A Guiding Hand for Families in Special Care Nurseries - Digital - Book - Page 61
Getting ready to go home
When can my baby come home?
It is so exciting when your baby is given
the all clear to be discharged. You may
have spent weeks, or even months, in
hospital waiting for this very day.
In order for your baby to be discharged,
they should be able to:
• Maintain their body temperature
• Breathe on their own without any, or
minimal, assistance
• Gain weight steadily
• Feed fully by breast or bottle*
• Have no other ongoing health concerns
that require hospital care.
During baby’s hospital stay, you would have spent many hours learning to care
for them. The time you have spent getting to know your baby, and the bathing,
feeding and dressing, will make the transition home so much easier.
Discharge Plan
As the time to go home approaches, a discharge plan will be organised
by the staff at the nursery. The discharge plan helps ensure that all
appropriate clinical and community based support is in place for a smooth
transition from hospital to home.
It is important to inform your health care team if any of the following apply:
• You live alone
• You are a full time carer of another person,
e.g. a partner, parents or young children
• You used community services prior to admission to hospital,
e.g. Meals On Wheels
• Financial difficulties
*Please note, some hospitals may allow a baby to go home with a feeding tube if parents are trained in its use
Life’s Little Treasures Foundation | Supporting Families of Premature & Sick Babies
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