OET letter for a postnatal (maternity) discharge: mother and baby details to include
In an OET Nursing letter about a mother discharged after birth, state the type and date of birth, how the mother is recovering, how the baby is feeding and any problems that need follow-up, then ask the reader for specific checks. Choose only the mother and baby details the midwife, child health nurse or GP must act on, and write them in full sentences without maternity shorthand.
Why postnatal letters are tricky
A postnatal case gives you two people in one set of notes. There may be labour details, blood loss, stitches or a caesarean wound, blood pressure readings, the baby's weight, feeding charts, jaundice checks, vaccinations and the family situation at home. The reader, usually a community midwife, child and family health nurse or GP, needs a short, safe handover: how mother and baby are now, and what they must check next.
The risk is writing a birth story. The reader does not need each stage of labour; they need the outcome and the follow-up.
Questions to answer before you write
- What kind of birth, and when? One sentence is enough.
- How is the mother recovering? Wound or stitches, pain, bleeding, blood pressure, mobility, mood.
- How is the baby? Feeding pattern, weight change, jaundice or other checks still due.
- What is the plan? Medicines, appointments, tests still due, and support at home.
For the general method of picking notes, see how to select case notes.
What to include and what to leave out
| Usually include | Usually leave out |
|---|---|
| Type and date of birth, gestation if relevant | Hour-by-hour labour progress |
| Wound or stitches and how to care for them | Normal observations that need no action |
| Medicines on discharge (e.g. pain relief, injections) | Medicines given only during labour |
| Mother's mood, support and any concerns raised | Details of the birth plan that was not used |
| Baby's feeding pattern and any problem | Each feed time and volume |
| Birth weight and latest weight if loss is being watched | Every weight on the chart |
| Tests or checks the reader must do | Routine checks already completed and normal |
| Who is at home to help | Unrelated history (childhood illnesses, old jobs) |
Turning maternity notes into sentences
| Notes | Letter sentence |
|---|---|
| Em LSCS 12/5 for fetal distress, 39/40 | "She gave birth by emergency caesarean section on 12 May at 39 weeks because of concerns about the baby's heart rate." |
| Wound clean/dry, sutures out D5 | "Her wound is clean and dry, and her sutures are due to be removed on 17 May." |
| BP 148/94 D2 → 132/84 today | "Her blood pressure was raised after the birth but has settled to 132/84 mmHg." |
| Baby BW 3.4 kg, 3.15 kg D3 (−7%) | "The baby weighed 3.4 kg at birth and 3.15 kg on day three, so his weight should be checked again." |
| BF, poor latch, using nipple shields | "She is breastfeeding but the baby has difficulty attaching, and she is using nipple shields." |
| Tearful D3, 'not coping' | "She was tearful on day three and said she felt she was not coping." |
| Partner works away Mon–Fri | "Her partner works away during the week, so she will be alone with the baby on weekdays." |
Copy dates, doses and weights exactly. If you need help with number layout, see vital signs and test results in letters.
Ordering mother and baby information
A clear order for a postnatal discharge letter is:
- Opening: who, what kind of birth, discharge date, what you are asking for.
- Mother: recovery, wound, medicines, blood pressure or other results that need follow-up.
- Baby: feeding, weight, any check due.
- Home and mood: support, worries, education already given.
- Request: the specific checks you want, in order of importance.
Some cases are better organised around the main concern, for example feeding and weight first if that is the urgent issue. Put the most important follow-up early, not at the bottom. See organisation and layout for paragraph planning.
Worked example (invented case)
Case summary (invented): Ms Aisha Rahman, 31, first baby. Emergency caesarean 12 May at 39 weeks for fetal distress. Wound clean, sutures out 17 May. Blood pressure raised day 2, now 132/84; GP to recheck in one week. Discharged on paracetamol and ibuprofen, and daily blood-thinning injections for 10 days, taught to self-inject. Baby boy, birth weight 3.4 kg, 3.15 kg on day 3. Breastfeeding, poor attachment, using nipple shields, seen by lactation consultant. Tearful day 3, said she was not coping. Partner works away Monday to Friday; mother lives 2 hours away. Enjoys painting. Had tonsils removed aged 9. Discharge 15 May. Task: write to the community midwife.
Selection decisions:
- In: type and date of birth, wound and suture removal, blood pressure follow-up, injections and her ability to give them, baby's weight loss and feeding difficulty, low mood, limited support on weekdays.
- Out: painting, tonsils, labour timings, normal observations.
Sample letter body:
Dear Midwife,
Re: Ms Aisha Rahman, aged 31
I am writing to refer Ms Rahman, who is being discharged home today with her newborn son after an emergency caesarean section, for postnatal care and feeding support.
Ms Rahman gave birth on 12 May at 39 weeks. Her wound is clean and dry, and her sutures are due to be removed on 17 May. Her blood pressure was raised after the birth but has settled to 132/84 mmHg; her GP will recheck it in one week. She is taking paracetamol and ibuprofen for pain and has been taught to give herself a daily blood-thinning injection, which she will continue for 10 days.
Her son weighed 3.4 kg at birth and 3.15 kg on day three. He is breastfed but has difficulty attaching, and Ms Rahman is using nipple shields after advice from the lactation consultant.
On day three, Ms Rahman was tearful and said she felt she was not coping. Her partner works away during the week, and her mother lives two hours away.
I would be grateful if you could weigh the baby, support her with breastfeeding, check that she is managing her injections and review her mood. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you require any further information.
Yours sincerely,
The request matches every follow-up raised in the body: weight, feeding, injections and mood. Nothing in the request is new to the reader.
Practise full cases under timed conditions at /writing/, or check a letter you have already written for an estimated mark on each of the six criteria.
Mistakes to avoid
- Telling the birth story. One sentence on the type of birth is usually enough.
- Losing the baby in the mother's paragraph. Give the baby's details their own short paragraph.
- Maternity shorthand. SVD, LSCS, EBF and PPH need to be written out.
- Judging the mother. "She is a poor mother" or "she cannot cope" is not your judgement to make; report what she said and what was observed.
- A vague closing. "Please follow up" does not tell the midwife what to check. Name the checks.
Related: child patient letters, discharge and transfer letters and closing paragraph examples.
Sources
This guide is medEmu's writing advice, not official OET guidance or clinical advice; all patients, medicines, results and plans are invented for practice and must not be used to guide care. The network used for this run could not reach oet.com, so no OET test facts are stated beyond the criterion names. For OET's official Writing information, see oet.com.