Going Home From Hospital

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Going Home

Going Home From Hospital

Once you have delivered your baby you probably have a lot on your mind including going home! When you go home you will still have support from your midwife and you community health visitor. In this section you can find information about what happens between delivering your baby and going home. Please click on the topic you are interested or alternatively you can work your way through each of the sections.

How long do I need to stay in hospital?

The length of time that you need to stay in hospital will depend on a number of factors. For example:

•   What type of delivery you had
•   How your feeding is going
•   How well both you and your baby are following delivery
However, if you wish to be discharged early from hospital, we suggest a minimum stay of 6 hours after the delivery.

Baby Hearing Checks
A simple screening test of your newborns hearing will be performed in the first few weeks after your baby is born. These checks are performed in hospital and are offered to all babies. You will receive leaflet explaining about baby hearing tests after your delivery.

If for any reason your baby’s hearing is not tested, ask your midwife, health visitor or GP to make an appointment.

For more information about baby hearing checks, please click the link below:

http://hearing.screening.nhs.uk/cms.php?folder=2491

Baby Checks
Baby Hearing Tests

Your baby will receive at least two ‘baby checks’ where your baby will be examined. The first check is carried out by the midwife in the labour ward soon after the birth.

The second check is a further detailed examination known as the ‘Routine examination of a Newborn’ and is carried out between 6 – 72 hours after birth, before you are discharged home. In this check your baby will be examined from top to toe paying particular attention to the head, heart, hips, eyes and genitalia.

For more information about what is involved in a ‘Routine examination of a Newborn’, please click one of the links below:

http://newbornphysical.screening.nhs.uk/public

http://www.babycentre.co.uk/baby/newborn/newborntestsandchecks/

If your baby was in the breech position (bottom first) after 34 weeks of pregnancy, then an ultrasound scan of your babies hips will be arranged. This scan is usually performed after you and your baby have been discharged from hospital.

Neonatal screening tests

You will be offered screening of your baby for phenylketonuria (PKU), congenital hypothyroidism and cystic fibrosis. This is performed on day 5 after delivery (if possible) and will be fully discussed by your community midwife as written consent is needed. A leaflet giving more details on neonatal screening tests will be given on discharge from ward 3

For further information about the neonatal screening test, please click the link below:

http://www.healthscotland.com/uploads/documents/10546-10533-AParentsGuideToNewbornBloodSpotScreening-English.pdf

Car Seats
You have to make sure you have a car seat for your baby if you plan to travel home from the hospital in a car. This includes if you are travelling in your own car or a taxi. You need to make sure you choose a seat that is suitable for your child and your car.

It is important that you know how to fit the seat correctly and that it is secure.

If your child seat is in the front seat the child MUST use the correct child restraint.

If your child is in the rear seat the child MUST use the correct child restraint.

In a licensed taxi or licensed hire car, if a child restraint is not available then the child may have to travel unrestrained in the rear. This is the only exemption and has been introduced for practical rather than safety reasons. You should always think about ways to make sure a child seat is available. Most taxis can provide a car seat on request but you must ensure you have checked before ordering the taxi.

It is the driver’s legal responsibility to ensure that the child is correctly restrained.

For more information on this, please visit the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents by clicking on the link below:

http://www.rospa.com/roadsafety/advice/motorvehicles/policy/childcarseats.htm

or alternatively view the Good Egg Guide to In-car Child Safety available online at:

www.protectchild.co.uk

Community Midwife Visits

The day following discharge the community midwife will visit you at home. Remember to take your post natal record home with you.

Some of the things the community midwife may do include:
•    Support you in your feeding method
•    Answer any questions you may have
•    Recording your baby’s weight
•    Newborn bloodspot test

Your health visitor will visit between days 11 and 14 after delivery.

Support groups

There are many different support groups in the area including:

o    Baby massage
o    Breast feeding reassurance & awareness groups
o    drop in groups
o    mother & toddler groups

Further information and details about these groups can be obtained from your community midwife or health visitor.

Contraception
The earliest you can fall pregnant is three weeks from the birth of your baby and it is possible to fall pregnant before your periods return.

It is very important therefore if you plan to have sex and not become pregnant to use contraception. It is recommended that you start your chosen method of contraception within four weeks of the birth.

For further details about methods available ask the ward staff for the family planning association leaflet: ‘After you have had your baby – contraceptive choices’. There is also a section titled ‘Sex and Contraception’ in the Ready, Steady Baby book. You should have been provided with this book in your antenatal care package. If you did not receive this book please speak to your community midwife. To view this section of the book online, please click the link below:

http://www.readysteadybaby.org.uk/first-days-together/looking-after-yourself/sex-and-contraception.aspx