Your Hospital Birth and Baby Paperwork

It May Not Be as Bad as You Thought

One thing that you are probably going to hear from at least one person while you are pregnant is the amount of paperwork that you are going to have to fill out after you have had a baby.

No matter where or how you have your baby, in terms of the United States, you will have to fill out a birth certificate form and a social security number application.

Birth Certificate Form and Social Security Number Application

For both the birth certificate form and social security number application you will have to fill out your baby's full name, the date they were born, their gender, county in which they were born, the hospital, if they were born in a hospital, that they were born in, and the full name of the father and the mother.

Consent Forms

If you have your baby in a hospital or birthing center it is likely that you will have to fill out many consent forms. Both hospitals and birthing centers encourage expecting parents to come in prior to labor to register and fill out as much paperwork that they can, labor can be somewhat hectic at times and usually woman don't want to be filling out paperwork when they are having contractions.

Most Common Consent Forms

RE: The Mother
An Epidural
Blood Transfusions
C-Section Procedure

RE: The Newborn
Vitamin K Shot After Birth
Hep B Shot After Birth
Eye Antibiotics After Birth

There maybe more or there maybe less it just depends where you live.

For Single Moms and Unwed Parents

Acknowledgment of Paternity
One form that you have to fill out if you are either a single mom or are not married to the baby's father is the acknowledgment of paternity form. This will state the mother acknowledges that the claimed father on the birth certificate is the father of the newborn baby.

Other Miscellaneous Paperwork

Photo Services
Sometimes a hospital will offer a photo service or a portrait studio will work in the hospital and offer you the service of getting professional pictures of your newborn.

Mailing List
You may also receive paperwork that offers you free samples and magazines that offers information about newborn care.

Birth Plan
You may fill out a birth plan by choice but most hospitals don't require them.