Does your health visitor show up unexpectedly?

[Kmx]

I never call my helath visitor for Any reason and I am not ever on contact with her other than for immunisations but last year she showed up at my door for a visit which she had not arranged with me. Then today I wa getting ready to go out and a car pulled up outside and it was her. I was sort of shocked... What does she want and why so unexpectedly? Kind of thinking is she checking up on me?! Anyway I let her in and she chats away Bout development in speech ect and says things like "keep repeating everything to him like 'socks'" as if I'm silly and don't talk to him. Anyway I said oh he understands a lot he's just not speaking much yet but I'm not worried. She than asks him where his shoes are (they are on his feet) and as he doesn't know her and is shy he doesn't respond so I looked kinda silly. She then said a he's coming up on 3 (he's 1 and a half lol) then his speech should be developing but he's probably lazy. Lol find this funny he's anything but lazy he's eager to learn and constant on the go.

Anyway sorry for rambling... Does your hv show up unannounced? Would it annoy you or feel like she was checking up on you?

Ooh and to make matters worse i woke up with a horrible migraine and sore throat so took cocodomol and felt very woozy and this made me very paranoid invade I was slurring my words and she thought I was drunk haha. Stress I just don't need or want! X

 

[smokey]

I havnt seen or heard from a HV since lo was 3 weeks old so I think they forgot about us
I did get a letter when he was around 18 months with some tick boxes about what he can do saying to contact them if I was concern about any of his milestones but that letter also stated he was due his mmr boosters within the next few weeks so I phoned them to correct them that he wasnt due them till 39 months not 18 and still never heard from a HV

 

[supertabby]

She turned up unannounced twice when lo was still a baby, I had been out both times though so just found a note through the letterbox. We've not had a home visit since about 4 months old. I think they're all different though and sometimes I think it depends how much work they have. Our health visitors are really busy so we get pretty much left alone, maybe yours gets bored.

Ignore her advice on speech though - my lo was 18 months when she said her first word and many toddlers are later. There's no cause for concern at all. It's also completely normal to be shy with strangers, lo is 2 years 3 months and is a proper little chatterbox with close family and nursery and but strangers would think she can't talk at all!

 

[Laucu]

I've never had that and I would feel annoyed if it happened to me. I hadn't seen a HV since Jack was a couple of months old, one came round recently but that's because I am new in the area.

If it happens again I would make some excuse about being on your way out and ask them to contact you to arrange a time in future!?

 

[MrsEngland]

Nope she's never turned up without an appointment and I'd be pretty miffed if she did to be honest!

 

[lozzy21]

No, she's never come out unless it was a prearranged visit or iv asked her to come.

 

[tommyg]

It does make me think they are keeping an eye on you, but for what reason?

Are you young?
Single mum?
Any problems in the family?
Did you have PND?

Any way what does it matter?
The important thing is LO is happy and you are happy.
If you do need support it is better that they can see the need and help you get it, if you don't then fantastic. But their might be somebody in the same boat as you who does need support and it's the HV's job to make sure they get it.

 

[lau86]

No I don't even know who my health visitor is, if she's supposed to know how we're getting on she's failing miserably!
I'd be annoyed if she turned up unannounced. Maybe it's as simple as she was in the area and had a spare session??

 

[bumpbear]

A friend of mine recently had a baby and the HV showed up unannounced on bank holiday Monday! I don't think they need to make appointments which makes sense as people can prepare for appointments whereas an unannounced visit gives them a true picture for safeguarding children purposes.

 

[sparkle_1979]

Nope never. I'd be annoyed and prob say sorry I'm off out, please call before turning up.

 

[Kmx]

It does make me think they are keeping an eye on you, but for what reason?

Are you young?
Single mum?
Any problems in the family?
Did you have PND?

Any way what does it matter?
The important thing is LO is happy and you are happy.
If you do need support it is better that they can see the need and help you get it, if you don't then fantastic. But their might be somebody in the same boat as you who does need support and it's the HV's job to make sure they get it.

Yeh I'm guess I'm kind of young but not overly.. I'm 22 and oh is 24. He works long hours tho so I'm here a lot on my own maybe that's why. I don't like the idea of her turning up unannounced but I've nothing to hide so I don't portray that to her and I thank her for her visit. I just hate the thought of one visit where my house is a mess means she isn't happy and I know its drastic but I get lo taken off me. I know that wont happen as my house is never a mess, just toys about, but its not a nice feeling that people are able to do this. She said when she was leaving I won't see her again until his next immunisations but were moving 400 miles away in that time so thankfully it should be the last visit x

 

[LoraLoo]

My HV turns up unexpected Ive told her to just knock and come in and shout me as i never hear the door go Though she has asked if its ok to just sometimes call in when she is passing.

However i have a good relationship with her, ive had her with a few of my babies and 2 of them have been on the Care of the Next Infant scheme which meant i got weekly home visits by her until they were probably 6 months old, so feel we know each other fairly well. She has also been a good support to me with my 8 year old son with ADHD and also following the loss of my baby last year.

If it was a HV i didnt know well i wouldnt feel comfortable though x

 

[tommyg]

Hiya

I wouldn't have said 22 was that young either, when I said young I was thinking teenager, but you never know what HV's are thinking. Please don't anybody translate that to mean I think teenagers are bad mums just a reason HV might pop in.

I'm in Hamilton so not too far from you, my HV said they'd stopped doing the 2 year assessment because they were too busy with "vunerable" cases I can't quiet remember the exact expression she used but basically that is what she was getting at. Just trying to think of any reasons why you mignt fall into that catagory.

I wouldn't worry about your house having toys everywhere or being untidy one of my friends apoligied for the state of her house one day and the HV said "toys is one of the things we look for, I'd be more concerned if your house was pristeen with nothing out of place and no toys"

 

[AP]

Mine did used to lie about appointments and make out I had forgot - believe me when you need to live off a calendar for all the appointments we have for our kids, I aint gonna be wrong that many times! Indeed like you I was 23, DH worked long hours, and she had her reasons for checking up on me, but it was making me paranoid!

Now if she doesnt show up on the time she said, or arrives unexpected, she isnt getting in, thats that

 

[Kmx]

Hiya

I wouldn't have said 22 was that young either, when I said young I was thinking teenager, but you never know what HV's are thinking. Please don't anybody translate that to mean I think teenagers are bad mums just a reason HV might pop in.

I'm in Hamilton so not too far from you, my HV said they'd stopped doing the 2 year assessment because they were too busy with "vunerable" cases I can't quiet remember the exact expression she used but basically that is what she was getting at. Just trying to think of any reasons why you mignt fall into that catagory.

I wouldn't worry about your house having toys everywhere or being untidy one of my friends apoligied for the state of her house one day and the HV said "toys is one of the things we look for, I'd be more concerned if your house was pristeen with nothing out of place and no toys"

That's funny I'm also in Hamilton lol! Maybe she thinks I could be vulnerable and Its actually quite nice if she does that she wants to offer supprt but bcos I don't think I am I'm getting paranoid lol.

 

[Rachel_C]

An HV did once show up unannounced but we weren't in so she left a card. It was a communication error though, we were supposed to have been told she would be coming round. If somebody turned up at my door wanting to come in without prearranging anything, they would be asked to come back at an agreed time. I have nothing to hide but unless I'd given them a reason to worry (and they could tell me what and why it worried them!), I'd see an unexpected visit as just plain rude, unless I already knew them and they were just popping in to say hi.

 

[Raven24]

i would hate that to be honest, i dont like strangers in my house, i havent seen a health visitor for two years when my youngest was about 5 months old and i have no plans to see them anytime soon. if they turned up id tell them to go away and they cant force there way in so dont feel bad about it you dont have to see them

 

[Jchihuahua]

No mine hasn't. I'd be cross if she did!

 

[Twinks]

It must be different in different areas. I haven't seen a Hv for a long long time. My lo is 13 months and no one has been around at all? I have to say I wouldn't like a Hv just turning up (not that I've got anything to hide) but I usually cram loads into the day and am one of these people like to be organised and have things planned. That being said my Hv is lovely :0)

 

[Loui1001]

I haven't seen my HV very often but each time it's been a prearranged visit