Care after birth

After birth, you will be given time to spend with your baby. For the first 2 hours it’s important that you have skin to skin contact, unless you or your baby needs medical attention. You may be transferred to the Maternity Ward on level 2 or if you and your baby are well, you may ask for an early discharge.

Postnatal care

You and your family can prepare to take your baby home within 6-48 hours after a normal vaginal birth and within 3 days after a caesarean birth. If you decide to stay, let the staff know when you would like to go home as many things have to be planned and organised before the morning of your discharge.

In the postnatal maternity ward, you and your baby will have a bed for you to rest and recover. Each bed has a call bell if you need help, and adjustable lighting for night feeding. The ward has a lounge area for breastfeeding and a neonatal observation area where babies are bathed.

The Maternity Ward is located on level 2 and consists of single, double and 4 bed rooms. Single rooms are allocated according to need, priority is given to women who have transmissible infections, experiencing the loss of a baby or have required a caesarean section in the past 1-2 days.

Visiting hours

We ask for visitors to allow rest and sleep time for all new mothers in the ward.

• Daily visiting hours are 8.00am-1.00pm and 3.00-8.00pm.
• Rest period between 1.00-3.00pm daily.

Tests and medicines for your newborn

After your baby is born, you will be asked to consent for your baby to have some vaccinations and screening tests. These may include:

• vitamin K
• hepatitis B vaccination
• healthy hearing test
• neonatal screening blood test (heel prick).

Register baby’s birth

You will be given a birth registration pack which includes a brochure on how to register your baby’s birth.

Recommended screens and tests