Discharge Guidelines

Some of the things your baby will need to accomplish before going home are:

• Keep temperature within normal limits with clothes and a blanket.
• Breathe without the help of a ventilator. Some infants may need to go home with oxygen.
• Breastfeed well or take entire amount of feed by bottle and gain weight consistently.
• Be medically stable.

Some things to consider before bringing your baby home:

• Identify a pediatrician who will take care of your baby after discharge.
• Bring an ice chest in which to take breast milk home. Check with lactation to determine the number of ice chests to bring.
• Ask your nurse for a discharge teaching packet which has information regarding newborn care.
• Ask the nurse for advice regarding what type of car seat to buy. Bring car seat to be checked by a Car Seat Advocate who has been specially trained to approve car seats for safety.
• Watch car seat video offered on the ACH channel.
• Take a CPR class (offered 3 times per week) in the NICU.
• Bring clothes and blankets in which to take infant home.
• Get follow-up clinic appointment cards and discharge instructions sheet.
• Get immunization record from the nurse.