How do you get medical help for a newborn?

[Serenissima123]

I'm expecting and my mind is wondering to various different scenarios.
This time I'm wondering, what do you do if you've brought your newborn home and in the first few days/weeks they have syrange symptoms or are unwell? Do you go to A&E? Or can you call a midwife? Or a post natal department? How does health care work in this case, immediately following the baby's birth? Thanks!

Midwifes come out and visit you (or you go to them) every day at first until at least day 10, longer if you or they have concerns. Then you can ring GP, or 111 if out of hours. Health visitor will also be in touch and they have a 6week check up with GP.

call 111 or if very seriously 999 emergency

Call the GP if open. Or 111. They will usually advise a&e for a newborn, better to be checked over if you have a concern.

I wouldn't bother with the local midwife / HV. Unless it was something very minor.

111 always resulted in a quick out of hours appointment being offered or a suggestion to go to A and E. They have an option when dialling if the child is under 18m and that gets you through quicker.

If it’s minor ring GP or midwife (visit regularly after birth). Eg blanching rash/ to talk poo colour / colic etc
If you are very concerned /they are ill /drowsy / high temperature. You bring them straight to A&E.

You'd access medical services in exactly the same way you would in any other circumstances... pharmacy/111/GP/A&E depending on severity and circumstances.

Some NHS trusts (like mine) don't discharge completely from maternity services until 28 days after birth, in which case you can call and bring baby in if there are any concerns.

You won't be left in the dark about this - you'll be sign posted in the right direction(s) after birth.

Midwife will rock up essentially whenever you ask in my trust, they were great.

Doctors responded quickly but were shit with diagnosis.

You won’t be alone I promise, you’ll be given number for local clinics to call.

We called 111 in the first few days with our DD when we were worried about something late at night and she wasn't registered with GP yet, they sent us to A&E just to be safe as she was so little. Turned out to be nothing but we were glad they took us seriously.

I'd start with 111, the midwife/health visitor or straight to A&E if serious. Wherever you go I doubt they'd turn you away!

Ds had issues with his temperature at 5 days old (picked up by the midwife as part of routine checks) and she sent us straight to the neonatal dept at the hospital to be checked over (all fine).

At the few weeks mark you'd see the GP or A&E if urgent.

@rosesandsalvias

Midwifes come out and visit you (or you go to them) every day at first until at least day 10, longer if you or they have concerns. Then you can ring GP, or 111 if out of hours. Health visitor will also be in touch and they have a 6week check up with GP.

Where you live is obviously a lot more hands on than where I do - the midwife here does a day 1 and a day 5 check (the latter of which is no longer a home visit - you have to go back into the hospital for it 'because of covid') and that's your lot!

Thanks all! So when you have the baby do you have to register them with a gp? Or are they automatically registered with your gp+

Where I live you could phone triage at the maternity ward out of hours for the first 10 days, as well as midwives visiting. Maybe ask your midwife at your next appointment?

Midwifes come out and visit you (or you go to them) every day at first until at least day 10, longer if you or they have concerns. Then you can ring GP, or 111 if out of hours. Health visitor will also be in touch and they have a 6week check up with GP

Blimey. I got one visit to take my c-section stitch out, then “do you mind if we don’t come for the second visit, it’s quite a long way for us” - big city, i was on the edge of their “boundary” but i used to work in that hospital, 30 min cycle so 10 min drive.

Then my “6 week” check was nearer 12. Saw HV once or twice and that was it.

But yes, 111/gp/a&e same as any other medical issue

You have to register the baby with your GP.

A few days after my son was born the midwife visited and I mentioned something I noticed which I thought was odd and she sent us straight to A&E (baby was fine but it gave us a fright and we had to stay in overnight). When he had his check up with the GP she noticed something and referred us to a specialist, who said the first thing was fine but noticed something else and referred us to a different specialist (again, baby was fine!). I think it’s good though that they are so cautious with newborns.