You and your baby will have a daily check carried out by the midwife on the ward. Either a midwife or a paediatrician normally examines your baby at 24 hours old prior to transfer home. You can contact your Health Visitor at any time if you experience any problems or have any queries regarding your child
When you can go home will depend upon how both you and your baby are doing following the birth. On average if you have a normal delivery with no complications, you can go home within six hours all being well.
If however you require assistance with delivery you may have to remain in hospital for two to three days. Following a caesarean section you may be in hospital for four or five days. Please note that this is simply a guide and your circumstances may differ.
Your Community Midwife will visit you at home on the day following your transfer from hospital between the hours of 9.00 am and 4.45 pm. If you intend to go out please let your midwife know.
Your midwife will tailor the post-natal visits to suit both you and your baby's individual needs and will carry out the same post-natal checks on you and your baby as in the hospital. He/she will assist you with any problems you may have.
If anyone calls to see you and your baby and you do not know them, please ask to see identification and do not let them enter your home until you are satisfied.
Your midwife transfers your care to the Health Visitor usually around the 10th post-natal day. Your Health Visitor will advise you about your child's development, immunisations, baby clinics and checks upon your child's development at regular intervals until he/she goes to school.
You can contact your Health Visitor at any time if you experience any problems or have any queries regarding your child.
Your own doctor (GP) normally carries out a postnatal check approximately six weeks following the birth of your baby to check that you are well.