Postpartum and Newborn Care

It’s common for the first six weeks with your baby to be filled with a wide range of experiences and feelings, in addition to your clinical concerns. You may have feelings of elation, exhaustion, worry or relief—all of which are completely normal. You can discuss your experiences and address clinical issues with your midwife, who will care for you and your baby for up to eight weeks after the birth (this is called postpartum care). During this time, your midwife will provide guidance around how to care for your baby and yourself during this unique time in both of your lives.

Regardless of where you give birth (home, birth centre or hospital), Your midwife will monitor your well-being at home or in the community for up to eight weeks after the birth. You can expect close follow-up care, usually within 24 hours after the birth, and several more routine visits in this timeframe. During this time, your midwife will provide clinical care and guidance for both your and your baby's health, including chest/breastfeeding support. They will ensure you're recovering well, both physically and emotionally.

In caring for your baby, midwives offer all routine newborn assessments, such as newborn screening for metabolic disorders, hearing testing and jaundice screening, as well as physical examinations, including checking weight, length, brain development, heart, lungs and how the umbilical stump is healing.

After six to eight weeks, you and your baby will be discharged from midwifery care and will see a nurse practitioner, family doctor or a pediatrician for your baby's ongoing care. Before you are discharged from midwifery care, your midwife will discuss your family planning needs and choices, provide further feeding support and refer you to services to address any wellness and mental health needs.

Some midwives work in extended roles through the hospital or community care centres. Midwives in these roles may provide episodic post partum care to support families and communities with limited access to midwifery care or other primary care providers. Care could include routine screening, feeding support, or other routine assessments.

Clients sometimes feel sad about leaving midwifery care, having been through an intense and meaningful moment in their lives with people who saw them through it every step of the way. Ask how you can stay in touch with your midwifery practice group, including by getting on their mailing list, following their social media feeds, or attending picnics or events for past clients.

Click on the video below to get a sense of what postpartum care with a midwife is like.