Midwifery Care After the Birth
In the immediate postpartum (the time right after the birth), your midwives will help to make sure that you are recovering as expected. Rest, hydration and nourishment are all important to this period of recovery. We will help the newborn transition by placing them skin-to-skin with you and help to establish breastfeeding if this is your plan. Your midwives will provide information about your care and recovery after your birth. We will discuss with you what your newborn needs and behaviour will be over the coming days. If you and your baby are healthy and stable, the midwives will discharge you from MGH or TBC for home within 2-4 hours after your birth. If you had a home birth they will depart from your home after a 2-4 hours.
If there are any concerns for you or the baby we will recommend moving into hospital or staying in the hospital, where there is more frequent care and assessment for a longer period of time than what midwives can provide at home or in the birth centre.
In the next coming days and weeks your midwives will see you at home and/or in the clinic. The usual schedule of visits include; one at 12-24 hours after the birth, one on day 3 and one between day 5-7 in your home. After the first week to 10 days, visits usually occur in the clinic up until 6 weeks. We realize that not all families will have the same needs after the birth and timing and location of these visits will change depending on your circumstances.
During these postpartum visits, midwives will assess your well-being , the newborns vital signs, growth and development. We assess for neonatal jaundice at each visit and perform the Ontario Newborn Screen, Critical Cardiac Heart Disease screening and a jaundice/bilirubin testing at home. We can support your physical and emotional needs and can provide additional resources in the community when necessary. We will discuss normal postpartum expectations for you and your baby including various newborn behaviours.
Midwifery clients are discharged from care around 6 weeks after the baby is born. It is recommended that families arrange for follow-up with a family doctor or paediatrician at 8 weeks of age.