Midwifery-Led Postpartum Care Clinic

The Midwifery-Led Postpartum Care clinic is a program that was created to provide care to newborns for up to six weeks who do not currently have a family physician or nurse practitioner for well-baby care.  

Midwives are primary care providers who are trained to provide care to low-risk pregnant, birthing and postpartum individuals and newborns. Even if you didn’t have a midwife for your pregnancy or delivery, you are eligible for midwifery care for your newborn until they are six weeks of age. For appointments, your baby will be seen at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) and seen by a registered midwife.  

What you can expect:

Upon discharge from LHSC, your nurse will provide you with an appointment day and time for you to return to the hospital for your infants’ well-baby check up at the Midwifery Led Postpartum Clinic. Your first appointment will be within 72 hours of leaving the hospital.  In this clinic, your midwife will:

• Assess and assist with newborn feeding, whether through breastfeeding, chest feeding , or bottle feeding.
• Weigh your infant to monitor for newborn weight changes and ensure they are within a healthy range  
• Perform newborn exams (including heart/lung assessment, jaundice assessment, reflexes, skin assessment, diaper rash assessment, etc.)
• Assessment of vitals on the newborn (heart rate, temperature, respiration rate, output, etc.)
• Discuss information about normal newborn behaviour (umbilical cord care, normal newborn breathing, feeding questions etc.), and when to seek urgent medical attention
• Aid with setting up any necessary referrals (hearing tests, cardiology, tongue/lip tie assessments, circumcision, etc.) 

Your midwife will plan follow-up visits with you based on your newborns' needs. They can also help to discharge your newborn into the care of a pediatrician accepting newborn referrals or direct you on how to get follow-up care after six weeks.  

Please Note: The Midwifery-Led Postpartum Clinic is for infants that do not have a Family Doctor or Nurse Practitioner to provide ongoing and well-baby care. Please speak with your postpartum nurse for more information.