1. Introduction
It is natural to be concerned and want to ask the pediatrician about every small thing that concerns you about your baby, but bear in mind that newborn check-ups are more about ensuring that your baby’s fundamental processes – such as their sensory abilities and their heartbeat – are functioning properly. Your pediatrician will check for normalcy and raise red flags should there be some specific cause for concern. It’s also important for new parents to develop a good relationship with their family pediatrician. You should feel free to ask any questions related to your baby’s health, care and, of course, development as well.
The arrival of a new baby brings both excitement and anxiety for parents. For new parents, the first check-up is an important event that will reveal many essential details about the health of their new bundle of joy. It is important for parents to know what to expect from the newborn check-up in order to be prepared and to approach the check-up with the right questions in mind.
1.1. Purpose of Newborn Check-Ups
A baby is classified as a newborn until they are three months old. Newborns are at their most fragile and vulnerable state, and require unique healthcare regimens and check-ups from their pediatrician. Until the baby is three months old, they will be visiting the pediatrician’s office several times as part of routine check-ups and vaccinations. These check-ups play a key role in the baby’s well-being and also provide an opportunity for parents to voice their concerns about their ability to properly care for their baby, address any medical issues that may have arisen and ensure their child is healthy, and on the right track.
Your baby’s first check-up, performed by a pediatrician, should be within 24 hours after you bring your infant home from the hospital. It is imperative to take your baby to all of their follow-up appointments to ensure they are hitting vital milestones and also for their doctor to treat any health issues at an early stage (newborns are more susceptible to infections and other issues, especially after having bypassed the mother’s immune system during delivery). Pediatric healthcare professionals are qualified to examine, manage, and treat newborns, and they can also offer advice and support to new parents.
2. Key Milestones in Newborn Check-Ups
Your baby’s first doctor visit will happen the first week after they are born. This typically includes a physical exam, checking your baby’s height and weight, and giving the baby a blood test for critical congenital heart defects (if not done at the hospital). The doctor can also give you advice about the best way to feed your infant. Your baby will have daily doctor visits while at the hospital to check on and weigh him or her. The doctor will continue to monitor your baby’s health, which may greatly vary based on how premature your baby was. Your baby’s proper cumulative weight gain and hydration levels will be evaluated. Your baby’s growth and weight pattern, infectious disease susceptibilities, jaundice risk levels, and newborn screening results will be assessed. The timing of screenings may vary by state. Your baby will get a series of vaccinations to help provide immunity to your newborn. The most common test administered will be a natural hearing test. The healthcare provider will visually and physically assess your baby for evidence of any health concerns.
The doctor’s visit includes advice and guidance related to infant care, preventive healthcare, parenting advice, and support. Making the most of your baby’s doctor’s visits by having all your top-of-mind questions written down can be beneficial. The goal of the appointments is to ensure that your baby is healthy, eating well, and developing as he or she should. Here are some key milestones in your baby’s first-year doctor visits.
2.1. First Week Check-Up
In part, because this milestone is so close after birth, the first well check-up may come as a bit of a relief. The pediatrician will be examining them overall and checking for some of the issues that could need attention. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics assessment at some point during or right after this first week, discussions on early literacy activities, family adjustment, sleep environments, infection prevention, and water fluoride need to take place. The list may seem extensive given many other breastfeeding challenges and changes in possibly general health at this particular milestone given most babies and families are dealing with feeding concerns or challenges.
This is one of the key milestones that you come across. Usually, within the first two weeks of their birth, pediatricians like to see the baby to ensure their nutrition and hydration levels are appropriate; answer any feeding questions you may have; weigh the baby to assess the significant weight loss that comes with the birth of a normal newborn, make sure the weight has stabilized, and is or becoming gainful; answer any other questions or concerns you may have regarding them and give you a good opportunity to discuss your own health. With the unpredictable hole in your sleep schedule, this is your first chance to talk to a doctor in depth.
2.2. One Month Check-Up
There is also a focus on your baby’s growth and care of the umbilical cord stump. Lots of information, encouragement, and reassurance regarding any feeding issues were had at one month for our girl. Typically, some more questions about baby behavior, habits, and patterns again. It was nice to know that our situation was not unique and the doctor had seen it before and assured us that it would pass, as it did for us.
By the time your baby has reached the 1-month mark, she has already become the center of your world. At her one-month check-up, there are no immunizations due yet. The doctor will seem much more interested in your comfort and your baby’s feeding. Any questions about breastfeeding or bottle feeding can be addressed, and you are encouraged to ask for and receive helpful information on any concerns you might have concerning either method. There are many factors that you can ask the doctor about to ensure that she is getting enough nutrition during feedings. Amount, frequency, and type of formula (if used), or number, frequency, and duration of nursing at the breast will be addressed.
2.3. Two Month Check-Up
Allow yourself plenty of time for these check-ups so that you don’t feel rushed and so that you have the time to think of any questions you may have, as well as ask any you have at the time of the baby’s check-up. Your healthcare provider is as interested as you are in making sure that your child is off to a good start and never thinks of it as inconvenient to spend time with new babies and their parents. They probably have children of their own or work frequently with new babies.
The American Academy of Pediatrics says that the well-baby visits are scheduled for new babies at birth, 1 to 2 weeks, 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months, 15 months, 18 months, 24 months, 30 months, and 3 years.
The two-month check-up is an important milestone for your baby and a time for yet another well-baby visit. During this visit, your child’s healthcare provider will administer vaccinations, determine developmental milestones, listen to your baby’s heart, and take baby’s length and weight. Getting this type of medical attention is very important in the first two years of your baby’s life, but particularly so for the first six months. Any problems that can be detected and treated early are better in the long-term for your child.
2.4. Four Month Check-Up
Your care provider will tell you if your baby is ready to start solid foods and can share useful information with you about how to start this adventure. If there are any concerns at this checkup, there may be investigations such as blood tests or urine tests that need to be done right away. Since these tests are often associated with fasting, please ask whether this is necessary. Your baby will also have a hearing screen performed if this has not already been carried out. It is important that any hearing problem be detected as soon as possible so that the correct support can be given at an age when learning is most rapid.
At around this age, your baby will have a further series of routine immunizations called “The four-month immunizations.” Your baby’s weight, length, and head circumference will be checked again, and you may be asked to have your baby attend the clinic more frequently if there are any concerns about a lack of weight gain or other issues. Additionally, you may be referred to a specialist if care providers see any signs of a developmental delay or other problem. Your baby’s teeth may also be checked to ensure that they are developing normally.
2.5. Six Month Check-Up
Typically, the doctor will ask whether your baby is able to sit by herself (without any support) and smoothly pass toys from one hand to the other. If your baby is slower than that, it’s okay – babies grow and change at different rates. There’s a wide range of what’s considered normal, and your baby’s doctor will be able to tell you whether there’s anything specific you should work on with your baby.
Your baby’s doctor will check: – Your baby’s head size (circumference) – Your baby’s length (height) – Your baby’s weight – The soft spots on your baby’s head – Vision and hearing – Safety: babies should use a rear-facing car seat until age 2 or until the baby reaches the highest weight or height limit of their rear-facing car seat.
6-month check-up By six months old, babies are more active and social, and can do more with their hands. At this check-up, your baby’s doctor will check many of the same things she checked for at previous appointments, and check for new things such as whether your baby is able to sit by herself (without any support) and smoothly pass toys from one hand to the other.
3. Importance of Regular Check-Ups
The first year of a child’s life is the best time for the child to establish a medical home that you go to regularly and consistently. Here you can learn about not only what to expect with your baby but get any questions that you may have answered too. Try to seek the same pediatrician for your child as often possible so that you and your doctor can develop a relationship and your comfort zones. A well-child check-up is good for you and your child because every time you go, the pediatrician will discuss with you the normal situations that can arise for your child’s development, see if your child needs any shots or immunizations, as well as check for problems of development such as vision, hearing, or speech problems, or physical abnormalities. These pediatric check-ups are very important for all children from before school even through their adolescent years and are different than a regular school or sport physical. Take your child to the pediatrician so that he or she can help keep your child on the path of good health in the first year and for as long as you possibly can.
Make well-child check-ups a routine part of your baby’s healthcare. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends well-child examinations in the first year at 3 to 5 days of age for those discharged within 48 hours, at 1 month, then at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 9 months, and at age 1 year. At these appointments, your doctor will discuss with you and check for physical and mental milestones, shots and immunizations, tests and screenings needed for well-being.
As Joel and Sara Goudreault’s story unfolded, I realized how very important it is to have regular check-ups and be watchful of our baby’s health on a regular basis. As first-time parents, there are countless milestones to watch for, and we are sure many of them will have us concerned about our baby’s health and development. That’s why I feel it is necessary to be sure to have our baby checked on a regular basis. Whether it is a well-baby check-up, vaccinations, or if I just need to talk to a doctor over any pressing concerns, I feel that it is important to have a regular medical contact that I can trust.
3.1. Detecting Developmental Issues
After you leave the hospital with a newborn, there are many more tests on the way that will determine your baby’s regular growth and baby milestones. The first check-up is most commonly completed within two weeks of leaving the hospital, depending on the situation and the individual hospital’s protocol. After that, tests are handled at the 2nd month, 4th month, 6th month, 9th month, 12th month, 15th month, 18th month, 24th month, and 36th month marks. The newborn check-up is a vital part of staying on the growth pattern and ensuring that your child is prosperous for the long haul.
A baby’s health and individual growth are so intertwined that it’s important that any issues that may show unhealthy functioning are detected early and intricacies are warded off before they become a problem. Through numerous tests that assess different aspects of development, pediatricians are able to monitor the alignment of a baby’s health, especially during the major growth spurt in a baby’s first year of growth. Growth, motor skills, language recognition, and sensory awareness are all essential baby functions that are tracked by the doctor, and intelligent doctors can identify potential issues early on.
3.2. Tracking Growth and Nutrition
Your doctor will take the newborn infant’s growth very seriously and will do calculations of height, weight, and head circumference at every well-child check-up. By doing something that seems as simple as plotting your baby’s growth on a growth chart, medical professionals can track how your child’s growth patterns are matching up compared to the average healthy weight, height, and head circumference of children their same age. If there are any areas where your child’s growth appears to be deviating from normal patterns, your physician will take a look to make sure that an underlying issue is not present. In many cases, a child’s small or large body size may be perfectly normal for their genetic makeup with no actual health problems present. But it won’t hurt to double check growth trends at the well-baby check-ups just in case.
By the time you take your baby in for the 2-week newborn baby check-up, their initial weight loss should have been regained and surpassed. The doctor expects to see the infant’s weight be at or above birth weight at this time. It is normal for a baby to lose about 10% of their birth weight in the first few days, but after your milk comes in and the baby’s feeding schedule is becoming more consistent, your child should begin to regain weight steadily. They should take in between 1 and 1 ½ ounces of breast milk per feeding, while a baby who is formula-fed should take in between 1 ½ and 3 ounces at each feeding.
4. Preparing for Your Baby’s Check-Up
When you bring your baby to their first doctor’s visit, consider bringing along a pen to write down any good information you might get. Be prepared to talk to your doctor about how much your child is eating, sleeping, and pooping, and don’t hesitate to ask questions, too. Write down any questions you have about your baby’s feeding, sleeping, or anything else that is on your mind. It’s easy to be overwhelmed during a pediatric check-up, and you might forget to ask an important question or get an answer you can’t quite remember later. Doctors who work in pediatrics see adults all the time who forget what the doctor said, and they always welcome questions. So make sure to write them down, and you can ask anything that’s on your mind.
4.1. What to Bring
It is very important to bring immunization records, whether it is for your baby or your older kids. It is important to know which vaccines your child received, when they received them, and at what age they received the vaccines. If your baby has a prior pediatrician, it is very important to have his/her medical records faxed or sent to the doctor’s office before the first scheduled newborn check-up. This will not only make the first check-up more meaningful, it will also allow the doctor to have a better appreciation of your baby’s health and wellness established with his/her previous pediatrician. It is also very necessary to bring a list of any medications that you are giving to your baby, especially the dosages and times the medication needs to be administered. If your baby is breastfeeding, be sure to provide your pediatrician with any breastfeeding issues, either during pregnancy or at your first newborn check-up. Finally, you should bring any of your own questions or concerns in respect to your own pregnancy, delivery, and your baby’s well-being. These issues should also be discussed at your first newborn check-up.
In preparing for your baby’s first pediatric check-up, you don’t really need to bring much for your baby – really nothing except a clean diaper and the bottle if your baby has not fed yet or if it is time to eat. Make sure that it is the milk that your baby drinks exclusively – whether it be formula or breastmilk. It would also be a good idea to bring an extra layer of clothing for your baby, in case the doctor’s office is cool or if the doctor’s office is not particularly clean and you want to cover your baby’s body while the doctor does the physical examination. Some parents do like to bring a small blanket for their baby in case they get cool at the doctor’s office – this is fine and you are welcome to. However, you should bring your insurance card and a form of identification. You also should bring any hospital discharge paperwork and any paperwork and cards you received at your baby’s birth. This is necessary to provide the front desk receptionist, so that the doctors can bill your insurance company correctly.
4.2. Questions to Ask the Pediatrician
– Is it a problem that my newborn does not sleep through the night yet? What is the best way to handle this? – Is it true that newborns need to eat every two hours, or are they really supposed to sleep longer stretches? What is the minimum time duration between feedings for a baby? – How much should I expect my baby to weigh at this age, and are the percentile charts for weight key to monitor my baby’s growth? What is the normal percentage of weight loss that I should expect after my baby is born? – What is the best way to keep my newborn away from germs and how often (or when) should I give the baby their first bath? – My baby spits up/cries in discomfort quite often. Are there conditions where I should be concerned by these symptoms?
· Questions to ask the pediatrician: Seeing the pediatrician is a chance to get your first peace of mind and to better understand the changes that are occurring in your newborn. It’s important to address any concerns or questions you may have concerning your baby’s general health, sleeping, feeding, nutrition, or care. Here are some common questions you might consider asking your doctor at your baby’s first visit, in case they have not already been answered:
5. Conclusion
In conclusion, the newborn check-up is a time when the physician checks the newborn for a variety of conditions and parents can ask many questions of the pediatrician or primary care provider about their newborn. It is also a time when the provider can begin to assess how the new family is managing or not managing before there are serious parenting or health problems. The check-up is an excellent time for the provider to build a rapport with the families so the entire family feels comfortable calling when problems arise. Children do not come with owner’s manuals, and parents must rely upon the advice of others when they have questions. The newborn check-up is the start of a relationship with the provider that will last through many children, many health issues, and many growth and development needs of the newborn and the young child.
Want to know more? Visit us for details
References:
Metcalfe, Robyn E., Claire L. Guidinger, and Elizabeth A. Stormshak. “The family check-up: Ecological family-based assessments in the context of potential child abuse or chaotic home environments.” Journal of health service psychology 47.1 (2021): 17-29. nih.gov
Weaver Krug, Chelsea M., et al. “Child Birth Order as a Moderator of Intervention Effectiveness for the Early Childhood Version of the Family Check-Up.” Prevention Science 21 (2020): 456-466. researchgate.net
Nakamura, Naoko, et al. “Effect of 2-week postpartum check-ups on screening positive for postpartum depression: a population-based cohort study using instrumental variable estimation in Japan.” Family Practice (2023): cmad074. oup.com
de Voss, Sarah Strøyer, et al. “Increased family psychosocial focus during children’s developmental assessments: a study of parents’ views.” BMC pediatrics 24 (2024). nih.gov
Hentges, Rochelle F., et al. “The long-term indirect effect of the early Family Check-Up intervention on adolescent internalizing and externalizing symptoms via inhibitory control.” Development and psychopathology 32.4 (2020): 1544-1554. nih.gov
Dandona, Rakhi, et al. “Assessment of quality of antenatal care services in public sector facilities in India.” BMJ open 12.12 (2022): e065200. bmj.com
McGoron, Lucy, et al. “Creating connections: A feasibility study of a technology-based intervention to support mothers of newborns during pediatric well-visits.” Clinical Practice in Pediatric Psychology 11.2 (2023): 180. apa.org
Dede, K. S. and Bras, H. “Exclusive breastfeeding patterns in Tanzania: Do individual, household, or community factors matter?.” International breastfeeding journal, 2020. springer.com
Tan, M. L., Ng, K. L., Loh, L. W. L., Haugan, G., Wang, W., and He, H. G. “A descriptive qualitative study exploring the postpartum confinement experiences among first-time mothers from the three major ethnic groups in Singapore.” Midwifery, 2022. [HTML]
Rai, S. K., Oberoi, S., Balgir, R. S., Ahir, D., and Singh, H. “Assessing the Utilization of Postnatal Services Among Mothers: A Cross-Sectional Study.” Cureus, 2023. nih.gov
