New Baby Help Pack
Congratulations on the birth of your new little one!
This page is designed to support you regarding your new baby registration and on-going GP care. There is also some local information about classes/groups you can attend.
1. Register your baby with Chawton House Surgery
Don’t forget to register your baby with the practice as it will soon be time to book your 6-8 week Mother & Baby Postnatal Check and first immunisations. You can register online here
2. Register the birth of your baby at your local register office
If your baby was not registered at the hospital when they were born, you can register them locally at Lymington Register Office (located in the Library on North Close). This must be done within 42 days of the baby’s birth. For more information click here.
3. One of our Surgery team will contact you to book you in for your 6-8 week Mother & Baby Postnatal check (so you don’t need to do anything!)
At the 8-week baby check, a GP will perform a head-to-toe physical examination to check your baby’s overall development, looking for any issues with their eyes, heart, hips, and testicles (for boys). Remember to bring your baby’s Red Book (given to you by your Health Visitor usually at their first visit before the baby was born) to track measurements, and you’ll likely discuss feeding, development, and your own well-being, as this is also a chance for your postnatal check. This will also be your baby’s first opportunity to receive their vaccinations. Click here for more information about newborn vaccinations:
Further Information
Health Visitors and Midwife appointments:
You may already have attended a newborn check at the New Forest Birth Centre in Ashurst around day 3/5 depending on whether you are breastfeeding or bottle-feeding (or had a home visit on day 3 if delivery was by caesarean), and had a visit from the Health Visitor (around 10-14 days after birth).
Your next Health Visitor contact will be when your baby is 6-8 weeks old. They will contact you to book this in.
If this has not happened then you can call your health visitor on: 02382 311580 or email: nfwhvteam@southernhealth.nhs.uk
Concerns:
If you have any concerns about your baby’s health you can access advice in many ways.
Your local pharmacist can give advice around minor ailments such as skin conditions and colds, your GP can advise on health matters, click here to request a GP appointment, and for urgent or out of hours queries you can call 111 or access their webpage for advice and guidance – NHS 111
There is also the Healthier Together website which can be accessed at Healthier Together
Further advice about caring for your baby can be accessed at Start4Life (www.nhs.uk)
Breast Feeding Support
Health Visiting Breast Feeding Support Groups:
Ashurst New Forest Birth Centre – Drop in every Tuesday from 1 – 2:30pm
Ashley Youth Hub (behind the Rugby Club) – Drop in term-time only Mondays from 1:15 – 2:45
Breast Feeding – NHS Start4Life
A Step-by-Step Guide to Breast Feeding
Local Lymington, Pennington, & Surrounding areas Baby & Toddler Groups
(The Surgery is not affiliated with any of these groups)
Hullabaloo @ Lymington Baptist Church – meet term-time Mondays from 10 – 11:30am.
St Luke’s Church Rooms, Sway – meet term-time Mondays and Fridays from 9:30 – 11am
New Crawlers, Rhymetime, Toddlertime @ Lymington Library – Various midweek meeting times
Jiggy Wrigglers @ St Marks Community Centre, Pennington – Offer bookable pay-as-you-go music and play classes
Toddlers Group @ St Thomas Church – meet term-time Tuesdays from 10 – 11:30am welcoming pre-school children and their parents/carers
Updated September 2025
