Some women will need more home visits than others depending on individual need, the midwife will explain this.
- Rhesus negative women given Anti-D, and vaccinations, if needed, can be offered
- Assistance with breast feeding is given via your midwife and Home Start workers
- Baby has neonatal and hearing assessments
- Day time and night time contact numbers are given on discharge from the unit
- The Community Midwife will visit the day after discharge home and arrange subsequent visits according to individual needs
- Day 5-8 – The baby will be weighed and have the Blood Spot heel prick test
- Day 12-14 – last planned midwife visit with hand over of care to the Health Visitor and GP
- You can contact your midwife for up to 28 days post delivery
- Obstetrician follow-up appointment will be made if there have been any complications
Blood spot
This is a routine heel prick test done on the baby, by the midwife between days 5-8. It screens the baby for a number of conditions including:
- Phenylketonuria
- Congenital hypothyroidism
- Sickle Cell Diseases
- Cystic Fibrosis
- MCADD
For further information please see Newborn blood spot test NHS page in Related Link to left.lick on here for further information: Newborn blood spot test - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
Infant feeding specialists
The Infant Feeding Specialists provide support and information in all aspects of infant feeding, and support mothers in the initiation and establishment of their chosen method of feeding.
Whilst support is given to choose the best feeding option for you, more and more studies tell us that breastfeeding is the healthiest option as it provides your baby with all the necessary nutrients.
A baby who is breastfed is far less likely to be admitted to hospital or suffer with infections such as ear, chest, urinary and gastroenteritis.
The good news for mums is that it provides protection against osteoporosis, breast and ovarian cancer. Breastfeeding will also help your womb to get back to normal and helps with weight loss.
As such our policies and practices reflect evidence-based best practice guidelines as laid out in UNICEFS ‘Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding’.