What does the health visitor do post-birth?

[Keef]

Just one point that one post made me think of. I think people these days often do a lot of reading and talking, and basically make up their own mind how they want to raise their baby, how often they want to feed it, when they want it to sleep. So, when a HV turns up and contradicts that, you're not going to be impressed. Same HV might say the same stuff to the family next door, and they think it's great because it goes along with what they've already decided.

[sillywoman]

HV's are a funny breed. There are some smashing ones, some not so smashing, and I've met quite a few frankly odd ones. I think their remit is anything developmental - is the baby growing/ feeding well? have they had their jabs? are they doing what they should be doing at certain stages? etc.etc. They're not diagnostic and if your child is unwell then it's a doctor not an HV that you should see. They should visit once around the time the midwife discharges you, if there's an issue PND or something with baby/ any other children that needs more attention, then they may visit more often. If Mum and baby appear to be coping relatively well than they probably won't visit again, they'll give you details of their clinic and expect you to seek their advice or help should you need it, or visit when your baby's due a developmental check.

Would write more but got to get to Sainsbury's half an hour ago!

[Mellors]

Ko Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Evening all

>

> I've been told that after baby is born, a health

> visitor should visit you. Could anyone tell me

> please how often they visit and what they do?

> Many thanks

>

> K xx

How often do they visit - in my case after baby no 2, not at all as they had no idea she had been born (not on their records apparently, despite me seeing local doctors etc with her). It was only because I eventually got in touch for my red book that they bothered to come out a few weeks later.

What do they do - well, mine failed to diagnose tongue tie (which in hindsight was bleeding obvious) in both my children which prevented them feeding properly, and caused them both to drop off the scale and "fail to thrive". This was despite me crying for help re breastfeeding on numerous occassions. They also failed to diagnose my PND, although they did help fill up my recycling bag with useless leaflets. Utterly pointless IMO.

[Keef]

Dragging this back up, as I was genuinely shocked to realise that HVs are all qualified nurses or midwives. Can anyone tell me otherwise?

I suggested it to Mrs Keef as an idea, and she said you had to be qualified. Having spoken to SOME (not all) HVs, I am amazed they're qualified as anything quite frankly!

[lorraineliyanage]

I just googled it and you are right, Keef!

[sillywoman]

I knew you had to be qualified, but thought it was a separate qualification - didn't think they were nurses/ midwives. Am equally surprised Keef. Not to say a bit bemused!

[fairylamb]

I?m very surprised about the nursing qualifications too. Blows my theory HV?s are actually trained to give you increasingly ridiculous advice until you realise you have to/should/have no choice but to trust your own instincts instead!

[crystal7]

I'm afraid I have to agree with most posts.

My HVs have given me consistently useless advice. Told me my 2 week old had colic after observing 30 seconds of crying before a feed, said that there was 'no way' my 4 month old could be getting enough milk when she only fed for 5-10 min and that I should express the hind milk and feed it to her in a cup (her weight was fine at the time), advised me too feed my 10 month old sponge and custard to increase her weight gain and finally on Wednesday I was told to replace breastfeeding with formula in the day, again to get her to put on weight. Urgh!

AND it's at least an hour's wait to get baby weighed at the clinic which I'm supposed to do every other week!

Yes a very emotive topic...

[Pickle]

Heh heh, Crystal7, start shoving that sponge and custard down her... and perhaps supplement it with some good old deep fried chips like they advised me to feed my son ;-)

I'm truly shocked to hear that these people have "proper" qualifications. Although with my devil's hat on I do wonder whether they're the nurses and midwives that didn't quite make the grade.

[lorraineliyanage]

Sponge and custard - that is brilliant!

[nicolemodesti]

Tell you that you need to lose weight - 10 days after having an emergency c section!!!!

[Dulwich Born And Bred]

Oh my goodness Nicolemodesti!!::o That is shocking, nine months to put on, nine months to lose it is my motto!

[Ann]

Have any of you complained to the appropriate authorities?

If not then why not? A service can only improve if an identified lack of service can be identified and dealt with.

[SteveT]

Ann wrote:- Have any of you complained to the appropriate authorities?

Well I guess some have and some would suffer in silence.

The facts are that the performance of the health visitor when my two were babies '87 '90 were exactly as described in earlier posts, all boxes ticked and rush off to the next site.

With the first one we only had young and inexperienced nannies, which was rather like employing a dependant child.

When the second one arrived we had a mature, intelligent, and industrious nanny which made all the difference in making our busy lives much easier.

[intexasatthe moment]

Are the health visitors who visit actually health visitors ?

Sounds stupid I know ,but asking because of similar experiences in East Dulwich with what I thought were District Nurses calling to elderly people .

When I checked I found that most were actually - forget exact term - but something like Health Care Assistants.

Formal complaints have improved care ,but sadly not much ,even from qualified nurses.

Appreciate busy,understaffed etc but something badly amiss.

Where do the Health Visitors come from ? Townley Rd ?