# visit from the Dep't of Health



## PiePie (Oct 2, 2006)

So apparently in NYC when you apply for a birth certificate they send public health educators to your home to check out your home and ask about BFing, "safe sleep," domestic violence, and some other stuff. My visit was today -- a complete surprise to me -- she claims to have left me a voice-mail but who has time to listen to messages? -- i asked to see her form and saw that it had questions about co-sleeping so i refused the entire visit. annoying and somewhat scary, though. i had let her into the apt. -- she woke us up, and i thought she was the visiting nurse come to check on my latch -- and if she had had half a brain she could have seen that we have no crib in the apt. i know of cases where parents were reported to child welfare for co-sleeping so...














: Thank God she was missing a brain and I was cautious.


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## MCatLvrMom2A&X (Nov 18, 2004)

I have never heard of that before. Sounds like a waste of tax payer money to me.


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## Mama2ABCD (Jun 14, 2003)

that's got to be nerve wracking. you handled it very well. can't believe they're sending out "health educators" because you had a home birth. can't that be classified as descrimination?


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## JamieCatheryn (Dec 31, 2005)

They go through the same info with you at the hospital, all you have to do is nod through it and they check you off the list. They ask if you have a crib or bassinet, not if you'll use it. It might not be the ideal time to educate them on the safety of co-sleeping, possibly the superior safety as compared to cribs. Their job it to make sure you hear the current line about it. Having an alternative bed (a laundry basket with towels would do) can't hurt anything and would keep them from bothering you if they want to check something.


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## earthgirl (Feb 6, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *MCatLvrMom2A&X* 







I have never heard of that before. Sounds like a waste of tax payer money to me.

I actually think this is a good use of taxpayers' money for the most part. This often helps families w/ limited resources tap into programs that they may not otherwise. These type of programs have also been shown to reduce child abuse rates. BUT, in this specific case, it sounds a little odd. They should not be able to show up unannounced and you should certainly be able to refuse a visit. The co-sleeping equals unsafe sleeping would totally piss me off, too!


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## PiePie (Oct 2, 2006)

just to clarify, i gave birth in a hosp-based birthing ctr.


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## earthgirl (Feb 6, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *kirstie* 
that's got to be nerve wracking. you handled it very well. can't believe they're sending out "health educators" because you had a home birth. can't that be classified as descrimination?

Was this b/c of a home birth? That wasn't clear to me.


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## earthgirl (Feb 6, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *PiePie* 
just to clarify, i gave birth in a hosp-based birthing ctr.

Oops, we typed at the same time!


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## D_McG (Jun 12, 2006)

THey send someone to do a home inspection for every baby that is born in NYC? I have never heard of that and I lived there. Am I misunderstanding?


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## PiePie (Oct 2, 2006)

you are understanding correctly. every baby whose parent applies for a birth certificate, whether born at home, in hosp, or elsewhere. some of the info was good, i think -- smoking cessation, domestic violence services, resources for mamas who want to finish high school, and pro-bfing propaganda. i don't need those resources, however, and i do sense that the anti-family bed campaign is the #2 point of it (the #1 point of it being bfing -- the mayor is a big fan on pub health grounds) because the child welfare agency ran a huge high-profile campaign against it, with ads in the subway, etc., that ended less than a year ago.


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## staceychev (Mar 5, 2005)

Um, they didn't do that when I gave birth to Lu in NYC 2 summers ago. That sounds _really_ fishy to me. How do they have the resources for that?


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## staceychev (Mar 5, 2005)

I can't find anything on NYC's site that says they do this--the just say they mail the certs in 4 weeks. Did you deliver at Roosevelt? Call them. This seems wrong.


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## tammyswanson (Feb 19, 2007)

Sounds like Big Bro trying to 'watch' you. That hasn't happened to us (of course we're in Pa), but the pediatrician I took DS to asked if we 'co slept'. I lied and said 'no', it's none of their business, and who knows if they'd try to use that info against you at a later date, or send CPS to your house....







:


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## D_McG (Jun 12, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *staceychev* 
I can't find anything on NYC's site that says they do this--the just say they mail the certs in 4 weeks. Did you deliver at Roosevelt? Call them. This seems wrong.

I agree! OP - I am not doubting your story (or your impression) or anything like that but something seems off. I am wondering if someone reported you or something like that?


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## kennedy444 (Aug 2, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *PiePie* 
So apparently in NYC when you apply for a birth certificate they send public health educators to your home to check out your home .......

Really????







:

NYC must have thousands of births a day, how could they possibly send someone out to each and every home??

Sounds weird. Did she have ID? What city department was she from?


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## Individuation (Jul 24, 2006)

I think they classified you as "at-risk" somehow.

I say this because I got that same type of health visitor when Charlotte was born, but she and I hit it off (she was a very snippy woman from Trinidad and I was a very snippy girl from Sicily--it worked out nicely







) and she told me that basically, someone at the hospital had checked a box saying that we were, somehow, "at risk." For what I do not know.

You mentioned being very insistent on keeping your natural birth natural--maybe someone at Roosevelt thought you were too intense








: .


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## SweetTeach (Oct 5, 2003)

Having grown up in NYC and knowing many who've given birth at hospitals, birth centers and at home-that has never happened to anyone I know- including myself in 05. THat is just freaky. I would ask for more information.


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## eri_flores (Feb 8, 2006)

Holy cow, this is really interesting and wierd! I'd never heard of anything like this happening. We had a homebirth, so now I'm a little nervous... We *have* a co-sleeper (which my mom wanted to set up for the 2 weeks she was visiting with us) but it's still in the bag. Hmmm, I agree that it sounds a little fishy...Hope nothing else comes of it.


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## mamarabolli (Jun 28, 2006)

wow. i birthed at roosevelt birthing center and at home. both times, and no one ever came to my home. keep us posted if you get any more info.


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## heartandhandsdoula (Apr 3, 2006)

That is so weird! We had a HB 7 mos ago and never had a visit?? Sorry you had to deal with it.


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## urbansista (Mar 5, 2007)

yikes...I'd be very suspicious about it..
it sounds like someone reported you (?)

i had a homebirth in nyc may 03
no questions from the city
none of the mamas i know have experienced anything like that..







:

good luck


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## luminesce (Aug 6, 2006)

As other posters said, I seriously doubt this was a routine visit. Someone likely reported you as 'at risk.'


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## Fyrestorm (Feb 14, 2006)

Did you refuse procedures at the birth center? Anything you refused might have gotten you flagged as high risk...no hep B...flag, no circ...flag, no Vit K...flag...maybe you said something in labor about your parenting choices (co-sleeping, baby wearing etc.) that tagged you as anti mainstream...flag!!

I wouldn't have let them in either!!


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## nabigus (Sep 23, 2004)

Aiiigh, that sounds super disconcerting. I birthed at SLR, and no home visit either. Good for you for keeping your wits about you.


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## dewi (Jul 26, 2004)

It is good you showed them out the door!

No one from the NYC Board of Health visits your home to issue a birth certificate, no matter where your baby was born!

The only thing I can think of is that Someone called in an anonymous complaint about you or the hospital flagged you for some reason.


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## Bella's MOmmy (Jun 26, 2006)

I also think they flagged you because no one came to visit me when I had a baby in 2004.


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## mbhf (Jan 8, 2005)

i would definately look into this more. i had my last baby at home in NYC and they just mailed the birth certificate to my house. i never heard from anybody.


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## phathui5 (Jan 8, 2002)

Are you on medical assistance or the state children's health program? Here they send someone out if you are.


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## bettysmom (Jul 28, 2007)

In Chicago, they offer a visit to all new parents within the city -- or that's what I was told, anyway. Maybe I was flagged because of my South Side zip code, or all the stuff I declined. Who knows? But I declined the visit once I figured out it wasn't mandatory.


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## gottaknit (Apr 30, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *dewi* 

No one from the NYC Board of Health visits our home to issue a birth certificate, no matter where your baby was born!


That's good to hear. I was going to comment that your taxes must be outrageous! What a waste of money. (Oh wait, your taxes in NY are outrageous, aren't they?







)

We had a visit from a social worker in the hospital and we couldn't leave until I "had a talk" with her. We had been reported as high risk (which is soooo ridiculous if you know us), and it really freaked me out. I thought maybe the nurses didn't like me for some reason.... I was so emotional about it (being 3 days post-partum) I burst into tears, which of course made the social worker think something MUST be wrong with us.

It turned out that somewhere in my medical history it states that I have a history of abuse (when I was 12, I'm 33 now), and they concluded from this that my husband must be abusive.







:







:


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## GinaNY (Aug 30, 2006)

I gave birth at st lukes, had a doula no meds etc and no visit for me. I have never heard of this. The "at risk" idea seems to make the most sense though. They can't possibly visit everyone. Let us know.


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## menudo (May 21, 2002)

I had DD 10 years ag oat the Childbearign Center of Morris Heights. A worker came to the room moments after DD was born to give us a speach on AIDS-it wasa new program. Everyone there is labeled "at risk" (ie poor) so we endured in house "talks" often.

Are you on public assistance? I know when we appiled they ROUTINELY check out your home-it is awful. Only in NYC! And CPS rule everywhere is child must have a "choice" of his/her own sleepign space. They can sleep wherever but visible bed must exist (even if stored in a closet in the day) somewhere. Albeit, in the Bronx, that was rare, welfare told famileis to double up in apartments!

The citizens advice bureau (in the Bronx) may be able to assist you if you can't get answers. http://www.cabny.org/


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## KJoslyn78 (Jun 3, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *phathui5* 
Are you on medical assistance or the state children's health program? Here they send someone out if you are.

i'm in NY (though not NYC) and had state insurance for my last 2 births and no one visited us...


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## dewi (Jul 26, 2004)

Hi Pie Pie
Have you figured out why you got visited?

Hope you're doing well.


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## kreyno4 (May 10, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *bettysmom* 
In Chicago, they offer a visit to all new parents within the city -- or that's what I was told, anyway. Maybe I was flagged because of my South Side zip code, or all the stuff I declined. Who knows? But I declined the visit once I figured out it wasn't mandatory.

I gave birth and live within the Chicago city limits and wasn't offered a visit.... northside zip code though....


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## huggingmama (Oct 17, 2005)

I hate to even "go here," but could it be someone not from the Health Dept. at all, but rather, some stranger who wanted to get into your house?

I am so bothered by this story. Hope you and baby are doing well, and give us an update if you can!


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## Mavournin (Jul 9, 2002)

That is really odd. I had my first at Elizabeth Seton and the only person who came to my house was the visiting nurse who was scheduled. And neither of my SIL's (3 BC births and 1 HB) had that. My MIL is a midwife who did home and hospital births and has never heard of that either. I would call around and ask.


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## ejcmassage (Aug 25, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *tammyswanson* 
Sounds like Big Bro trying to 'watch' you. That hasn't happened to us (of course we're in Pa), but the pediatrician I took DS to asked if we 'co slept'. I lied and said 'no', it's none of their business, and who knows if they'd try to use that info against you at a later date, or send CPS to your house....







:

I never lie about co-sleeping. Anyone who asks I say yes he's right next to me all night. And as far as I know no state can take your child because of co-sleeping. And really most states are so over whelmed with child protection that they have better (much better) things to worry about.


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## meowee (Jul 8, 2004)

I have given birth 3 times in NYC hospitals... no home visits here either.

This sounds kind of scary-- ! This would make it very easy for anyone claiming to be a health worker to gain access to a home with a newborn in it.


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## abharrington (Jun 30, 2007)

...the pediatrician I took DS to asked if we 'co slept'. I lied and said 'no' said:


> http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/irked.gif[/IMG]:


you don't have to lie...cosleeping includes things like room sharing, which even the AAP encourages for breastfeeding moms. my ped asked if we coslept, i said yes and she just said are you aware of the risks. i said yes and that was it. although, i agree, it is really none of their buisness. i do think it is important to be informed though, and assume that is why they ask.


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## Doodadsmom (May 27, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *meowee* 
I have given birth 3 times in NYC hospitals... no home visits here either.

This sounds kind of scary-- ! This would make it very easy for anyone claiming to be a health worker to gain access to a home with a newborn in it.


Yes! I wouldn't put it past someone. Similar to this: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/...n1684086.shtml


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## Kaitnbugsmom (Dec 4, 2003)

i agree, it sounds like someone reported you or flagged your case


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## CatsCradle (May 7, 2007)

This sounds very strange. I gave birth in NYC hospital, and never heard from anyone again (except for the bill!). I know that the hospitals here have been under a lot of pressure to educate on breastfeeding - given that the formula companies have been so prevalent and have been pushing their products so mercilessly in the past few years. I think the Dept. of Health is on a mission to promote breastfeeding, which I don't mind, given that many have viewed it as "backward" or as not an option. I just find it odd that they would be doing home visits to promote these or other issues.


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## cjanelles (Oct 22, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *huggingmama* 
I hate to even "go here," but could it be someone not from the Health Dept. at all, but rather, some stranger who wanted to get into your house?

I am so bothered by this story. Hope you and baby are doing well, and give us an update if you can!


I was thinking along the same lines.

This *really* bothers me for the OP and her family.


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## ~Nikki~ (Aug 4, 2004)

Hopefully it's legit, and not what others are saying. Although on that note, you've been provided with a very good excuse to call the hospital and see what the heck it was about, and a very good reason why you didn't open the door to them. "Uh, I didn't know such a service was provided and I was concerned that it was a criminal scouting my house for a robbery or kidnapping."

For what it's worth, we have a similar service where I live. Not sure if it's province wide, or just through my hospital. But it wasn't advertised as a "Home Check", and they didn't come in any further than my living room. A nurse came out about 4 days after the birth of each of my children to check in and make sure breastfeeding was going well, to weigh the child if we wanted, and to discuss any possible problems with mom or the baby. I really appreciated the visit, both times, and didn't feel threatened by it. Of course, I knew about it well ahead of time, and knew it was optional.


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## jenangelcat (Apr 17, 2004)

Deleted by user.


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## cravenab00 (May 25, 2005)

i live in Nebraska, and a few years back our governor wanted EVERY baby born in the state to have a home visit to check for a "fit environment" he also wanted EVERY baby born tested for drugs.
Thank goddess it never passed and he is no longer in office.

I hope the OP is left alone from now on.


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## Buddhamom (Jan 16, 2007)

I know with my first they sent someone because I was under 20. But that was here in CT, and that was almost 18 years ago. Of course when she got here DH was in bed with our baby and she didn't seem to have any issue, she was more concerned about the impact having a new baby was on us because we were young.


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## merpk (Dec 19, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *D_McG* 
I agree! OP - I am not doubting your story (or your impression) or anything like that but something seems off. I am wondering if someone reported you or something like that?


Quote:


Originally Posted by *kennedy444* 
Really????







:

NYC must have thousands of births a day, how could they possibly send someone out to each and every home??

Sounds weird. Did she have ID? What city department was she from?


Quote:


Originally Posted by *ST* 
Having grown up in NYC and knowing many who've given birth at hospitals, birth centers and at home-that has never happened to anyone I know- including myself in 05. THat is just freaky. I would ask for more information.


Um ... yeah.

I gave birth b'H to four children at NYC hospitals (first one at Tisch NYU and three at Roosevelt), and never had any such visit or even had anyone question anything.

(And the Roosevelt staff had to deal with my nursing bigger kids on the bed with the newborn, babies sleeping with me, and jokes about how all of us manage to fit in bed at home ... nobody ever questioned me or sought to lecture me about any of it. Though they did roll their eyes 'bout it all.







)

I'd ask for ID next time, or even more, find out why they're coming to you for this. I've never ever even heard of it happening.


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## St. Margaret (May 19, 2006)

In my area they DO send someone to every family, but it's only the north part of San Diego county I think (still, pretty huge numbers to send an actual home health care nurse to), and they certainly call and schedule a time with you, and you can just say no thanks. And the hospital gave us a paper describing the program and it does say it's offered to all families... hopefully they weren't just saying that but then only really suggest it for the weirdos like us who used cloth and refused the eye goop! We actually accepted b/c we wanted the free chance to get DD weighed w/o going to the ped's! She just gave us a ton of resources, some dvds, picture books, checked my latch as it happened to be feeding time; she did not ask to see throughout the house and was only in the living room, so she wasn't scouting the sleeping arrangements or anything. DD was a super-fast feeder, like 5 minutes most of the time, and I was concerned b/c all my friends' babies ate for 30 minutes to hours during the first week, so it was nice to get her weighed and get free magnets w/ the poison control number on it, etc









BUT this all sounds very odd to have her just show up like that... hope things get figured out and turn out well.


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## Iris' Mom (Aug 3, 2007)

Yes, very odd. My ds1 was born in St. Luke's Roosevelt in 2001, and there was nothing like this then. I imagine in a big city like NY there must be thousands of babies born each year just to families that are already under social services supervision; where would they get the $ for this? I would think you'd need to test positive for heroin or something to be flagged. I just gave birth in Mass., however, and I told them I had a restraining order against my husband so he should not be permitted in. That flagged me in some way, and they offered to have a nurse visit me -- it was NOT mandatory. I said "sure," and someone came and offered me all sorts of services. It was actually quite nice, she gave me lots of helpful BF and swaddling tips. I co-sleep w/ DS1, age 6, and baby. She didn't say anything about it; just asked if I put baby to sleep on his back.


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