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.
