Should you need urgent health advice please contact your GP or call NHS 111. In an emergency please visit A&E or call 999

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What to expect after your baby’s birth

After the birth of your baby, your baby may be passed straight to you and dried for skin-to-skin contact.

Skin-to-skin time helps to soothe and calm your baby, helps with bonding and attachment and is important for their brain development.

Skin-to-skin contact also helps to regulate body temperature and supports early interaction and communication with your baby. Your partner can also experience the positive effects of skin-to-skin, helping to start the bonding and attachment process. Skin-to-skin time helps prevent allergies in later life and aids in the development of your baby’s immune system.

Read more about skin-to-skin contact.

After delivery, your midwife will assess your baby using the APGAR score. This is an assessment of your baby’s health at one minute, five minutes and ten minutes after birth.

Physical checks

Your midwife will perform a complete physical check of your baby. Your baby will be weighed, their temperature will be checked and vitamin K will be offered.

In newborns, vitamin K can prevent a rare, but potentially fatal, bleeding disorder called vitamin K deficiency bleeding. Babies can be given one injection in hospital after they are born, or you could choose oral vitamin K drops which are given in three doses; one dose at birth, a second dose between day 4 and day 7 and the third dose on day 28.

The hospital will inform your community midwife of your discharge home and it is important that your address and phone number are documented correctly before you leave. For information on registering your baby’s birth, click here.

Useful links

ChatHealth Logo

Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust runs a confidential secure text messaging service for parents of children aged 0-19 years called Chat Health. The service operates Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm, excluding bank holidays. All texts will be responded to by a public health nurse (health visitor/school nurse) within 24 hours. Outside of the service working hours, you’ll receive a message back to inform you that your text will be responded to once the line reopens.

Healthy Together Logo

Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust runs the Healthy Together Helpline for parents and carers in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. The Helpline’s qualified health and administrative professionals offer easy to access, safe and free advice, support and signposting. Calls are answered from 9am – 4.30pm on weekdays, excluding bank holidays. Calls are charged at the same rate as calling a standard landline number.

Should you require urgent health advice in the meantime, please contact your GP, visit an NHS walk-in centre or call NHS 111. For emergencies, dial 999 or visit A&E.

Your maternity service

Discover support, advice and information from University Hospitals of Leicester's Maternity Service to help you throughout your pregnancy and beyond.

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Page last reviewed: 29-10-2024

Next review due: 29-10-2027