'd just turn up at the door unexpectedly couldn't tell me anything helpful - didn't even know a nearby GP despite being base in one we finally found and joined with no problem - we'd moved with toddler and baby and they made assumptions.

I think I had one home visit with third and then I think one around 12 months at center with another one and then rest was check list letters.

I think you can opt out - but then they threaten raising red flags at you- so often easier to do bare minimum visits smile and nod.

I haven't seen or heard from a HV since lo was 5mo. He's now almost 14mo. Glad really because they didn't seem useful in any way at all 😕

You can opt out of visits and say you will contact them if you need support.

Mine were AWFUL the first time round, missed PND, told me to wean a 13 month old onto a bottle and then water the milk down to night wean etc… Second time I saw them once and then said no thanks to every offer apart from the 2year health check - I think they were pleased, they are very busy!