Can you decline a health visitor visit before baby is born? (and just see them after baby is born)

[Kaoru35]

Hi,
I have got my letter to say the health visitor would be coming round next week (I'll be 36 weeks pregnant by then). I was rather hoping they had forgot as they messed up sending out the letters last month, so I didn't know they were coming until an hour before the appointment when I was on my way to work. Can you decline a health visitor appointment before baby is born (and just see them after baby is born) or would that cause any issues?

Thanks

I declined to visit pre-baby and the only reason I let them come after he was born was so he could be weighed. They were absolutely fine about it but I think that's because this is my 3rd baby, not sure they'd have felt the same if I was a first time mum, and I remember with my first they were very pushy and insistent.

You get given the red book by the hospital when you're discharged

Of course you can decline. You can decline all involvement from them at all if you want to.

I found the pre-birth visit fairly pointless and patronising. But obviously you can get some fantastic health visitors, it's just pot luck.

Appointments before birth weren't a thing when I had mine but my youngest is 14 now. They're a pain in the ass as in my area they tell you they will visit "am" for example so you're stuck waiting in and then they show up at 2pm or not at all and it's a day wasted

You can decline it's not a legal obligation.

I did because I would have had to take a day off work.

They absolutely do not need to come over before baby is born and it won’t cause any issues if you decline 🙂

I think different areas have different policies, I've just moved areas and the HV came out to do my daughters 27m check, she said she'll come out after this babies born and will ask to see where babies sleeping, mainly because there's been an increase in sids in the last few years and they're trying to give advise.

Honestly, this is my 3rd baby, I feel her resources are probably better spent elsewhere, but equally I have no reason to refuse, she may have some useful tips and I have nothing to hide. We'd all be complaining if we didn't have the support when we needed it. (Dd2 was a lock down baby, I saw midwife once and hv once after being discharged from hospital so I know what the other end of the spectrum feels like)

I have nothing to hide either but I wouldn't be having the HV round to check things in my house either. That's far too invasive for me. I am autistic and really guarded about my space.

Mine was due to come on Monday so since Monday is now a bank holiday for the queens funeral she called me and said she can’t come that day, so do I want to do a different day or just come after baby is here. I said after baby is here so she’s just going to come then. So if it’s not an issue for me it shouldn’t be for you

@Kaoru35 I did. I am in South East England.

I declined as I was working still so I would have more time with the baby when it was born. They were surprised I was still working but it was a non physical job and bills won't pay themselves plus I felt well. Anyway, apart from them being surprised they accepted when I was firm that I would not use precious annual leave for them at short notice at the expense of a day with my baby and I would see them when the baby was born

Mine is Monday too, but I haven't had anything from her to say she isn't coming. I emailed her this morning to cancel, no reply yet but hopefully she doesn't just turn up on Monday.

This is not correct

HV service is optional OP you can let them know you don’t want any vists or just some. Nobody is checked routinely for Chikd protection issues unless already under social services and it would be a social worker assessing

Yes you can and no it won't be a red flag/piece of a puzzle for future if needed/be marked anywhere (that matters anyway)

I'd have refused this, massively intrusive plus I had much better things to do before the birth!