"Health Visiting post birth"

I am hoping to change health visitor and it was suggested that it would be a good idea to voice my story on here. I am due to have another child and I really don't want to have the same experiences the second time around.

From the start my health visitor and I didn't really gel, they had a very different personality and way of looking at things than I do and continually spoke to me in a way that I found condescending. As a new Mum I appreciated the support, however looking back on my experiences it wasn't helpful to me.

Firstly my health visitor is always very late for appointments. I understand things can happen that are out of healthcare workers hands, however even when I was the first appointment of the day they would be up to 1 or 2 hours late. A few times I had mentioned my routine or when the baby would need a nap, but this didn't seem to enter into how late they would be which I found really stressful. This has happened at every appointment.

I have also put up with some comments from my health visitor which have stuck in my head and will do forever. Not long after my little one was born they berated me for having a clean house, telling me to choose three things a day to do only, that might be play with the baby, shower and walk the dog - I don't want my baby to grow up thinking that the housework is more important than them.

This comment stuck and I still think about it daily as I manage the routine of housework and domestic chores, and it still makes me feel guilty for having a clean house and dinners planned, when I really should have been supported and praised for coping.

At the end of one particular visit, my health visitor said the baby is very intelligent, they must take after their father! I passed this off as a joke but I mentioned the comment to many people who felt it was extremely unprofessional (and untrue!!)

When I talk to other health visitors on the phone (I deliberately call if I have a question when mine is not there) they are much more down to earth and supply common sense, helpful advice without making me feel bad. For this reason I would really like to change health visitor, especially as I will need to experience lots of appointments with my next child.