Pregnancy and childbirth

When you have a baby at Sharp, we will give you the necessary paperwork to register your child's birth and obtain a birth certificate. By law, you must register the birth of your baby within 10 days of the birth. Once your baby's birth is registered, you can request a certified copy and/or informational copy of your baby's birth certificate from the Office of Vital Records and Statistics, or the San Diego Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk. which provides instructions on how to request a birth certificate in person or by mail. Please allow 2 to 3 weeks after the birthdate to request a birth certificate. Birth certificates are not issued by our hospitals.

Establishing legal fatherhood: When the parents of a newborn are unmarried, paternity is not automatically established — the father does not have the legal rights of a parent and will not be added to the birth certificate. Through the Paternity Opportunity Program, you can form a legal link from father to child. This free program allows you to establish paternity voluntarily, without going to court.

You can obtain a Social Security number for your baby by contacting your local Social Security office. To find a Social Security office near you, call 1-800-772-1213 or visit the Social Security Administration online. If a Social Security card was requested for your baby, it should arrive in the mail within 2 to 8 weeks.

Parents who give birth at Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women & Newborns Grossmont may apply for Social Security cards through the hospital's birth certificate office. You must have a valid U.S. address (P.O. boxes are acceptable), and your baby's weight must be more than 2.2 pounds. For surrogate births and adoption, which require special paperwork, please contact your local Social Security office to obtain cards.

After a C-section, many layers of incisions must heal at the same time. Follow these guidelines to make your recovery as safe, swift and comfortable as possible:

• Your pain should decrease each day and can be reduced with pain medicine as prescribed by your doctor

• Avoid lifting anything heavier than your baby for the first four to six weeks

• The outer stitches or staples on the skin may be removed before you go home from the hospital, and SteriStrips may be placed over the incision for one week

• To shower, remove the SteriStrips, gently wash the incision and pat it dry, then replace the SteriStrips

• Check your incision daily to ensure it is healing and that the edges of the incision are touching

• Ask your health care provider when it is OK to bathe or swim

• Schedule a follow-up appointment with your doctor once you get home from the hospital, usually between one and six weeks after delivery

Call your doctor if you experience any of the following after your C-section:

• Difficulty adjusting, including "baby blues," that lasts more than two weeks

• Excessive crying, anxiety, sleeping and/or eating difficulties or scary thoughts

• Drainage or fluid from the incision, including bleeding, pus or foul-smelling discharge

• Redness, excessive warmth or swelling at the incision area

• Increased tenderness or soreness at the incision

• Incision edges are no longer together

• Frequent urination, difficulty urinating or burning sensations

• Severe diarrhea or lack of bowel movements for three consecutive days

• Nipple soreness that lasts more than the first minutes of feeding, or breast soreness for more than the first one to two weeks after birth

• Tenderness, redness or hardened areas in your breasts other than during engorgement

• Cracked or bleeding nipples

• Temperature over 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit

Follow these guidelines for a safe, healthy and swift recovery after your vaginal delivery:

• Get as much rest as possible by napping when your baby naps and accepting help from relatives and friends

• Try to walk often, but check with your doctor before you exercise, climb stairs, drive a car or perform other physical activities

• You will have vaginal discharge (lochia) for up to six weeks after delivery; expect bright red, moderate to heavy blood flow for the first few days, with discharge gradually decreasing from pink or brown to yellow or white

• If you have stitches to repair an episiotomy (vaginal incision) or a tear, they will dissolve by themselves and do not need to be removed

• Urinating and bowel movements may be difficult or uncomfortable the first few days after delivery; while on the toilet, you may wish to pour warm water over your bottom or urinate while taking a warm shower

• Wipe from front to back after urination and bowel movements, then rinse using a squirt bottle filled with warm water and gently pat the area dry

• To help with bowel movements, drink plenty of fluids and eat fibrous foods, such as fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains and bran

• Promote healing by keeping your bottom (perineum) clean with daily showers, medicated pads, sprays or sitz baths, but check with your doctor before soaking in the bathtub or hot tub

• For hemorrhoids, use a sitz bath or sit in a tub with a few inches of warm water for 10 to 15 minutes

• Do not use tampons or douche until approved by your doctor

• Schedule a follow-up appointment with your doctor once you get home from the hospital, usually between one and six weeks after delivery

Call your doctor if you experience any of the following after you deliver vaginally:

• Difficulty adjusting, including "baby blues," that lasts more than two weeks

• Excessive crying, anxiety, sleeping and/or eating difficulties or scary thoughts

• Foul-smelling discharge

• A return to bright red or pinkish/brownish discharge after the first week

• Heavy discharge that soaks more than one pad per hour or includes large clots or tissue

• No discharge in the first two weeks

• Tenderness, redness, swelling, drainage or separation of episiotomy

• Frequent urination, difficulty urinating or burning sensations

• Severe diarrhea or lack of bowel movements for three consecutive days

• Nipple soreness that lasts more than the first minutes of feeding, or breast soreness for more than the first one to two weeks after birth

• Tenderness, redness or hardened areas in your breasts other than during engorgement

• Cracked or bleeding nipples

• Temperature over 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit

Your baby will be required to be in a rear-facing car seat while in the car, including leaving the hospital. Sharp caregivers are committed to your baby’s safety. However, we are unable to help with installation of the car seat and placing the baby inside. Should you have any questions about the requirements, installation or inspection of your infant's car seat, call your local California Highway Patrol office or visit chp.ca.gov and search “child safety seats.”