Postnatal Care › Baby checks before going home
Baby checks before going home
Your baby is offered a series of health checks in the first weeks of life. The two below ideally happen before you go home from hospital.
Last reviewed May 2026 by Dr Sarah Koffmann
In the first days after birth your baby is offered a few simple checks. Two of them are usually done in hospital before discharge, the newborn hearing screen and the newborn screening heel-prick test.
Both are free, quick and gentle. You can read about each one below.
In hospital
Two important checks
Statewide hearing screen
Your baby's hearing is screened as soon as possible after birth. If it cannot be done before you go home, it is offered soon after, as an outpatient or at a local community clinic.
Read in English Other languagesNewborn screening (heel-prick)
A free test offered to every baby born in NSW. A few drops of blood from the heel are checked for rare conditions that are far easier to manage when found early. The test is not compulsory, but declining it can put your baby's health at unnecessary risk.
Learn more Other languagesWhere to next