I have had so many mums ask in my Bumps pregnancy class and Bumps Couples workshop “What is this Health visitor Visit about?”, “ What should I expect during my prenatal health visitor visit?” Many are worried they are coming to check my house is safe for baby but this can also be a fabulous opportunity to ask questions you might have.

So what is it all about?

A lot of ladies don’t get one but the HV team might send you a letter to ask to come out and visit around 32-34 weeks in pregnancy. It is not compulsory but it is a great opportunity to meet your health visitor in advance of baby arriving and discuss anything you may need support with when baby arrives. It may be a short visit if you have no concerns but helps give you lots of good guidelines before baby arrives. Your Health visitor is your named person after you are discharged from your Midwife after having baby and will visit 11-14 days after baby is born. They are your named person until your wee one goes to school.

When your baby is born many of us are sleep deprived, overwhelmed, many of us have stitches or are recovering from a C-section and surviving each day as it comes so when you get your first visit there is a lot to take in as well as your baby being weighed (the trauma of weighing a naked baby and hoping they don’t pee everywhere as they are placed on the cold scales!). Therefore, some Health visitors pay a short visit before baby is born to help give you a lot of this information in advance so there is not as much to digest.

So what do they go through?

• Mum and dads health and family history (health and social history) 
  In case you need any additional support or things they made be able to help with. I had postnatal depression with my first so if I had this appointment I would have let them know so they could keep an eye for any symptoms that might appear. They have your best interests at heart and have all the knowledge to help you be supported by all the right people.

• Assess if there’s any concerns in the home.

• Discuss feeding plans and offer any advice and support.
  You can breast feed, bottle feed or combi feed and your HV should be able to offer assistance and guidance. There are weekly infant feeding groups meet throughout Lanarkshire in most towns and this can be found at HERE . Groups meet every week in Airdrie, East Kilbride, Shotts, Blantyre, Hamilton, Coatbridge, Lanark, Lesmahagow, Kilsyth, Wishaw, Strathaven, Chryston, Bellshill, Larkhall, Cumbernauld, Carluke, Rutherglen and Motherwell.
  There is also a group which meets on a Monday at Bear Necessities in Airdrie on Saline Street between 1.30-3pm which has the lovely Angela Chalmers from Latch on Lanarkshire on site to guide lots of helpful advice from a highly qualified lactation consultant and former Health visitor. Please check their FB page before visiting to check they are running.
  

• Discuss safe sleeping. A few great places to visit for expert advice are the Lullaby Trust and Safe Sleep Scotland which is part of the cot death trust providing essential information for all parents.

• Discuss finances and assess if families need financial support or anything for the baby before they arrive.

• Let you know about the red book and information about often they will visit. The wee book you get to record babies weight and vaccinations.

After you first visit you should expect two visits between 3-5 weeks, another one at 6-8 weeks where you will get a quiz to fill out which assesses mums mental health and to see how she is getting on.
Further visits should then happen at 3, 4, & 8 months. At the 4 month visit your Health visitor should discuss weaning.

If you meet your Health visitor and you know them or they are your mum’s friend and you would prefer to have someone you don’t know you can always ask for a change. You need to feel comfortable with your health visitor and can change of you need to.

At the end of the day it is your personal choice and you will meet them when baby arrives but if you have time it may be easier to process the info in advance of babies arrival.