This guide includes information on payments and parental leave, as well as the things you'll need to do after the birth of your baby.

Before the birth

Before your baby is born it's a good idea to check the various payments that are available to help with the cost of having a baby. Some of them can be claimed 3 months before the baby is due. 

Parental Leave Pay

Dad and Partner Pay

Family Tax Benefit (FTB)

Newborn Upfront Payment and Newborn Supplement

Medicare Safety Nets

Centrelink provides a handy tool to help you find the payments that you might be eligible for.

Birth registration

Register a birth
All babies born in NSW need to be registered within 8 weeks of the birth – the hospital doesn't do this for you. The parents of the baby can register the birth online.

Register a birth after 60 days
Registering a birth after 60 days requires more proof of the child's identification and can result in the application taking longer to process.

Apply to add a father's details to a birth registration
The biological parents of a child are able to add a father's details to a birth registered in NSW.

Apply to add a mother's details to a birth registration
Where a woman is in a married or same-sex de facto relationship, the other mother can be added to the birth registration.

Birth certificates

Apply for a birth certificate
Before you can apply for a birth certificate, the birth needs to have been registered.

Apply for recognition of early pregnancy loss
The Recognition of Early Pregnancy Loss certificate is not a legal document but can be used to commemorate a loss.

Resume your online birth certificate application

Check the status of your online birth certificate application

After the birth

Unpaid parental leave
All employees, including casual employees, are entitled to 12 months of unpaid parental leave.

Parental Leave Pay

Dad and Partner Pay

Family Tax Benefit (FTB)

Newborn Upfront Payment and Newborn Supplement

Last updated: 1 June 2021