How to... Admin like an adult
Having a baby isn’t only about doctor’s visits, baby showers and that pregnancy glow – there’s a lot of planning and paperwork to be done, too. Here’s how you can handle all that admin coming your way, writes Craig Bishop
AT HOSPITAL
There are some important tasks to do before you leave the maternity ward. These include:
› Check baby’s armbands to make sure you’re taking the right baby home.
› Make a note of dates and times for follow-up appointments.
› Your baby may need a bilirubin test (to check for jaundice) and TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) test done before you leave the hospital.
› Ensure that any medication ordered from the pharmacy, as well as those taken in hospital, aren’t left behind. › Discuss general baby care with the nurses and midwife before you go home. › Ask questions about bleeding, breastfeeding, baby blues and infections.
REGISTERING THE BIRTH
Birth registration forms will be provided by the hospital. If not, you can collect them from your local Home Affairs, or download them from dha.gov.za. Both parents must do the notification of birth. You must register your child within 30 days of the birth. Your fingerprints will be taken.
You’ll need to do the following: › Complete and submit Form BI-24 at a Home Affairs office if you’re in South Africa, or at a South African embassy or consulate if you’re overseas.
› Bring your ID and a certified copy of your marriage certificate.
› If you don’t register your child within the first 30 days, you’ll be required to complete a Form BI-24, and provide written reasons why the birth was not registered.
› If you’re married, your child will be registered under the father’s surname. For unmarried parents, your child can be registered under either parent’s surname.
› There are no fees for registering the birth of your child, or for the first birth certificate after registration.
APPLYING FOR BIRTH CERTIFICATE
Newborn babies will receive an unabridged certificate free of charge. This specifies both parents’ details, including their ID numbers, full names, city of birth and citizenship. The process usually takes around six weeks. Home Affairs officials often visit your hospital, so check beforehand for dates and times. You will need to bring:
› Your ID (or a certified copy)
› An application fee (confirm the cost with Home Affairs)
› Contact Home Affairs on 0800 601 190.
MEDICAL AID
Make sure your medical aid has provision for your pregnancy and your baby. Most medical aids do have a prenatal benefit, covering medical costs, doctor visits, scans and the birth. Inquire whether there are any additional benefits, for example the cost of a midwife.
HOUSEHOLD INSURANCE
Along with baby come an array of new items and gadgets, and these should all be listed in your household insurance policy. Now is a good time to contact your insurance broker and chat to them about the expected cost of all the new stuff.
BRINGING BABY HOME
It goes without saying that the drive home from the hospital will be the most terrifying ordeal of your life. Visit Baby City, where staff are always willing to help you properly fix the baby seat into your car. The nurses at the hospital might also be kind enough to help you and might even insist. To make things smoother, cook ahead, enough for a couple of weeks, and freeze.
EDUCATION
It may sound crazy early, but now is a good time to start thinking about, or visiting, local schools. Most schools these days, particularly private schools in South Africa, encourage you to put your child’s name down as soon as possible before or after the birth. The earlier you apply, the more likely it is that you get your kid into your firstchoice school.