Health visiting appointments

You can also find out more about how our services are changing in response here.

Antenatal contact

As well as your appointments with your midwife, a health visitor will contact you during your pregnancy (between 28-36 weeks) and will usually visit you at home. Your health visitor will discuss some of the following information with you:

• Introduce Health Visiting service
• Bonding with your baby
• Your babies brain development
• Mental health and your feelings/emotions
• Feeding your baby
• Preparing for the arrival of your baby
• ‘Healthy Start Programme’ and your eligibility
• Your physical health
• Parental relationships
• Promotion of immunisation programme
• Preparing for parenthood

New birth review

When your baby is between 10 and 21 days old your health visitor will see you in clinic or at home.

This contact will include:

• Discussion about your labour and birth
• Advice and support with feeding your baby
• Coping with a new baby
• Safety and your baby to include reducing the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (embed http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Sudden-infant-death-syndrome/Pages/Introduction.aspx)
• Mental health and your feelings/emotions
• Observation of baby to include weight and head circumference
• Your babies brain development
• Immunisation programme

6-8 week review with the Health Visiting team 

At this point your new baby is starting to develop a personality all of their own , you will be seeing changes daily and there are many more to come and they start to become interested in their surroundings.  With this, parents often like reassurance , guidance and advise about their developing baby , and well as support with adjusting to family life and your changing hormones – This is where our team can help . Your 6-8 week check with the Health visiting team is different to the one you have with the GP .  

It will focus on your baby’s development, changing needs, and cover topics including-  

• introducing solids foods
• feeding
• safe sleep
• socialising and playing
• comforting your Baby
• Immunisations. 

The Parent/Carer mental health review will give the team an insight into the parent/carers mental health and suggest places where they can access support if and when they need it.

You will be sent an SMS link when your child is about 5 weeks to book this appointment at a time, date and venue to suit you .  We look forward to seeing you then.

2 1/4 Year Development Review

Now your child is entering into the next year of their life,  things will start to change quickly as they further explore their environment, build on their unique personalities , and prepare for the world of sharing and playing with others in social settings such as nursery . Some parents find this next 18 months a bit of a challenge , let us help you prepare for the changes ahead .   

Your child’s review will include –  

• Discussions in regards to any concerns you may have with your child
• Review of your child’s health and development
• Review and promotion of your child’s language development
• Guidance on managing your child’s behaviour
• Advice on healthy eating and physical activity
• Promotion of immunisations
• Advice and support with dental care, looking after your children’s teeth, accident prevention, sleeping and potty training.
• Information on early years education
• Your child will be weighed and measured.

You will be sent an SMS link just after your child turns 2 years and 2 months , this will enable you to book a review at a time, date and venue that suits you. You will also be sent a development questionnaire at the same time for you to complete with your child at home and bring with you to discuss at the review.