Our health visitors offer every family a new birth visit appointment. This is normally between 10-14 days after your baby is born.
This appointment maybe offered at a local health clinic or at home and normally after your midwife has handed over your care to your local health visiting team.
During this visit we will offer you and your family information and advice on:
- Becoming a parent
- Building a happy baby
- Fathers: getting involved with looking after your baby
- Child development
- Coping with a crying baby
- Growth and your baby
- Infant feeding (including breastfeeding)
- Healthy eating
- Home safety
- Sleep and your baby and Safer sleep
- Talking to your baby (BBC Tiny Happy People)
- Information on safe bedding for your baby
- The effects of smoking on your child's health and support to quit smoking
- Immunisations
- Baby jaundice
- Surrey-wide 0-19 Advice Line
- Your emotional wellbeing and emotional wellbeing tips for mothers
- Vitamin D
- Introducing family foods (6 months+)
You may feel emotional after having your baby which might include anxiety and feeling low. If you feel you need additional emotional advice or support, or have any queries about your child's progress, please contact your health visiting team through the Advice Line.
You will receive your Personal Child Health Record 'red book' from your midwife. This is your book to record details about your child's health, growth, immunisations and development milestones. If you haven't already received your child's red book, your health visitor will give you one at this new birth appointment.
Do you know why Vitamin D supplements are important for you and your child? Please read more on our advice page, and find out about Healthy Start vitamins.
Baby Buddy App
Baby Buddy App is a free, multi-award winning interactive pregnancy and advice guide, with videos and advice designed to help you look after your baby’s mental and physical health, as well as your own. Available via the IOS and Andriod App Stores, the app includes:
- Videos – a growing range of clips to help you understand different pregnancy and baby topics e.g. breast feeding, caring for your baby, looking after your mental health
- Bump and Baby Book – a diary where you can record your thoughts, feelings and photos throughout your pregnancy and after your baby is born
- Bump and Baby Around – a map of useful local health services such as hospitals, mother and baby support groups, baby clinics, GP and midwife services.
For dads
- DadPad - The Essential Guide for New Dads: DadPad is a free easy-to-use app for dads-to-be and dads with new babies in Surrey. DadPad can be downloaded free onto any smart phone from app stores. Dads and their partners just need to put in their postcode and select their local hospital trust.
- Emotional wellbeing tips for fathers
Surrey perinatal mental health service
Watch the video to find out more about our Surrey perinatal mental health service.
For further information
- To follow up a referral
- For example, for developmental paediatrics or therapy services. Contact the One Stop referral centre (tel: 0300 222 5755, Option 2)
- For advice or questions about your child's health and two year development checks
- Contact your local Health Visiting team or call the Advice Line
- Referrals for ASD, ADHD or another neurological/developmental condition
- Your GP will need to make a referral. Visit the Developmental Paediatrics page for more information about these services in Surrey.
- Access to mental health services
- Your GP needs to refer your child via CAMHS
- Hearing concerns
- Contact the Audiology service
- Concerns or complaints about a Children and Family Health Surrey service
- Visit our feedback page to read about our approach and who to contact. You can also email the Patient Experience Team directly using csh.patientexperience@nhs.net
If your query is not covered by the routes above, please use the form below to contact us. Your query will be passed to the relevant team who will aim to respond within seven working days.