Appearance
Discharge checklist
Discharge is less about physically leaving the building and more about making sure the handoff from hospital care to home care is actually usable. The goal is to leave with a plan, not just a pile of papers 123.
Before you leave, make sure you know
- how the baby is supposed to be fed today, tonight, and until the first follow-up visit
- what urine and stool patterns you are expecting
- which newborn screening results are complete and which are still pending
- when the baby should be seen next and by whom
- when the birthing parent should be seen next and by whom
- what symptoms need a same-day call, urgent visit, or emergency care 123
If any of those answers are fuzzy, discharge is not really finished.
The baby checklist
Before leaving, confirm:
- feeding plan, including supplementation or pumping if recommended
- bilirubin or jaundice plan if a recheck is needed
- vaccine and newborn screening status
- pediatric follow-up appointment timing
- safe sleep instructions
- car seat plan for the trip home 234
If the baby is being discharged on a modified feeding plan, write it down exactly. "Feed often" is not a plan. "Wake every 2 to 3 hours, offer both breasts, then give X mL supplement, then pump" is a plan.
The birthing parent checklist
Confirm pain control, bleeding expectations, bowel care, incision or tear care, activity restrictions if any, mental health warning signs, and who to call after hours 13. If blood pressure, anemia, postpartum depression risk, or wound care are concerns, ask specifically how follow-up is arranged and what symptoms should not wait.
Prescriptions, supplies, and results
Before you walk out, verify that prescriptions have actually been sent, not merely discussed. Ask whether you need to obtain vitamin D, pain medication, stool softener, breastfeeding supplies, or blood pressure equipment on the way home 12. Also ask which lab or screening results will populate later and how you will be contacted if follow-up is needed.
What often gets missed
Discharge problems are often not dramatic medical errors. They are missing handoffs:
- no pediatric visit scheduled
- no clear answer for after-hours questions
- uncertainty about bilirubin or weight follow-up
- parents unsure whether a symptom is normal recovery or a reason to call
- medication instructions that are technically written down but not practically understood
That is why discharge should feel like a brief review, not a ceremonial handing over of papers 123.
If you are changing systems or moving soon
If you may move provinces, states, or countries soon after birth, ask for copies of discharge instructions, operative reports if relevant, vaccination documentation, and newborn screening details before you leave 34. It is much easier to transfer accurate records now than to recreate them later from memory and partial portals.
Final questions worth asking out loud
- Who do we call tonight if feeding goes poorly?
- What is the one baby symptom you most want us to watch for?
- What is the one postpartum symptom you most want us to watch for?
- Is there anything still pending that could change the plan after we leave 123?
Related pages
- Hospital bag and admission checklist
- What the first 24 to 48 hours are usually like
- Bringing baby home