U.S. Department of Labor Children's Bureau Publications of Interest to Parents

***See That the Birth of Your Baby is Registered:*** ***The birth of your baby should be registered promptly and properly.*** This is of utmost importance and should be done within 36 hours after the baby's birth. **The physician, midwife, nurse, or other attendant is required in every State to report the birth to the local registrar,** who will see that the date of birth and the child's name, together with other **related facts, are made matters of permanent record.** ***Birth registration*** is necessary in order to prove the date of your child's birth and his citizenship. His right to enter school, to go to work, to inherit property, to marry, and to hold office may depend upon ***proof of age or citizenship or both, and this proof is most readily established by means of a birth certificate.*** ***Proof of age*** is also necessary in order to obtain certain benefits under the Social Security Act, such as aid to dependent children and old-age and survivors insurance. If there is any doubt about whether the birth of a child has been registered, an inquiry may be sent to the State board of health where the records are filed. ***By making sure that the birth of every child born to them is registered, parents are protecting the fundamental rights of their children.*** ***It is suggested that the parents keep a memorandum of certain facts recorded in the birth certificate:*** **Baby's name, Father's name, Mother's maiden name, Sex of baby, If twin of triplet, give number in order of birth.** ***Date of baby's birth*** (Hour, Day, Month, Year). ***Birthplace:*** City, town, or village / County / State. ***Attending physician:*** Name / Address ***Registrar's number.***