When your baby arrives checklist

You need to register your baby’s birth with your state or territory government. You can do this for free and online in most states or territories.

You may need to order a birth certificate separately.

These links will take you away from myGov.

• ACT – Birth registration in ACT
• NSW – Register a birth in NSW
• NT – Register a birth in NT
• Qld – Register a birth in Qld
• SA – Register a birth in SA
• Tas – Register your newborn in Tas
• Vic – Register a birth in Vic
• WA – Birth Registration and Certificates in WA

If you’re a permanent resident or on a visa

Go to the Department of Home Affairs website to find out what to do if you had a child.

Go to the Services Australia website to find out if you can get:

• Parental Leave Pay
• Family Tax Benefit
• Parenting Payment.

If you started a claim before your baby was born

You may have started a claim for Parental Leave Pay or Family Tax Benefit before your baby arrived.

To complete your claim, provide any one of the following:

• the Newborn Child Declaration form you got from your hospital or midwife
• a birth certificate or certified extract
• another Australian Government document that verifies your child’s name and date of birth.

You can do this in your Centrelink online account through myGov.

If you haven’t linked Centrelink, find out how to link Centrelink to your myGov account.

If you’re claiming Parental Leave Pay or Family Tax Benefit

When you complete your Centrelink claim, Services Australia will enrol your baby in Medicare. You don’t need to do anything else.

If you’re enrolling in Medicare only

Submit the full Newborn Child Declaration form you got from your hospital or midwife.

You can do this in your Medicare online account through myGov.

If you haven’t linked Medicare, find out how to link Medicare to your myGov account.

Find out more about enrolling your baby in Medicare if you don’t claim a Centrelink family payment on the Services Australia website.

Your baby needs vaccinations to protect them against serious childhood infectious diseases. They need to be vaccinated at:

• birth
• 2 months (can be given from 6 weeks)
• 4 months
• 6 months
• 12 months
• 18 months
• 4 years.

Your doctor or Maternal Child Health Nurse can give vaccinations. Find out more about immunisation for children on the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing website.

Regular checks with a Maternal Child Health Nurse or doctor can help track your baby’s development. They may also be able to recommend baby education classes.

Find out more on your state or territory website.

• ACT – MACH booked appointments and child health checks in ACT
• NSW – Child and family health services in NSW
• NT – Baby and child screening and assessment clinics in NT
• Qld – Health checks in Qld
• SA – Health and Development Checks in SA
• Tas – Child Health and Parenting Service in Tas
• Vic – Maternal and Child Health services in Vic
• WA – Child Health appointments in WA

The first few weeks with a newborn can be challenging. It’s important to take care of yourself and get support when you need it. If you’ve given birth, your body will need some time to heal.

Make sure you prioritise postnatal health care and get as much rest as you can. Find out more about your body after having a baby on the Pregnancy, Birth and Baby website.

If you or your partner are struggling with mental health, there’s support for new parents on the PANDA website.

You can also speak to your doctor and ask for a mental health treatment plan to access professional mental health support. Find out about seeking professional help for mental health.

Find child care

If you need child care for your baby, you can find child care services on the StartingBlocks website.

Apply for Child Care Subsidy

You may be able to get Child Care Subsidy to help with the cost of child care.

Find out who can get it and how to claim on the Services Australia website.

Get your child’s immunisation history statement

You may need an immunisation history statement to enrol in child care and get Child Care Subsidy.

You can get it in your Medicare online account through myGov.

If you haven’t linked Medicare, find out how to link Medicare to your myGov account.

Find other ways to get proof of vaccinations.