This is a practical postoperative manual. It comprises evidence-based literature which also carries daily experience from one of the major centres in paediatric cardiac critical care of São Paulo and Latin America. BP Hospital / Beneficência Portuguesa of São Paulo receives many patients from all over Brazil and performs nearly 400 paediatric cardiac surgeries per year. This publication is destined to attending physicians, fellows, residents, medical students and all multidisciplinary teams involved in paediatric cardiac postoperative care. Discussion is focused on early paediatric cardiac postoperative care. From the surgery to patient's transference to the ward, which involve drugs, nutrition, ventilation, and frequent complications. We also enhance the most recent advances in the field and, in spite of the limitation to summarise this complex topic, we have tried to be brief and concise. We hope this manual may fulfil the necessities of postoperative care providers and improve the care and outcomes of our patients.