Birth of a
New Baby

Even after attending to thousands of babies in the span of his 22 years as Paediatrician, Dr Taljaard still considers it an extreme honour to help welcome a new baby into the world.

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The paediatricians in Nelspruit attend caesarean sections according to a roster.  However, new parents may request the paediatrician of their choice.  This must be arranged timeously with your gynaecologist and Dr Taljaard’s office.  Dr Taljaard will always try to attend to your baby as requested even on days when he is not officially on call.

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Dr Taljaard will be present at your caesarean section or attend to your baby in the ward if your baby was born naturally in Nelspruit Mediclinic.  The purpose of his assessment is to make sure your baby is doing fine and adjusting well to life outside the womb.  

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The Apgar score is used to evaluate your baby’s heart rate, breathing, muscle tone, reflex response, and colour.  The Apgar test is recorded as a score out of 10.   Most often a lower score is seen at 1 minute after birth and then a greater score at 5 and 10 minutes after birth.  If the score remains low your baby may need a little more assistance.

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Dr Taljaard will also thoroughly examine all the systems of your baby’s body after birth to screen for any abnormalities.

Dr. Taljaard does daily ward rounds to check on the new mommy and baby’s progress until they are ready to be discharged.  Baby jaundice is a complication that may develop and influence the length of your stay.

In the case a sick or premature baby, Dr Taljaard will be responsible for your baby’s care in the Neonatal ICU until your baby’s condition is stable enough for discharge.  

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New parents are welcome to contact his office to meet with Dr Taljaard before the birth, especially if any issues or conditions were picked up during your ante-natal visits.  The receptionist will contact you before your due date to complete your file and discuss payment arrangements so you can focus on your baby knowing all the admin for his/her care is taken care of.

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Registering a birth
As a parent, guardian or any other person legally responsible for the child, you'll need to register your child within 30 days after birth.

 

Your medical aid

It is the parents' responsibility to register the baby on the medical aid as soon as possible . Notify your medical aid of your baby's birth and condition and submit the birth certificate and application forms to them.

If you made a payment at Dr. Taljaard’s office before the birth of your baby, send your invoice and receipt for the

“In-hospital” treatment to your medical aid for reimbursement as soon as you receive confirmation of successful registration.