Safety: Getting ready to go home
Leaving the hospital is a big moment. Mothers and their babies always do much better at home if medical issues have been resolved. Preparing for discharge is a bit like preparing for the hospital. You just need to make sure you have the equipment and information you will need.
- Take your infant car safety seat to the hospital when your baby is ready to go home. Most hospitals will not discharge your baby until you have a car seat. If you don't have one, many hospitals will rent or loan one to you.
- Before you leave the hospital, make sure you have the name and phone number of the clinic where your baby will be treated. You also should have the name of the doctor who saw your baby in the hospital. Many pediatric and family medicine clinics have brochures or pamphlets to help you use their services. If you are not satisfied with your baby's health care provider, you can always switch to another. However, you should wait to do this until after the first regular check-up following hospital discharge.
Your hospital stay: Going home Nursery checklist (requires Adobe Reader) Layette checklist (requires Adobe Reader) Return to "The first few days, Volume 1 Pregnancy Condition Center: Your newborn Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota: Parenting resources
Source: Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota
First published: 05/01/2001
Last updated: 06/06/2006
Reviewed by: Kent Wegmann, MD, Children's of Minnesota
Pediatric Clinic - St. Paul
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