Two reviews of the 2006 NICE guidance1 on the postnatal care of mothers and their babies have recently been published in your journal.2 3 All three submissions neglected to include comment or guidance on the observation of babies at risk of clinical deterioration in the first 24 h of life. There are a significant proportion of newborns who are well enough to remain with their mothers but who are at risk of becoming unwell. There is widespread consensus in the …