Early childhood centres (or baby health clinics) are generally seen as your next source for information and support, once you leave the hospital after the birth, or stop having home visits from your caregiver. In Australia, it is not uncommon to have a baby health centre in most metropolitan suburbs, country towns, and set up as a 'home visit system' in remote rural areas. Other countries may have alternative services or arrangements. In most cases, a visit to your local early childhood centre is an option you can choose to utilise frequently, or only when you feel you want to. Some women will go weekly, others fortnightly or monthly (or whenever they remember). If it is your first baby you may rely on this service quite a bit, if you have other children, you may not feel it is as necessary.
You should be given information about how to access these types of services in your area, before you leave the hospital, (or stop seeing your caregiver). In many cases, your caregiver may make the first appointment for you, or ask you to ring and make your own appointment within a week of returning home. Some baby health centres have a 'drop-in' situation, which may suit you (or be a nightmare if there are 5 new mothers with babies waiting in front of you). You can ask your local clinic when you ring them, what their arrangements are, and when the best time is to come. Many women will make a visit to their local centre during their pregnancy, to meet the clinic nurse(s) and find out what 'the go' is. Most centres coordinate local mothers groups to nurture a support network for new mother and babies, and some will offer classes on
baby massage, or settling techniques, that are usually conducted over a period of weeks.
Your first visit to the early childhood centre will probably take half an hour or more and be aimed at finding out how you and your baby have been doing, since returning home from the hospital (or since last seeing your caregiver).