Consults: In order for your Home Care Nurse to make a timely visit, please let your nurse know if you have moved, have a new telephone number or will be staying somewhere other than your home after discharge.

Teaching: Your nurse will review care for yourself and the baby when you go home. Topics will include: how to care for yourself and the baby; when to call the doctor/clinic; how to care for self; how to care for baby; when to call your baby’s doctor; and when to call your doctor. Please ask questions about anything that is not clear.

Medications: You may be sent home with a prescription for pain medication. If you don’t have a prescription, but find that you need one after returning home, call your doctor to make this request.

Follow-up: Make your follow-up appointments for yourself and your baby before leaving the hospital, or soon after you arrive home. Remember to notify your insurance carrier of the new addition to your family within the first 30 days after birth.

Child Passenger Safety Laws:Your new baby is precious, so don’t take any chances in ensuring him or her a safe ride home. It is illegal to transport a child who is under the age of six years, or weighs less than 60 pounds, by vehicle without using a federally-approved child passenger restraint system. The car seat should be either an infant or convertible model manufactured since 1982, the year federal safety regulations were enacted. Because the newborn has no head control, he must face backward to prevent dangerous, rapid forward movement of the head during a sudden stop.

It is important to read directions carefully for proper installation and use of the car seat. Also, consult your automobile manual for information about the proper use of car seats if your car has air bags. More detailed information can be found in the California Vehicle Code, Sections 27360(a), (b), (c)(1), and (c)(2), and Sections 27363.5 (a) and (b). [read more]

Here are some other good sources of information:

The California DMV - www.dmv.ca.gov
The American Academy of Pediatrics - www.aap.org
National Safe Kids Campaign - www.safekids.org
American Academy of Family Physicians - www.familydoctor.org

 
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