For baby

Birth registration

Following the arrival of your baby, the birth needs to be registered within six weeks/42 days at your local registry office. It is through this process that you will obtain a birth certificate. The registration should be done in the borough you gave birth in. You may register the birth in a different area if this is more convenient, however your details will need to be sent to the borough in which you gave birth in order for them to generate a valid birth certificate.

The service is normally provided by appointment only, but this may vary from one area to the next. Please take the Personal Child Health Record (red book) and your baby’s NHS number with you, as the registrant may ask to see it.

Bury St Edmunds

Bury St Edmunds Register Office
7 Angel Hill
Bury St Edmunds
IP33 1UZ

09.00 - 16.00 weekdays
0345 607 2060
bury.registrars@suffolk.gov.uk

Stowmarket

Stowmarket Register Office
Milton House,
5 Milton Road South,
Stowmarket IP14 1EZ

09.30 - 16.00 Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri
0345 607 2050 (calls taken by the Ipswich office)
stowmarket.registrars@suffolk.gov.uk

Sudbury

Sudbury Register Office
The Town Hall Old Market Place
Sudbury CO10 1TL

09.30 - 16.00 Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri
0345 607 2080
sudbury.registrars@suffolk.gov.uk

Screening tests

When your baby is between five to eight days old, your community midwife will offer the ‘newborn blood spot’ test. The test involves collecting four small samples of blood from your baby’s foot on a card. The test screens for nine rare but serious conditions, such as sickle cell disease, cystic fibrosis and congenital hypothyroidism.

For those babies identified with any of the conditions screened for, we know that early treatment can improve their health and prevent further serious or life threatening complications. If your baby was born early (before 37 weeks gestation) the test may be done in hospital by the neonatal team.