Home Visit From Midwife - What To Expect?

[Dolores]

Hi all,

Sorry to be posting on here again but just filled in the form at my GP surgery for the midwife - apparently the first visit is a home visit where they take blood samples and talk to your partner or a family member (basically check out your social situation I think), and ask your health history.

What makes me REALLY nervous about this visit is it feels basically like a nosey check up of the house.

And what's the worst thing is, we are in the middle of a huge renovation to a grade 2 listed building and I don't even have a kitchen yet!!! I don't have any finished bathrooms either! I have a loo and sink and I have a free standing bath plumbed into our main bedroom but most of the house is still to do before our baby arrives (I'm about 6-7 weeks pregnant).

I hope this won't be a black mark against us?

Do they check round every room?

Omgggggg just really dreading what she will think, like we are unfit parents or something, but we will get the house up and immaculate in time for the baby but I worry she won't believe us?

Any advice appreciated!

x

 

[Jasmine111]

I really wouldn't worry, I'm sure they will understand. The first midwife appointment for me wasn't at home, it was at the clinic. They are more concerned about you taking folic acid/vitamins, whether you smoke, your BMI. It's more about you and your health rather than your house. At my first appointment my husband came with me and the midwife asked to see me on my own first for ten minutes and it was to ask me whether I am suffering from domestic abuse! It did make me chuckle!! Xx

 

[Browneyed Girl]

They're not there to check or assess your house, it's a midwife not social services! Don't worry about it at all x

 

[Mayflower85]

What county are you in?

With my daughter, the first visit was a home visit (different county with this one). She literally sat on the sofa and filled out the forms and took bloods, that was it.

She didn't look round the house at all. I think part of it is to get a discrete idea of your background and see where you may need support, but there was no concerns.

 

[Beauandhamish]

My first visit was a midwifes but the health visitor did come out later on towards the end of pregnancy, we were renovating a house as well and downstairs pretty much had the front room done, had no kitchen, in fact had no kitchen until my daughter was 1! But even then they weren't bothered x

 

[Dolores]

I really wouldn't worry, I'm sure they will understand. The first midwife appointment for me wasn't at home, it was at the clinic. They are more concerned about you taking folic acid/vitamins, whether you smoke, your BMI. It's more about you and your health rather than your house. At my first appointment my husband came with me and the midwife asked to see me on my own first for ten minutes and it was to ask me whether I am suffering from domestic abuse! It did make me chuckle!! Xx

Hi Jasmine,

The surgery gave me a leaflet to take home which did a bit of explaining about that I think - taking blood, height and weight.

And oh my God! Haha! My husband will be there too! Well, the only domestic abuse I suffer is him not buying me a wireless dyson but we won't go there

Thanks for your advice x

 

[Dolores]

What county are you in?

With my daughter, the first visit was a home visit (different county with this one). She literally sat on the sofa and filled out the forms and took bloods, that was it.

She didn't look round the house at all. I think part of it is to get a discrete idea of your background and see where you may need support, but there was no concerns.

Hi Mayflower,

I'm in the North East of England.

Oh it'll be good if she just wants to sit in the living room! We're in a bit of a strange situation at the moment where we have a marble fireplace fitted and mahogany side boards and things but hardly any basics! (Just the way things have come up as we've renovated this Georgian house) - so she might think we're crazy but I would want to stress it is our most important priority to get our home ship shape before the baby!

x

 

[Dolores]

My first visit was a midwifes but the health visitor did come out later on towards the end of pregnancy, we were renovating a house as well and downstairs pretty much had the front room done, had no kitchen, in fact had no kitchen until my daughter was 1! But even then they weren't bothered x

Hi Beauandhamish,

Are you in the UK as well?

I've been reading up a bit about this and understandably these are new regulations brought in by the Government because of horrible cases of child abuse going unnoticed by services etc. I completely agree with it and don't mind at all but I can't help but think it looks bad while you live in a building site!

How did you find bring up a baby and toddler while you were renovating your house? It sounds like a big project?

x

 

[Dolores]

They're not there to check or assess your house, it's a midwife not social services! Don't worry about it at all x

Thanks Browneyed Girl I am such a street head I'm like OMG nursery needs to be ready everything ship shape like a marble kitchen or something or else social services are going to take our baby away!!!!

x

 

[Beauandhamish]

My first visit was a midwifes but the health visitor did come out later on towards the end of pregnancy, we were renovating a house as well and downstairs pretty much had the front room done, had no kitchen, in fact had no kitchen until my daughter was 1! But even then they weren't bothered x

Hi Beauandhamish,

Are you in the UK as well?

I've been reading up a bit about this and understandably these are new regulations brought in by the Government because of horrible cases of child abuse going unnoticed by services etc. I completely agree with it and don't mind at all but I can't help but think it looks bad while you live in a building site!

How did you find bring up a baby and toddler while you were renovating your house? It sounds like a big project?



Yes we are north east England. It wasn't actually as bad as I thought it would be, we have a kitchen in now at least, but still quite a lot left to do but it's just finishing off bits now. We are concentrating on the garden over this summer though and then hopefully finish the house off before the next baby is due!

 

[Browneyed Girl]

They're not there to check or assess your house, it's a midwife not social services! Don't worry about it at all x

Thanks Browneyed Girl I am such a street head I'm like OMG nursery needs to be ready everything ship shape like a marble kitchen or something or else social services are going to take our baby away!!!!



x

Haha not at all! Me, my partner, toddler and newborn are all living with my parents as we're currently between houses. None of the midwives or health visitors that have been out to see me have batted an eyelid but I still feel the need to explain every time lol x