Having a baby
What to do first
- Check if you can get Medicaid or CHIP for you and your baby.
- Apply for WIC for healthy food, formula and nutrition help.
- Add your baby to your health plan soon after the birth.
- Ask for your baby's Social Security number at the hospital.
- Ask your job about leave before the baby comes.
Talk it through
Tell us more about what happened. We answer first, then show the programs that fit, then ask a few questions to narrow it down.
Dates that matter
These windows are set by federal rules. Your state may have its own dates too, so ask the agency.
60 days
Health coverage
A new baby lets you sign up for a Marketplace plan or change yours. You have 60 days after the birth, and coverage can start on the day of the birth.
Source: HealthCare.gov
Help from Mississippi
Mississippi programs that fit what happened. Each agency decides who qualifies.
Mississippi Division of Medicaid
Mississippi Medicaid
Mississippi Medicaid provides health coverage to eligible residents.
Ways to apply:OnlinePaperIn person
Mississippi Division of Medicaid
Children’s Health Insurance Program
CHIP provides health coverage to eligible children who do not qualify for Medicaid.
Ways to apply:OnlinePaperIn person
Mississippi State Department of Health
Women, Infants, and Children
WIC provides eligible pregnant and postpartum women, infants, and young children with food and nutrition support.
Ways to apply:OnlineIn person
Mississippi Department of Human Services
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
SNAP helps eligible households pay for food with monthly benefits.
Ways to apply:OnlinePaperIn person
HealthCare.gov Marketplace
Federally Facilitated Marketplace
The federal marketplace lets Mississippi residents compare and enroll in private health plans.
Ways to apply:OnlinePhonePaper
Mississippi Department of Human Services
Child Care Payment Program
The program helps eligible families pay for child care while they work or attend school or training.
Ways to apply:Online
Mississippi Department of Human Services
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
TANF provides temporary cash assistance to eligible families with children.
Ways to apply:OnlinePaperIn person
Checked on October 8, 2026
Federal help
These work the same in every state. Each agency decides who qualifies.
SSA.gov
Your baby's Social Security number
The easiest way is at the hospital. When you give the information for the birth certificate, ask for a Social Security number too.
DOL.gov
Unpaid leave that protects your job
The Family and Medical Leave Act lets many workers take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave in a year and keep their job. Reasons include a new baby, your own serious health condition, and caring for a spouse, child or parent who is seriously ill.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
HealthCare.gov
The federal marketplace for health insurance plans. Many people can get lower monthly costs based on their income.
Apply online at HealthCare.gov or by phone during open enrollment, or after a big change like losing other coverage.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Head Start and Early Head Start
Free preschool, child care and family support for young children from birth to age 5 in families with low income, run by local programs.
Find a program near you with the Head Start locator and contact it to apply.
Checked on October 9, 2026
Help near you
Find county and state offices near you, or call 211 to talk to someone about help in your area.
Talk to a person
- 211 Mississippi
Free help finding food, housing, bills and more near you.
Call 211 - 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Call or text 988 if you are in crisis or worried about someone. Any time.
Call 988Text 988