What is newborn care like in the UK?

Newborn is the term for a child from the time of birth until he or she turns 1. month of life. This is the time when his body adapts to new living conditions and develops intensively. For this reason, it requires the attentive care of not only Parents, but also an experienced midwife.

Newborn baby – the first days of life after birth in England

Childbirth in England proceeds according to a birth plan, a document prepared by the pregnant woman and midwife, in which the mother-to-be specifies what procedures may be applied to her. A special place in it is given to the care of the newborn in the first few days of life. Key issues include skin-to-skin contact, breastfeeding, cord blood collection and immunizations.

If the mother-to-be has expressed a desire to do so, shortly after birth the newborn is placed on her abdomen for what is known as a “baby bump. skin-to-skin contact, which is extremely important for a young child. Medical personnel record the date and time of birth and make an initial assessment of the toddler’s health according to the Apgar scale. After a short rest, doctors perform further examinations, during which the mother of the newborn is present. Each child is given a health booklet, known as a “health book”. red book. It records all health-related information.

The birth is also followed by the first breastfeeding. If a woman has difficulty breastfeeding her newborn, a midwife or lactation consultant will assist her (in this regard, childbirth in England is no different from childbirth in Poland). When the mother and toddler feel well, they can leave the hospital.

Newborn care in England

Women who chose to give birth in England were under the care of a midwife throughout their pregnancy during individual visits to the clinic and at the birthing school. The same is true after delivery – the midwife continues to watch over the health of the mother and the newborn. The first time he visits the child at home is on the second day, and then on the 5th and 10th days after leaving the hospital. During the visit, the newborn is weighed and measured. The midwife also checks his general health and answers all of his mother’s questions and concerns (she also remains on call at any time of the day or night).

At the end of the first month of life, the newborn should have a balance sheet of health. For this purpose, the mother goes with him to the nearest clinic (Baby Clinic). The doctor assesses the child’s general health and development. The tests are completely painless.

On the 10th day of life, the Health Visitor takes charge of the baby. This is a person who watches over the health of the child until the age of 5. It helps the family, and if necessary can refer the toddler for consultation with a dentist, physiotherapist, nutritionist or psychologist.

Also read: What does proper care of a newborn baby look like? Tips

Child born in England – citizenship

Giving birth in England involves dealing with several formalities. First of all, Parents must register the new family member within 42 days of the birth at the office with jurisdiction over the place of residence. However, the issue of the citizenship of a child born in England raises the most questions.

Unfortunately, simply having a child born in England is not enough to get British citizenship. This is only the case if one of the Parents has British nationality or permanent residency. Otherwise, an application must be filed, but strict conditions must be met in order to do so.

See also: Caesarean section in the UK – indications for caesarean section in England