Going home from hospital: sick or premature babies

Preparing your home environment:

• Keep the house clean but avoid using toxic or harsh cleaning supplies.
• Protect your baby from exposure to smoke and smoking (even smoke sticking to clothes), as this can affect their lung function and increase the risk of respiratory and ear infections, bronchitis, pneumonia, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
• Monitor pets and keep them away from the baby’s sleeping area. 

Gathering information:

• Ask the hospital staff any last-minute questions and find out what to do if your baby becomes unwell or there’s an emergency.
• Ensure you have all the contact details for follow-up appointments. It’s also helpful to get a contact number for someone at the hospital in case you have any questions.
• Familiarize yourself with safe sleeping positions for your baby. Positions and bedding at home might differ from those your baby needs in the hospital.
• Find out about groups for parents of premature babies, as well as usual parent groups. Your doctor or home-visiting nurse can tell you about local options.
• Collect contact details for parents from the hospital that you want to stay in touch with. Many parents find that they stay friends with parents they met in the hospital.

Family and friends:

Limit the number of outside visitors. Ask visitors who are sick or have been exposed to respiratory infections to visit another time.

Warn family and friends that your baby might need protection from too much handling and too many new people at first. This helps prevent infections and overstimulation.

Ask anyone who’s ill to stay away. Ensure your immediate family and anyone who’ll see your baby regularly have had their recommended immunizations.

Involve other children and family members in getting ready, so not all the attention is on the baby.

Prepare siblings for the baby’s arrival, spend special time with them, and involve them in the baby’s care as much as possible.

Discharge day for sick or premature babies:

Keep the homecoming day as quiet and gentle as possible. This will help your baby feel calm and able to cope with all the changes – like traveling in a car and going outside.

Prepare well for this day. For example, plan the day around your baby’s feeding schedule if you can. If you put your baby’s ‘going home clothes’ on after their last hospital bath, you won’t need to wake your baby to get them dressed.

Take your baby home to just your immediate family – you, your partner, and your other children. This way, you can all get used to each other in a calm environment.