For most new parents in Ireland, the public health nurse is the first healthcare professional they meet at home after their baby is born. She arrives within 72 hours of hospital discharge, does a newborn examination, a maternal health check, and the ‘heel prick’ bloodspot screening – all on your sofa, with your baby in your arms. She then becomes a familiar presence across your child’s first 3.5 years, through developmental checks that flag anything worth keeping an eye on.
Most parents don’t know the full extent of what their public health nurse does, which visits are coming, or how to make best use of the time. This is a starting orientation – what to expect, when to expect it, and how to prepare.
What is a public health nurse?
Public health nurses (PHNs) are registered nurses with a specialist nursing qualification. They’re employed by the Health Service Executive (HSE) and work across your local community – in primary care centres, schools, and in people’s homes. The service is free, provided to all parents in Ireland, and doesn’t require any application.
If you had a home birth or a domino delivery, your midwife will already have been visiting you and will hand over your care to the PHN. If you had a hospital birth, the hospital notifies your local PHN, who contacts you to arrange a home visit.
The first home visit: within 72 hours of discharge
Your first PHN visit happens within 72 hours of being discharged from hospital (or sooner if you had a home birth).
This first visit covers three main things:
A newborn examination. The PHN checks your baby’s weight, feeding, skin colour, cord, and overall wellbeing. She’ll ask about feeding patterns, how much your baby is sleeping, and whether you have any concerns.
A maternal health assessment. This is a check-up for you, not just your baby. The PHN will ask how you’re feeling physically and emotionally, how your recovery is going, whether you’re sleeping, and whether you have support at home.
Practical advice and resources. Expect guidance on safe sleep, feeding (whether breast, combination, or formula), and general newborn care. She’ll also give you information about local supports – well-baby clinics, breastfeeding support groups, postnatal support groups, and how to contact her between visits.
The ‘heel prick’ test. At some point during the first week – typically between 3 and 5 days old – your baby will be offered newborn bloodspot screening, often called the heel prick test. This screens for a number of rare but serious conditions.
The test is usually done at home by your PHN or midwife, with your consent. If you’re still in hospital when your baby is 3–5 days old, it’ll be done there.
Members get more: Inside your BROODE membership, the full fourth-trimester course covers the newborn screening programme in detail, what each condition screened for actually means, how results are communicated, and what to do if you’re asked for a repeat sample.
What happens after the first visit?
After the first visit, your PHN may visit you again at home if needed, or arrange for you to bring your baby to a local health centre or well-baby clinic. At clinics, you can have your baby weighed, talk about feeding and sleep, and ask any questions that have come up since you last saw her.
This relationship continues across your child’s first 3.5 years – not intensely, but regularly, through a series of developmental checks.
Developmental checks: the full schedule
Your PHN will check your baby’s development at key stages, measured against typical milestones for that age. The HSE-scheduled developmental checks happen at:
- 3 months
- 9–11 months
- 18–24 months
- 3–3.5 years
- 4–5 years (this final check happens at school, in junior infants)
Each check looks at different dimensions of development. At the 9-month check, for example, the PHN looks at your baby’s eyesight, hearing, motor development (sitting, crawling readiness), vocalisation, and general growth.
What to bring, what to ask
Bring your baby’s Red Book (the Personal Child Health Record given to you after birth). This is where every visit, every vaccine, every weight and milestone is recorded. Keep it safe – it’s referenced at every future health appointment.
The developmental check is also your window to raise anything that’s been worrying you. If you’ve been wondering whether your baby’s feeding pattern is normal, whether they should be babbling more by now, whether a particular sleep issue has a name – this is the moment to ask. PHNs are experienced at spotting developmental patterns and at reassuring parents when something is within normal range.
Developmental checks are not mandatory and they’re always free. But most Irish parents find them genuinely useful – catching concerns early often makes a real difference.
Members get more: BROODE members get our full “Baby Development” course, covering milestones from 0–12 months and beyond, plus monthly Midwife Q&As where you can ask about your specific baby’s development between PHN appointments.
What to do if you're worried between checks
You don’t have to wait for the next scheduled appointment if something’s worrying you. The PHN service is set up to be accessible – contact your local health centre or primary care centre and ask to speak with your PHN. You can also be referred by your GP.
This applies to both physical and emotional concerns. If you’re worried about your baby’s feeding, weight gain, development, breathing, or anything else – contact your PHN. And if you’re worried about yourself – your mood, your recovery, whether what you’re feeling is normal – your PHN is one of the people best placed to help.
Postnatal depression
Postnatal depression affects between 10% and 15% of women within the first year of giving birth. Symptoms may start as the baby blues and deepen over time, and they’re most often most noticeable when your baby is 4 to 6 months old.
If you think you might be experiencing postnatal depression – even mild symptoms you can’t quite name – contact your PHN or your GP. They will not judge, they will not take your baby away, and they will help you find the right support. Ireland has meaningful supports in place, but you have to reach out.
Members get more: BROODE’s membership includes expert-led sessions on postnatal mental health for both mothers and partners, monthly Midwife Q&As, and a supportive private community of parents navigating the same stage.
Key takeaways
- First PHN home visit: within 72 hours of hospital discharge
- Heel prick test: usually at home, between days 3–5
- Ongoing clinics and supports: well-baby clinics, feeding support, breastfeeding groups
- Developmental checks at: 3 months, 9–11 months, 18–24 months, 3–3.5 years, and 4–5 years (at school)
- PHN service is free and doesn’t require application – your local PHN is notified by the hospital
- Don’t wait for the next check if something’s worrying you – contact your local health centre
- Postnatal depression affects 10–15% of women – your PHN or GP is the right first contact
The PHN is one piece of the puzzle - BROODE is the everyday support
The PHN service is genuinely valuable – but it’s built around scheduled visits and development checks, not the day-to-day questions that come up when you’re actually living early parenthood. That’s what BROODE is built for.
Inside your BROODE membership, you’ll find:
- Monthly Midwife Q&As – for the everyday questions between PHN appointments
- Our full Baby Development course – milestones, what’s normal, what to watch for, across the first year
- Expert-led postnatal mental health sessions for both mothers and partners
- A library of fourth-trimester content – from recovery to feeding to sleep
- Local meet-ups in our launch regions – Bray, Greystones, Sandyford, Cherrywood, Dundrum
- A private community of parents walking the same road, all in Ireland
€29/month for our first 100 members. €34/month thereafter.
Written by the BROODE team. Information correct as of April 2026, based on guidance from the Health Service Executive (hse.ie / MyChild.ie) and citizensinformation.ie. If you need help finding your local public health nurse, contact your local primary care centre or call HSE Live on 1800 700 700.
