Postpartum Newborn Home Visits
The Postpartum Newborn Home Visit (PPNBHV) is a service for new moms and their babies. This service is a benefit of Medicaid. In some counties, families without insurance can also receive the visit. This service is provided by a public health nurse within a few days of hospital discharge, when it is ordered by a doctor.
After you and your baby leave the hospital, many changes take place. The Postpartum Newborn Home Visit is important because the nurse will make sure that you and your baby are doing well.
Someone from your local health department will call you (or a relative) to schedule a time for the nurse to visit with you in your home. The nurse will usually spend 1-2 hours with you and your baby.
What will the Nurse Do?
- Ask you about how you and your baby are doing
- Weigh your baby
- Do a physical exam on your baby
- Check your blood pressure
- Do a partial physical exam on you, if needed
- Help you with getting health care provider's appointments for you and your baby
- May give you a barrier method of birth control (condoms)
- Refer you to other community resources as needed (Things like WIC, BabyNet, local parenting groups, and others)
To help you care for your baby, the nurse will talk to you about:
- Well child care
- Immunizations for your baby
- Ways to keep your baby safe at home, while sleeping, in the car, and at other places
- Ways to keep your baby healthy
- Taking care of your baby’s skin, mouth, umbilical cord, circumcision.
- How your baby’s brain and body develop.
- Feeding your baby
- Signs and symptoms of illness
To help you care for yourself, the nurse will talk to you about:
- Breast care
- Signs and symptoms of illness
- Postpartum hygiene
- Postpartum activity
- Sleep needs
- Nutrition needs
- Birth control methods
- Prevention of sexually transmitted infections
For more information, contact your local health department.