What is a health visitor?

For those of you who have them, can you explain the role of the health
visitor? (How often does she come, etc.)

Unfortunately, it brings to my (*completely uninformed*) mind the concept of
a government employee who might suddenly bring child welfare down on an
unsuspecting parent who's doing something unpopular.

-- Dagny

Dagny wrote:

For those of you who have them, can you explain the role of the health
visitor? (How often does she come, etc.)

Unfortunately, it brings to my (*completely uninformed*) mind the concept of
a government employee who might suddenly bring child welfare down on an
unsuspecting parent who's doing something unpopular.

I think the Canadian equivalent is a Public Health Nurse.

--
Brigitte aa #2145
edd #3 February 15, 2004
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/j/joshuaandkaterina/

"Readers are plentiful; thinkers are rare."
~ Harriet Martineau

Dagny wrote:

For those of you who have them, can you explain the role of the health
visitor? (How often does she come, etc.)

Unfortunately, it brings to my (*completely uninformed*) mind the concept of
a government employee who might suddenly bring child welfare down on an
unsuspecting parent who's doing something unpopular.

It's actually quite nice. I didn't know what one was til right after P
was born, and a woman showed up at the door saying she was the public
health nurse, and she was here to see how he and I were doing. I think
they're fabulous. We get in-home visits occasionally, and if we have
any questions on things, we go and call them and get a call back that
day.

I'm quite happy with our health board except for one thing...no one will
tell me how to get the mumps and measles shots for P. He's had rubella,
and since I want him to get single shots instead of the 3 in 1, I was
told the gov, if they want all kids vax'd, they would take care of
getting him the other two. No dice yet.
--
Meself
sahm, bf mom to P, 23/12/01


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"Dagny" wrote in message thlink.net...
For those of you who have them, can you explain the role of the health
visitor? (How often does she come, etc.)

Unfortunately, it brings to my (*completely uninformed*) mind the concept of
a government employee who might suddenly bring child welfare down on an
unsuspecting parent who's doing something unpopular.

A health visitor is what you get afet you leave the midwives care, I
think about 2 weeks after the baby is born. They help with things
like breastfeeding, weaning, sleeping etc. They also weigh and measure
the baby. I expected mine to take one look at my filthy house and want
to take my child into care but she is nothing like that, she is
excellent. They do about 5 years training and mine really knows her
stuff. She doesnt impose her beliefs about things on us but does help
us to research options to things like vaccinations.

teapot

"Dagny" wrote in message thlink.net...
For those of you who have them, can you explain the role of the health
visitor? (How often does she come, etc.)

forgot to say that mine came every week until he had his 8 week check
at the doctors, now I can go and see her at the clinic or she will
come to see us when we want. she is with us until small is 4 years
old.

teapot

"Dagny" wrote in message thlink.net...
For those of you who have them, can you explain the role of the health
visitor? (How often does she come, etc.)

forgot to say that mine came every week until he had his 8 week check
at the doctors, now I can go and see her at the clinic or she will
come to see us when we want. she is with us until small is 4 years
old.

I think the standard is 3 visits between discharge by the midwife and the
postnatal check. Basically they seem to be there to help you be the best
parent you can. When my PND became apparent my hubbie called the health
visitor as the first port of call, she's been great, she's currently
coming to see me weekly and is very good at reassuring me I'm not a
terrible parent.

"Daye" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 04 Sep 2003 17:21:45 GMT, "Dagny" wrote:

For those of you who have them, can you explain the role of the health
visitor? (How often does she come, etc.)

Here is Victoria, Australia, they are called Maternal and Child
Healthcare Nurse. They only did a home visit once with me, just after
DD was born. Then I went to their office. I can't remember how often
I went in the beginning, but I think it was every month.

Basically, the Nurse is there to help you with problems that come with
a new baby -- breastfeeding, illness, Post Natal Depression, etc. She
also helps you get vaccinations -- provided that you follow the
government schedule. She weights the child, and checks the length.
She also does an examine to make sure that there are no problems, like
clicky hips. She is in charge of the hearing test that happens at
some point -- I think 6 months or so. They are also there to pick up
things like Failure to Thrive. Depending on how much money your local
government sets aside for the program greatly impacts how often you
see the Nurse.


Sounds like the New Zealand Plunket nurse.

Judy

"Dagny" wrote in message
hlink.net...

For those of you who have them, can you explain the role of the health
visitor? (How often does she come, etc.)

Unfortunately, it brings to my (*completely uninformed*) mind the concept
of
a government employee who might suddenly bring child welfare down on an
unsuspecting parent who's doing something unpopular.

-- Dagny



Mine's awesome! (I actually have two...) She comes over about every other
week (sometimes more if I need her to) and helps me with breastfeeding,
managing stress, tips on giving medicine, how to get the baby to sleep, and
now she's going to help me find a mother's group or somewhere to meet new
moms.
They'll only call children's services if they see gross negligence (which
they should) or if the baby is covered in bruises (again, which they
should). The two I have are really supportive of co-sleeping, cloth
diapering, attachment parenting, and especially breastfeeding!
The cool part, when she comes, she brings coupons for baby things, but not
once has she ever had a formula coupon! Never. They don't hand them out.

"Dagny" wrote in message
hlink.net...

For those of you who have them, can you explain the role of the health
visitor? (How often does she come, etc.)

Unfortunately, it brings to my (*completely uninformed*) mind the concept
of
a government employee who might suddenly bring child welfare down on an
unsuspecting parent who's doing something unpopular.

-- Dagny



When I brought DS home and he was not feeding, I was scared to have the
Visiting Nurse come to the house. I had not cleaned, of course. We walked in
the door from the hospital, dropeed the bags and presents and whatnot at the
door. When I made the appointment with the nurse, I sheepishly said "the
house is a complete mess." She said - good, at least you are not trying to
do housekeeping with a brand new baby. I would worry if your house was
spotless! You hear so many horror stories these days.

Stephanie

In article ,
Daye wrote:

Basically, the Nurse is there to help you with problems that come with
a new baby -- breastfeeding, illness, Post Natal Depression, etc. She
also helps you get vaccinations -- provided that you follow the
government schedule. She weights the child, and checks the length.
She also does an examine to make sure that there are no problems, like
clicky hips. She is in charge of the hearing test that happens at
some point -- I think 6 months or so. They are also there to pick up
things like Failure to Thrive. Depending on how much money your local
government sets aside for the program greatly impacts how often you
see the Nurse.

In NSW, there is a limited home visiting service. Some of our nurses are LCs,
and I had a couple of visits from one when I had difficulties with DS in the
early weeks. Here, there is an Early Childhood Health Centre in most suburbs,
and you generally take your child there for the things that are done by
paediatricians at Well Baby Visits in the US (as described by Daye above) --
check for sight/hearing problems, testicle descent, and discuss safety issues.
They administer the Edinburgh Scale at 6 weeks pp, so they look after the
mothers as well as the babies. The can refer you to specialists if required,
but mainly do checkups and pass on advice. Sometimes, advice can be poor, but
I have never had a problem myself.

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

"...children should continue to be breastfed... for up to two years of age
or beyond." -- Innocenti Declaration, Florence, 1 August 1990