Health Visitors

I've got one coming round to see me in a couple of weeks.

What can I expect? What is the health visitor's role?

And is it something that is supposed to be helpful to me or is it something where they're checking up to make sure we'll be good parents or whatnot?

You have one coming to see you before the baby is born? Why?

They come to give you advice and help answer any questions, sometimes they are helpful, sometimes they aren't! The midwives who come around are more helpful imo. They do come to see that you don't have PPD, and they kind of come round to see your household isn't in shambles, its clean, you have heating etc and to make sure you aren't in a vulnerable position and things like that. But thats more of an aside.

They aren't really coming to see if you're a good parent, as R said, they are obviously trained to look for vulnerability, PND, that sort of thing.

I suspect you have one coming before the babies are born since you're having twins? I never met either of mine until after the boys were born.

Some HVs are great, they are very supportive and pleasant to be around. Others may be more abrasive with more fixed views about child-rearing. When Jake, my youngest, was born, I had a rotation of them coming because I had some issues with my c-sec scar... I hated one, thought one was a ding bat, and liked the third!

Don't sweat about it. IME, there is usually a team of them so if you don't like one, you don't have to see her. And after a little while, you'll probably find that they have a place (a drop in clinic at the surgery or local church) where you can go rather than them coming to you.

I'm guessing she is coming before the birth because it's twins. She was aware that they weren't born yet because she made a comment that twins come early and that she wanted to come around asap. She didn't say why she wanted to visit, just that she was a health visitor and wanted to pop around. I figured that she was sent by my GP or midwife. Weird.

Thanks guys. I won't worry about it too much. 

Now, as I understood it from my health visitor - they've started to try and come in early to get the Red Book filled in in advance or sommat.  My health visitor tried to before Leah was born, but snow and ice (and Christmas *laughs*) meant that it wasn't ideal coming out to see me.  I couldn't tell you what's the norm, though - our little one has been getting extra weighs due to some weight concern, but otherwise it's as said - they just want to make sure that you and the little one(s) are holding up alright.  They don't even have to come to your home in specific, mind - I've seen mine at surgery, at my home, and at my mother-in-law's house!

The referral from the midwife team to the HV team is normal, Ashley. It's possible that with twins and the red book thingie, they are being more proactive. I know that with my first, the red book should have been issued at the hospital but wasn't (so the HV was NOT pleased). With my second, it was issued at the hospital.

It varies from Trust to Trust as to when you first meet your HV and when / where you receive your "Red Book."  I met my HV before DD was born, but that was at the Drs surgery for a "coffee morning" for expectant Mums to meet the HVs for my Surgery...

They're not someone to worry about, depending on how your Surgery works usually once your babies are born and you've been released from your Midwife they tend to prefer you take your baby / child to the HV (or speak to your HV) before seeing a Dr for minor concerns (this is more for baby clinics than in everyday occurence).  Also, your HV should be the person conducting your childrens growth assessments (there's a proper term / phrase, but I can't think of it at the minute) and will refer you on to a Dr if needs be if there are any concerns of your childrens growth and development.   

Red book? That's the first time I've heard of this...

Ah, ok, googled it.. a record for the kids.

No one has mentioned that to me before.

Cheers guys for the reassurance. I shant worry about it.  I'll see if she's willing to give me advice on the birth, seeing as she's a nurse or midwife. My midwife has been a bit crap with the advice. We're not very happy with him at the moment.

Don't mean to hijack this tread but my surgery offered a health visitor when we registered with them 6 months ago  and I said I would schedule it later.  They have never asked again and I have never asked either.   I have an almost 4 year old - do I need to have one of these red books for school or something - I have been keeping track of her shots and things.  Should I have a HV come to acquire one of these books?

Don't mean to hijack this tread but my surgery offered a health visitor when we registered with them 6 months ago  and I said I would schedule it later.  They have never asked again and I have never asked either.   I have an almost 4 year old - do I need to have one of these red books for school or something - I have been keeping track of her shots and things.  Should I have a HV come to acquire one of these books?

It's probably not a bad idea to have a meeting with one of the HVs to see if they want to set up a book for you. They may also have other info about the area that might be useful for you. I know many UK mums don't have any interaction with their HVs after the kids hit nursery/school but it's nice to know they are there if you need them.

My health visitor was fab!  I really loved working with her.  She came before the baby was born--it wasn't a big deal, she told me it was really mostly so I could meet her before everything got crazy with a new baby sucking away all my energy.  That way, if I had questions down the road, we would already know each other and feel more comfortable.  She came a handful of times to the house as the midwife's visits dwindled, then I switched over to coming, when I wanted to, to the weekly baby clinic for weigh-ins, shots, etc at the surgery.  I think we also started our red book on that day.

She was pretty relaxed and treated my decisions with respect, but was good at reassuring me during those 1st time mum neurotic moments that came here and there.  Mostly it was nice to have someone who could tell me here and again that DD was looking good and healthy and not to worry b/c I was doing a good job.  Plus she gave me little freebies now and then--always a plus.  I've moved now and I'm basing my choice of surgeries more on health visitors and midwives since I've had a lot more contact with them than with the GPs.

My health visitor would weigh the baby too, give me information about local groups, classes, playgroups etc... she was good and I liked her. I requested her since I thought the other ones were total jerks. The good health visitor was the first person Philip peed on, proper fountain-style comic book stuff. It was awesome.

It's probably not a bad idea to have a meeting with one of the HVs to see if they want to set up a book for you. They may also have other info about the area that might be useful for you. I know many UK mums don't have any interaction with their HVs after the kids hit nursery/school but it's nice to know they are there if you need them.

Noreneh,
The Red Book's (PCHR) focus is primarily on your child's health from Birth to 5, so I'm not sure if you need your red book for Preschool per se, but it's probably worth having your own walking record for your daughter in "British format" just in case.  You really only need your Red Book for Immunisations, weight / growth records, etc and if you go to Clinic (usually a children's clinic set up with HVs, nurses & Dr. Your surgery may operate one on a regular basis as a means to redirect non-urgent children's concerns from GP focus and to also handle Immunisations and check-ups.  It may be called a "Well Baby Clinic" or something similar.) instead of your Surgery / Hospital...   

http://www.nhs.uk/planners/birthtofive/pages/checkingdevelopment.aspx