Most babies without any health issues are ready to leave the hospital with mom after 24-48 hours.
One of St. Mary's primary focus areas is women's and children's health. In this series of blogs, Dr. Charles F. Potter, a board-certified neonatologist-perinatal medicine specialist who provides care to infants at St. Mary's, answers questions about conditions that can affect babies (and moms in some cases) and discusses going home after delivery. We hope you find this series educational and invite you to learn more about delivering at St. Mary's.
It is exciting to bring a new member of your family home and our team wants to help you make this day as joyful and problem-free as possible. Being familiar with the routine care offered after an uncomplicated birth helps you and your pediatrician take care of your new infant. A birthing plan arranged before arriving at the hospital facilitates the discharge process.
What can a discharge plan include?
Our team wants to work with the parents to make sure all of the baby’s needs are met. Did the infant receive the appropriate newborn medications, screening tests and vaccinations? Is the baby feeding well, urinating and stooling, and are there any questions for the lactation expert? Are there any medical issues including jaundice that need to be addressed after discharge? Does the infant have a car seat and is the birth certificate filled out? Any questions about “Back to Sleep?” Most importantly, are there any questions you might have before leaving?
How soon can I leave with my baby?
Most babies without any health issues are ready to leave the hospital with mom after 24-48 hours. If an infant is leaving after 24 hours, it is recommended for the infant to see a health care provider the next day or within 48 hours to ensure that there are no health problems that can arise after 24 hours such as a heart murmur or jaundice. Extra vigilance is necessary for infants born to moms positive for Group B Streptococcus since occasionally these infants demonstrate symptoms of infection after 24 hours. In general, answering a parent’s questions prior to leaving, coupled with a parent’s comfort in calling their health care provider, allows a parent to leave the hospital comfortable in their ability to take care of their newborn.
When should I choose my baby’s doctor?
It is best to establish a relationship with your infant’s healthcare provider before you deliver so that they can be a resource for you immediately after you and your baby go home from the hospital. A pediatrician specializes in the care of children, but many family medicine physicians also treat infants and very young children, in addition to teens and adults.
What is our goal?
First and foremost, we want to protect the health of mother and baby! We strive to make your birth experience at St. Mary’s Hospital as joyful as possible as a new life is brought into your family. We strive to include you in our team, which is dedicated to providing unsurpassed medical treatment with compassionate and individualized care.
Learn more about St. Mary’s Family Birth Center in Athens
About Charles Potter, MD
Dr. Charles F. Potter is a board-certified neonatologist-perinatal medicine specialist, a physician who specializes in the care of infants while they are in the hospital. He received his medical education from the Medical College of Wisconsin, completed his internal medicine residency at the University of Michigan Hospitals, and completed his specialty fellowship at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio.