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 postnatal maternity ward 6B on level 6 of the Ned Hanlon Building or you may request an early discharge if you and your baby are well.

Having your baby at the Royal

When you go into labour, see where you need to go for the birth of your baby and find out more about staying with us after your baby is born.

Watch the video

Postnatal care

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

Visiting hours

• Daily visiting hours are 10.00am-1.00pm and 3.00pm-8.00pm.
• Partners can visit between 8.00am-8.00pm.
• Rest period between 1.00pm-3.00pm daily. Only partners can stay during this time and we encourage a quiet environment so mothers can rest.
• Partners, visitors and carers cannot stay overnight.

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 with the Queensland Government Births, Deaths, Marriages and Divorces Department.