This section focuses on the first few weeks after birth. The past few days/week are likely to have been a mixture of excitement and joy, mixed in with some pain. No matter how well labour and birth is managed, there are inevitably periods of discomfort.

The health care team that will provide care after the birth of your baby includes: midwives, student midwives, midwifery support workers, health visitors, doctors/specialists, physiotherapists, the neonatal care team and your GP (family doctor).

The midwifery team will offer support and advice and work with you to develop an individual plan including your choices/decisions about your care. They may visit you at home or arrange for you to attend a postnatal clinic. These can be based at your GP surgery, midwifery hub, hospital, birthing centre or local children's centres.

At each postnatal assessment, your midwife will check to see if you or your baby have any problems or symptoms which may affect either of you after birth.

Please discuss any worries or questions that you may have with your midwife/GP/obstetrician/specialist or health visitor.

Don't forget there is lots of information in your hand held postnatal mother and baby notes too.

New dads may wish to download the Dad Pad App

Find out more about

Contraception

Resuming sexual activity may not be the first thing on your mind after having a baby, but you can get pregnant as early as 3 weeks after birth. Although breastfeeding offers some protection, it does not offer complete protection against pregnancy, and so it is recommended that you use contraception. Below is a link to help you consider the best method for you if you do not wish to become pregnant again just yet.

You can contact your GP surgery or local sexual health clinic to arrange an appointment. In some cases, we may be able to offer contraception to you before you are discharged from maternity services.

Your contraception guide

NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Your contraception guide

NHS (www.nhs.uk)

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More information

FPA (www.fpa.org.uk)

More information

FPA (www.fpa.org.uk)

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