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Most women go home about 24 hours after vaginal delivery and 2 sleeps after a caesarean birth. Some women will go home after only a few hours if they have follow up care at home (e.g. by midwives). It depends on how well you recover from the birth. Some women take longer to recover, so they might be in the hospital longer. Some women can leave earlier.

We have an area where you may wait for your family, if they can’t come to get you right after you have been discharged. We will move you out of your room to make room for the next patient.

• Please make plans for your ride home to be here at your time of discharge

Infant Car Seats

You MUST use a CSA approved infant car seat for your baby when you take her/him home. It is the law.

Birth Registration

It is important that you register your baby’s birth. In Ontario you can do it easily and quickly on line at:

Newborn Registration Service – Ontario
https://www.orgforms.gov.on.ca/IBR/start.do

At the same time you can apply for your baby’s birth certificate, social insurance number and Canada’s child benefits.

Health Coverage Registration

Please complete the Ontario Health Coverage Registration (health card application) and give it to your nurse before you go home. The hospital will send it for you.

The hospital does not provide a Proof of Birth form. If you need one after you go home, you can get one from City Hall, or from the hospital’s Health Records Department.

Healthy Babies/ Healthy Children Program

The Healthy Babies Healthy Children Program is operated by the City of Ottawa Public Health department. It provides information and support for parents.

Two helpful services are the Parent Child Info Line and Well Baby Drop In Centres. The Parent Child Info Line is a telephone service that can answer your questions. The Drop-in centres are held in a number of places in Ottawa. They give you a chance:

• to meet with a nurse
• to get help breastfeeding
• to ask questions
• to have your baby weighed

Last updated on: February 5th, 2021