Why is it important?
These 6-8 week contacts are important in helping to keep you and your baby safe and healthy.
The health visiting service is now offering face to face appointments to all our contacts and health reviews. If required they can also see you and your baby or child via a virtual consultation.
First point of contact
When your baby is around 6 weeks old, a health visitor, who is a qualified nurse and has undertaken further training in public health and child welfare will offer to visit you either at home, at your GP practice or at one of the community clinics to carry out a review. This 6-8 week review is part of the Healthy Child Programme and an opportunity for you to explore your experience of parenthood, including your emotional health, your baby’s health, wellbeing and development and your family/social environment. A plan of support will be agreed with you, this may include additional contacts or access to other services within Hackney and the City including ‘well baby’ clinics.
Many GP surgeries offer a check between 6 and 8 weeks of age. At this appointment, your baby will be examined from head to toe by your GP to make sure they’re fit and healthy. Whilst at this appointment you may also be able to see a health visitor who can weigh your baby and provide support. If the check is carried out at 8 weeks of age, your baby will receive their first set of vaccinations at the same time. Many surgeries already book this check at 8 weeks for this very reason; so that everything can be done on the same day. It may be worth requesting this if it isn’t the case.
Local services and information
- Hackney and City Health Visiting service
020 7683 4151 (9-5pm Monday–Friday)
huh-tr.hackneyandcityhv@nhs.net - Find a GP near you
- Local infant feeding information and advice leaflet - Updated March 2020
- Parenting and mental health support for children, young people and their families
- Children’s Centres Hackney
- Hackney Local Offer
Useful Hackney and City Health Visiting web pages
- Your appointments
- Becoming a parent
- Your physical health
- Your emotional health and well being
- Baby cues
- Sleep
National resources
- How to register with a GP practice (NHS)
- Vaccinations and when to have them (NHS)
- Your baby's height and weight (NHS)
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