Parental checklist after birth

Register the birth

First things first, register the birth. You need to make an appointment to register the birth at the Coventry Register Office. To do this visit Registering a birth – Coventry City Council and follow the instructions. If you’re married or in a civil partnership with the other parent to your newborn child, only one of you needs to visit the Register Office to register the birth. If you and the other parent to your newborn child are not married but will share parental responsibility, both of you need to attend the appointment to be put on the birth certificate. You have to register the birth 42 days of your child being born, and the current cost of birth certificates is £12.50.

Register with the GP

You will need to register your baby with your local GP as they will be due an 8-week postnatal check and immunisations around 8 weeks, 12 weeks and 16 weeks. You may also require medical advice or support prior to 8 weeks, so it is a good idea to register your baby as soon as possible. The GP you have chosen may allow you to register online, or you may have to complete a form. The GP will need to see the birth certificate once you receive it, but you can register the baby without it. GP’s can refuse to register your baby if they are not accepting new patients, or you are outside the area, please then find an alternative GP to register your baby with.

Professional Contact

When you are discharged home from hospital with your baby, you will have a community midwife visit you at home over the first 2 weeks, dependent on baby’s progress and your recovery following the birth. If you do not have contact from a community midwife during this timeframe, please call the midwives office on 02476 967424.

Your Health Visitor will make contact with you 10-14 days after babies born and will arrange a home visit to support you with parenting, the growth and development of your baby and advise on some health promotion topics. Your health visitor is available for support until your child is school age, the key contacts you will have with your health visitor are the initial visit, 6-8 week visit and then the 10-12 month health review and 2-2.5 year development checks for your child usually carried out by a nursery nurse. If you do not have contact with a health visitor in the first 10-14 days, please call the Coventry Health Visitors on 02475 189190 or via ChatHealth Text Only service: 07507 329114.