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A Better Start Southend
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3-5 Month Health Visitor Contact

3-5 Month Health Visitor Contact

3-5 Month Health Visitor Contact

The 3-5 Month Health Visitor Contact project supports parents in giving their children a healthy start and contributes to an increase in the number of children entering reception at a healthy weight through improving parental knowledge about introducing solid foods and portion sizes. The project also aims to support the continuation of breastfeeding, exclusively until the child is 6 months old and, from then, during the first year and until the mother chooses to stop.

For the first six months of life, babies only need breastmilk (or an appropriate infant formula). At around six months, babies will begin to show that they are ready for solid foods to be introduced into their diet, alongside breast milk (or formula) from which they will continue to get most of the energy they need for growth and development. This is the point when babies will be able to sit up, hold their heads up, hold food and move it to their mouths and swallow. Introducing solid foods before this period of readiness is thought to increase the risk of chronic adverse health effects, such as gut disorders and respiratory tract infections.

This visit fills the gap between the six-week check and the one year mark, offering guidance to prevent health issues related to the early introduction of solids. Health visitors provide resources and support to make the transition to solid foods as smooth as possible, helping parents feel confident in their choices.

After your babies six week check, the Health Visiting service will arrange to visit again at around 3-5 months before complementary feeding starts. This is also an opportunity to ask questions about your baby’s growth and development.

Update to the service (October 2024)

There are some changes happening to the ‘Starting Solids 3 – 4 month Health Visitor Contact’.

From October 2024, the visit will be when your baby is from 3 to 5 months old. This means the service will be able to reach more families at an important time in their baby’s development.

If you are a first-time parent, you will be offered a home visit.

If you aren’t a first-time parent and your baby was born after June 2024, you will be offered a group session. If you are parents who are receiving an additional health visiting offer of support, or are receiving the Healthy Child Programme above the universal level, a 3 – 5 month contact will be offered.

A group session will give you the chance to meet other parents with babies of a similar age. All the support and topics covered in a home visit will still be covered, just in a group session. There will also be time for questions and weighing and measuring your baby.

The group sessions will be held at a different family centre each month. Please wait to hear from your Health Visitor for details of your session. Here’s a map of where the Southend Family Centres are.

If you have concerns about your baby’s health and development or feel a home visit would be more suitable for you, please contact Southend Health Visiting Service on 01702 534911 or email: MSEICB-S.Southend0-19PublicHealthServiceAdmin@nhs.net 

Contact Details

If you have any questions about the 3-5 Month Health Visitor Contact, please get in touch via email: sccg.southend0-19publichealthservice@nhs.net

Feeding your baby – Start for Life – NHS: for more information on feeding your baby through breastfeeding, bottle feeding or a combination of both.

First Steps Nutrition Trust: for more information on making up infant formula safely.

First Steps Nutrition Trust: more information on infant milks.

First Steps Nutrition Trust: frequently asked questions about infant milk safety.

Bliss: for more information about weaning a premature baby.

Food Standards Agency: for more information on food allergies and intolerances.

BBC Tiny Happy People: a selection of activities to do with children aged 3-6 months.

Click HERE to view the First Steps Nutrition Trust’s practical guide on Healthy Start and Best Start Foods.

Click HERE for parent tips from the Institute of Health Visiting on looking after your children’s teeth.