Home Visit Pre Birth

[horseynewmum]

I'm currently 21+2 with first DC. The midwife I currently see is not able to see me at home after birth due to where I live (I'm just outside their boundary) so she explained I'll be seen by a different team after birth. No concerns about this. On my last appointment with midwife she told me I would not be getting a pre-birth home visit as they have no concerns.

Today a midwife from the other team and left a message saying they were coming by in tomorrow morning some time.

Is this normal to have a pre birth visit and isn't it a bit early for me?

round here you don't get a home visit unless you are having a homebirth, but clearly in your area you do!
don't suppose it matters when they do it though? what is it for?

Well the thing that worries me is i'm not having a home birth and spoken to a friend who had a baby recently and she never got one either so i'm a bit worried why. I don't know why message said they will be over sometime in the morning no number left and number called of was private.

The second half of my booking-in appt was a home visit! I think different areas do it differently? Where we lived when I had DC1 one of the early MW appts was at home but where we lived when I had DC3 I only got a pre birth home visit from the supervisor of midwives because I wanted a HB against medical advice

Probably worth asking if there are any other differences between the teams, but I think its nice of them to meet you before you're postnatal and shattered :)

Policy varies from area to area. If it's not convenient for you to wait in all morning then don't. The only person who has been out to see me at home this time is the Supervisor of Midwives, and even then she gave me a choice of where to have our meeting - I didn't see anyone at home first time round until after DD was born.

Even if you were planning a home birth, there's absolutely no need for anyone to come out and visit you there before you go into labour anyway!

Do you have a number to phone your midwife on? Phone and ask her if she knows anything about it (either tonight or first thing in the morning)

I doubt very much it will be anything bad, it might just be that the new team are taking over now and this MW is coming by to introduce herself or something.

maybe it's just because you're a new patient or something?

flisspaps, actually most areas do a home check if you are having a home birth. it's basically to check that you have access (in case an ambulance needs to get in) and runing water and that you don't live in a heaving mass of shit basically.
my midwife had to actually do a risk assessment each time she came to do my home visits.

i don't know if legally they can insist on it mind you, but it is standard practice as far as I'm aware

thisisyesterday - they can't insist that you have one, they can't insist on a risk assessment and if you have crappy access, no running water or live in a shitpit, they can't do anything about that anyway, nor can they refuse you a homebirth if you don't have one or if you don't meet their requirements.

It might be area policy to request you allow one to take place, but mothers are not bound by NHS policies. It is something they like to do - not something they need to do.

:)

All of my antenatal appontments so far have been at home, but I think it's because it's easier for my midwife to book appointments this way as she is based in the community so isn't restricted to certain clinic times at the surgery. I much prefer it actually, seems less formal.

I'm starting to wonder if they want to bully me to use their local birthing unit which is where they are based but i'm afraid they be trying to get blood out of a stone LOL

The only risk assessment they need is for my dog (mad 2yr) or me if I have a shit night sleep lol

well i am not having a home birth and I am 34 weeks and got a letter today saying they are coming in 2 weeks. they said to discuss things like how to feed baby etc. our MW said that they all do a pre birth visit now. if that's any help?

Thank you keely maybe thats what its for but still think 21+2 is a little early for all that in my eyes

i agree does seem early

Phone your MW team this morning to see what they say - if they have no idea why the other MW is coming out to see you, they should at least be able to give you a phone number to call and ask them direct.

Phoned my midwife and they diin't know why I was havig visit but geve me the number of other team. In the mean time other team had rang to say were unable to come round (10am) and will contact me in near future. When they 'book' another appointment I will ask why