This is one of the most important. You should be directed on how to do this by the staff at the hospital where your baby is born, or by your community midwife. Some hospitals allow you do actually do this before you leave, otherwise you should go to the local register office.

You need to take proof of identity and your child’s red book. There are also rules on who can physically do the registering which you can find here.

Registering the birth will mean that the government knows your baby exists. This way they’ll be entitled to all the basic rights and benefits the country offers to its citizens.

If you live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, you must register the birth within 42 days. If you fail to do this you could be handed a fine (around £200)!

In Scotland, you need to register the birth by 21 days, so be quick!

Part of the registration process is receiving a birth certificate for your baby. There are two types. There is a long version, with parents details on it and a short version, with only baby’s details. Note they cost £11 per copy so expect to have to pay this when you go.

You can find more information here.

Having a child may mean you’re entitled to extra benefits that you weren’t before (eg further universal credit money).

You need to let all the relevant organisations know. Many local authorities operate a ‘Tell us once’ service where one appointment will allow each of the relevant organisations to be informed. The registrar with whom you register the birth will direct you to this.

When you go to this appointment, you’ll need to take identity documents for each person being named on the birth certificate and details of all benefits being received by the parents and/or others living within the same household as the child being registered.

If the ‘Tell us Once’ service isn’t in operation in your area you’ll need to inform each benefit service you receive separately. You should be able to do this online.

Many people have found the online Universal Credit portal difficult to use, if you have trouble, the telephone helplines can be found here.

You’ve got lots of wonderful time to spend with your baby. The last thing you want to think about is going back to work.

Even before the birth you should have had in your head exactly what maternity leave and maternity pay you’ll be getting. If you’re still not sure of these things you need to get it sorted now!

There are other things to think of. What about Keeping in Touch days? You can get any training days or mandatory things out of the way while you’re off so you don’t fall behind on the career ladder when you’re away.

See our post Plan your Perfect Maternity Leave! Avoid the Common Mistakes! for information on all these aspects, including a free printable Parental Leave Plan. We have separate dedicated posts on Maternity Pay, Maternity Allowance and Maternity Leave FAQs. After reading each of these you should be well up to speed on what you’re entitled to, and how to get it!

Ahhhhh!! Everytime I write anything about healthcare on this site, I feel thankful to have the NHS to rely on for my children. Of course you could argue we pay for it through taxation but I think the deal we get is great.

If you live outside the UK and need to sort health insurance for your baby, do not delay!

If your baby is uninsured and needs long term NICU care, the costs could be astronomical, they could financially devastate your family for years and years.

If you’ve bought any somewhat expensive baby items (such as a pram, cot or any other furniture) it’s important to make sure your home/contents insurance has them covered for theft or damage. You can name them as specific items too for extra protection.

If your baby is unwell, you need to be able to access healthcare for them. If you forget to register them and only realise when they’re sick, you’ll have an extra level of stress to contend with.

Plus, they need their routine appointments such as the 6 week check and vaccinations.

You should get a little pink card when you register the birth of your baby with the registrar. You can fill this in and take it to your GP practice or post it. 

While you should do this as soon as possible, you should still be able to get an emergency appointment for your baby on the day, at most practices if you need it. If you’re really worried about your baby, call 111 or 999 or go to A+E. Here is a useful NHS resource if you need help.

I hope this post has helped you organise your list of baby responsibilities. If you get each of these things ticked off you’ll be in a great position.

If you’ve found this post useful, I’d be super grateful if you’d share it with your friends!