Health visitor

[Badassbreastfeeder85]

Just received an appointment letter for an antenatal visit from the health visitor at home,this never happened with my son is this a new thing? Whats it for? Are work required to give me time?
Thanks in advance

I had an antenatal visit from the HV with both of my dc. It was just an informal chat/chance to ask questions and signpost to any support that was needed.

not sure if it’s new but yes they wanted to visit me before the birth

Yes I had that 4 years ago with my DD, but not had that this pregnancy. Was your son a lockdown baby? Ours don't do antenatal visits for 2nd + babies unless you are flagged as needing additional support.
Just to say hello and see how you are in preparing for baby's arrival. You can decline it if you want but as its an antenatal appointment work are required to give you time if you do want it.

No my son is 10 so this wasn't a thing then! Just seemed really odd!

Totally normal. I only met my HV after I had my baby and she was really annoyed I didn't get a visit before hand. ( I loved house and transferred GPS so was lost in the mix)

It was a thing when my dc (10 and 12) were born. It’s one of the core contacts: antenatal, post natal and six week check. Then 10 month and 2 year checks. I don’t think it’s odd, it’s there to support and safeguard.

I was sent an appt letter for this in the summer before third dc was born but didn’t have them with other dc. I cancelled, it seemed completely unnecessary

It's not a new thing. It was happening when DS was born in 2004.
They just come to tell you what support they can offer, give some leaflets and tell you about baby groups.
You're entitled to time off work for the appointment.
MN hate health visitors but mine have been fabulous. I had bad pnd with DS and my health visitor was a massive support for me. I've now got a 10 week old and again the health visitor has been brilliant while we've struggled with tongue tie and feeding problems due to it.

I got offered it but declined as I was working and it wasn’t convenient for me.

HVs don't do much and any information they give you, you will either already have or can pick up elsewhere. There's no obligation for a HV to visit you either before or after the baby so if not convenient, cancel.

Had one with my first and last week declined for my second due in January.

I find the HV extremely patronising, intrusive and really stuck up. They basically just wanted to nosey round my house , question me and my DH about what we eat and try and pick holes in our answers to her random questions. Which majority of questions are covered in maternity booking appointment. Seems a common attitude theme around my area for HV. My friend told one to leave cause she was shouting and being rude to her other child who was playing to loudly!

from my knowledge now it’s all a tick box for them and statistic numbers for the council. Obv they give you info for safeguarding etc but it’s all online and when I did ring them the once they didn’t help at all and told me all the info was online.

HV did not like me declining, he attitude changed very quickly but I was polite and said I don’t find it necessary, she said it’s ‘highly unusual and suspicious’ I declined !!

I did have one not very nice HV but all the ones I know are lovely. As PP said MN hates them but I don’t think (like with most of the NHS) people realise what a difficult job they have. They universals service most people get is a lot of box ticking but they’re grossly overworked and understaffed and have to deal with the most awful safeguarding. They have to attend every single STRAT call, core group, child protection meeting for their families and they’re leaving in droves because they hate how the service has become (lots of virtual work) as it’s not what they signed up for or competed an extremely hard level 7 public health qualification for.

I didn't get an antenatal visit and first met my HV when baby was around 15 days old - she said they were too busy and it's only an informal visit!

Totally normal and totally a waste of time in my opinion when you already have a child 🤷‍♀️.
The one that came out to me saw visual time tables and pecs cards and declared my unborn child was in danger because I have a severely autistic child 😡 without even meeting him!
Safe to say i soon reported her ,declined any further health visitors input and lived happily ever after 🤣