Move Over, Grandma. Let the Nurse See the Baby

The first 10 days after birth can be a risky time for newborns and their mothers. Indeed, some babies sent home after delivery end up right back in the hospital, often with jaundice or dehydration, both preventable conditions. In a new study published in the journal Pediatrics, Dr. Ian Paul, a Penn State College of Medicine pediatrician, reports that a simple home visit by a nurse can reduce by about 90% a baby's risk of getting sent back to the hospital. Of the 2,641 babies in his study who didn't get a house call, 2.8% were readmitted within 10 days, and 3.5% went to the emergency room. Among 326 newborns who were seen by a nurse, however, only 0.6% were readmitted to the hospital, and none ended up in the E.R.