Tremendous excitement accompanies the birth of a baby, but new parents also often feel overwhelmed and fatigued. During the typically short postpartum hospital stay, mothers must attempt to recover from the birth and get to know their newborns while getting visits from elated family and friends and interruptions from hospital personnel. During this time, the mother needs to become comfortable with feeding and caring for her newborn while beginning her own recovery.

Ideally, the parents have met or spoken with the health care professional for a pre-natal visit, but, for many, the newborn visit is the first opportunity for the parents and health care professional to meet. The number of visits in the immediate newborn period will depend on the mode of delivery and the presence of maternal or neonatal complications. The duration of each visit also will vary, based upon the specific needs of the baby and family. Prior parental experience with newborns, the newborn’s health status, and the presence of social support influence the parents’ responses and guide the health care professional’s interactions with the family. New parents always ask one question first: “Is our baby OK?” Once they hear that their baby is healthy, the parents want to learn how to care for him, establish a good

schedule, recover physically and emotionally from the birth, and go home to begin their new adventure.

Examining the newborn in the mother’s room within the first 24 hours of life gives the health care professional an important opportunity to demonstrate the newborn’s abilities, observe the parents’ interactions with the baby, and model behaviors that engage and support the newborn during this transition time. The health care professional can elicit the newborn’s response to voices and other forms of stimulation, such as noises in the room, touch, light, movement, being undressed, and being comforted. If this visit also is the first meeting the health care professional has with the mother, questions from the prenatal visit may need to be incorporated to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the family’s values and beliefs, strengths, resources, and needs.

This interaction with the family gives the health care professional the chance to build the health supervision partnership with the family. Answering questions and addressing concerns during this visit will reassure parents and lessen the anxiety they may be feeling about taking their baby home. Knowing that the health care professional will be available after they leave the hospital will add to the parents’ comfort and confidence as they embark on this new phase of their lives.