After your baby is born

Postnatal care is offered both in the hospital and in the community as part of your wellbeing care.

In the hospital, your midwife will perform several checks on you before you go home and arrange any medication that you may need. They will also make sure your baby is feeding well prior to being discharged to the community. 

In the community, you will be seen in your home by a community midwife the day after discharge from hospital. You will then have follow up appointments in postnatal clinics or at home if needed.

Community midwifery usually lasts for up to 10 to 12 days, but can be up to 28 days. You will also be supported by community midwifery support workers who are trained in areas such as infant feeding.

There are three main screening tests for your baby that you will be offered: 

• Newborn Initial Physical Examination (NIPE)
• hearing screen
• newborn blood spot test.

Within 72 hours of birth, all babies are offered a full NIPE examination. This examination includes screening the eyes, heart, hips and in boys, the testes. The examination is completed by a neonatal doctor or specially trained midwife. More information about the physical examination is available on the NHS website.

All babies are offered a hearing screen. A small number of babies can have hearing loss in one or both of their ears. Offering this test early provides quick access to specialist services if required. More information about the hearing test is available on the NHS website.

When your baby is around five days old, your community midwife will offer you the Newborn Blood Spot test. This test involves collecting four small samples of blood from your baby’s foot on a special card. If you are still in hospital you can have this test done by the midwives on the ward. The test screens for nine rare diseases including sickle cell and cystic fibrosis. More information about the blood spot test is available on the NHS website.

We offer a wide choice of contraceptive options after the birth of your baby. It is important to consider your options as you can become pregnant again after 21 days of birth. We recommend leaving a space of between one to two years between your birth and your next pregnancy. If you have had a caesarean section it is very important to leave at least two years before becoming pregnant again. Most importantly, choosing a contraception empowers you to take control of your own fertility and decide when you are ready to have another baby. 

The contraceptive options we can offer include the coil, progesterone only implant, progesterone only injection and progesterone only pill. Your midwife or GP can go through your options to choose the right one for you. All of these options are safe to use when breastfeeding and will not affect your milk supply. If you are not breastfeeding you will also have the option of the combined oral contraceptive pill.

Please remember that these methods will not protect you from sexually transmitted infections and you should always use a condom to help protect you against these.

We have trained midwives who are able to fit the contraceptive implant for you. Alternatively, you can contact Rotherham Sexual Health Services on 01709 427777 or contact your GP.

All babies must be registered with the Births, Deaths and Marriages department within six weeks of the birth of your baby. 

If you are married, either parent can register your baby but if you are single you are responsible for registering your baby.

Register a birth - Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council

Symptoms such as frequent visits to the toilet, leaking wee, or feeling heavy in your pelvis can be common but shouldn’t be considered normal.

We can help you manage your symptoms with the knowledge and skills to improve your pelvic health. You can download the free GetUBetter app for South Yorkshire with will provide you with 24 hour access, tailored programmes, pelvic floor exercises, and advice on when to seek help and access to local treatments and services. 

Download the GetUBetter app.

Once discharged from your community midwife, you will be seen by your health visitor and GP.

A health visitor is a nurse or midwife who has taken additional training and will support you with your baby’s health and development until they start school.

For non-urgent concerns, you should contact your GP. You will need to register your baby with your GP as soon as you have received your birth certificate. It is important to do this as soon as possible so that you can receive any care needed for your baby. You will need to make an appointment with your GP for around 6 weeks after giving birth for you and your baby to check how you are doing after the birth.

If you have been supported by the smoking in pregnancy team during your pregnancy, you will be offered a postnatal support visit to help you stay smoke free. 

If you haven't quit smoking yet but would like support to quit, you can self-refer to Rotherham Healthwave on 01709 718720.

Remember, it’s important to keep your home smoke free to protect your family from second hand smoke.

If you were due your cervical smear test during pregnancy, you will need to re-book this appointment for 12 weeks after birth with your GP.