Care for the baby after birth and during the postnatal period

Delivery/life with the baby, Postnatal

Newborn care should be comprehensive and tailored to each baby.

The newborn will undergo a complete physical examination (auscultation of the heart and lungs, hips, skin, reflexes, general condition) by the doctor within hours of birth, but there is no rush if the baby is doing well. The nurse will weigh the baby and then measure its head (circumference), chest, and waist. All these measurements are recorded in the vaccination booklet that will be given to you when you leave the hospital. To understand and see these procedures in action, you can watch the video on physical examination of a baby, in which we explain each step in more detail, using a real baby.

The nurse will inject vitamin K into your baby’s thigh, which is a clotting factor that is not yet present in their blood. The purpose of this procedure is to prevent bleeding in the child until they produce this necessary component themselves. This injection after delivery is also important in preventing cerebral hemorrhage, which could occur after a vaginal delivery, due to the baby’s head descending into the mother’s pelvis and the resulting strong pressure and tension.

In some cases, a nurse may apply an antibiotic ointment (0.5% erythromycin ointment) to your baby’s eyes to prevent the risk of neonatal conjunctivitis, which is present when the mother or father is a carrier—or suspected of being a carrier—of STIs such as chlamydia or gonorrhea. In Quebec, the use of antibiotic cream is still in effect in several health care facilities, but remains optional.

You should also expect your baby to have a heel prick blood test to check bilirubin levels (neonatal jaundice) and screen for several conditions (Quebec Neonatal Blood Screening Program (PQDNS)) before leaving the hospital. If your maternity leave was very short (less than 24 hours), you may be asked to return to the maternity ward or a nurse may be sent to your home (depending on the region) to perform this blood test.

During your stay, you will also be shown how to handle your baby, burp them, and change their diaper. Help with breastfeeding and/or bottle feeding, as well as umbilical cord care, is also offered from the outset in all maternity wards in Quebec.

Due to the short hospital stay after childbirth, it is now common for newborns to have their first bath at home, as it is recommended to wait at least 24 hours before doing so to avoid heat loss, drying out their skin, and to allow time for the remaining vernix to be absorbed by the skin as much as possible, as it is considered protective for newborns.

A massage bath is a wonderful way to do this, gently and softly.

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Marie Fortier
The baby expert

Article updated: April 2025.

References :

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