Milestones for Going Home

Milestones

Before you and your baby leave the hospital, your health care team will make sure you’ve met the following milestones:

• Diet: You are tolerating a normal diet.
• IV fluids: All intravenous lines have been removed.
• Breastfeeding: You know how to ask for help with breastfeeding while you are in the hospital, and you know where to look for support after you are home.
• Car seat: You have a car seat for your infant, as the law requires.
• Out of bed: You can move and function in a normal manner.
• Skin-to-skin before and after feeds: You are comfortable using skin-to-skin contact with your baby.
• Help at home: You have information on where to find help after you go home.
• Ride home: You arranged transportation to your home.
• Lab work: All necessary testing is complete.
• Hand expression: You have learned to hand express milk comfortably and effectively.
• Vaccinations: You have received important vaccines that protect you and your baby from serious illnesses, such as the Tetanus-diphtheria and pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine. Other vaccines, such as the flu vaccine, are offered as needed.
• Prescriptions: You have the prescriptions you need to take with you.
• Birth certificate: You have completed all the paperwork necessary to process your baby’s birth certificate.
• Hearing screening: Your baby has received a hearing screening.
• Newborn screen test: A blood sample was taken from your baby to screen for conditions that can affect your baby’s health and survival.
• Wet diaper and stool: The number of soiled diapers is appropriate for the age of your baby in days.
• Feed on demand: You can recognize when your baby wants to eat.
• Pulse oximetry screen: The oxygen level in your baby’s blood was measured by putting a pad on his or her right hand and foot. This is a screening test for certain heart conditions.
• Discharge bilirubin test: Your baby’s bilirubin level was tested. High bilirubin levels can be dangerous and may require treatment.
• Bath: You have received instructions on how to give a sponge bath, which you can do until the cord falls off; you can give your baby a bath in a basin after the cord falls off.
• Latch assessment: The nurses and breastfeeding consultants have checked to make sure you are comfortable with breastfeeding.
• Hepatitis B vaccine: Your baby received a hepatitis B vaccine.
• Follow-up appointment: You know to make an appointment with your baby’s pediatrician within about 2 days of going home.

If you have any questions about these milestones, reach out to your care team.