1. Introduction
Plan for the visit – Newborn visits are not like adult visits. They are less about shots and more about growth and development. For the weight check visits, your baby will just come in, get weighed, eat, get weighed again, and they’ll be on their way. These visits are usually brief and can be done by nurse visits as well. For the two-month visit, it is longer and includes shots – you might have the choice of spreading them out if you prefer. We also start to do the newborn screening blood draw at that visit. If you haven’t already, most insurance companies will require that you have chosen a pediatrician by the time of this two-month visit.
In your baby’s first year, they will see the doctor a lot! Here are some helpful hints to know for their newborn visits. The types of newborn visits – Ideally, your baby will be seen within the first week after being born by the doctor who’s taking care of them – whether it’s the hospitalist or the pediatrician on the baby’s first outpatient visit. Additionally, once they’ve gone home, they should be seen in one to two months for a weight check and then at the two-month mark for a physical and vaccines. In-between the hospitalist visit and the one to two month visit, many moms see the pediatrician at a breastfeeding support group or other baby gatherings or have nurses come to their homes.
1.1. Purpose of Newborn Doctor Visits
Your baby’s doctor will give you tips about baby care and doctor visits and answer your questions. At doctor visits, you can ask the doctor questions about your baby and your baby’s health. You can also talk about how baby care is going for you and your family and let the doctor know if your baby has any problems. At doctor visits, doctors may give your baby vaccinations. Vaccinations are shots that help to keep your baby from getting sick from serious diseases like the flu or sicknesses like ear infections or diarrhea. If you have questions or concerns about vaccinations or if your baby is sick, talk to your baby’s doctor. Your baby’s doctor can help you learn more about vaccinations and answer your questions.
After your baby is born, your baby will be checked by a doctor and/or healthcare provider. Doctor visits are for your baby’s medical care and to make sure your baby is healthy and growing. These visits are called newborn doctor visits. Your baby will have newborn doctor visits several times before your baby is 1 month old. Your baby will continue to see the doctor for other visits after your baby is 1 month old, too. Your baby’s doctor will tell you when your baby needs to visit the doctor after your baby is 1 month old. It is important to go to all of your baby’s doctor visits.
2. Choosing the Right Pediatrician
Ability to Communicate: If you or your partner have two separate jobs, or if someone needs to be home in time to pick up young children from day care, will the office work with you on late in the day appointments? Do you feel comfortable asking questions of the doctor or the medical staff?
Hours: Do you want a pediatrician with evening or weekend hours or do you prefer for evenings and weekends to mean just that – away from the office?
Hospital Connection: Does the physician practice – and are you comfortable with – the hospital where you plan to deliver?
Choosing a pediatrician to guide you through your baby’s first experiences, answer your questions, supply information about vaccines, growth and development, and sometimes offer a little TLC and assurance can be, well, a big decision. After all, this is someone who will care for your child well into those sometimes ornery teen years. Start by seeking recommendations from parents with similar outlooks. Parenting and childbirth classes can be great places to get the names of caring pediatricians. Here are three of the most important factors to consider before locking into a relationship:
2.1. Factors to Consider
It is easier to get your baby to the doctor’s office if their hours coincide with a common work schedule. Factor in how long it takes to travel to their office and if you feel comfortable getting to and from there. Doctors often work with pediatricians and pediatric nurses, and they may even refer you to a specific specialist. Make sure that you get along with the staff who answer your questions and calls. The best pediatrician in the city may not suit your taste. It is important to feel comfortable leaning against your doctor, especially in an emergency. Choose a doctor who listens to your concerns and explains everything about your baby’s health problems in a way that you can understand. Many clinics will allow you to interview doctors before making a decision, so don’t be afraid to ask questions or ask for educational material. Some doctors ask for an additional fee for an interview or consultation, but the chance to compare them is well worth the money. Once you weigh these factors, trust your instincts. If you are still unsure, ask other parents for advice in your school community.
I’m pregnant and looking for a pediatrician for my baby. What should I consider? When choosing a pediatrician, there are several key factors to consider, including the doctor’s credentials, personality, and office hours. Make sure the pediatrician graduated from an accredited medical school and that their credentials are up to date. Following up on your baby’s progress is important, so having a doctor with a clinic near your home is essential. Remember to ask questions or ask the pediatrician for detailed information. Most pediatricians and family doctors with training in pediatrics have undergone four years of medical school, three years of internal pediatric medicine, and completed a national exam. Some then go on to complete an internship at a children’s hospital where they receive more specialized training. Ask questions and learn more about your pediatrician to make sure you are comfortable with their skills and training.
3. Preparing for the First Visit
Chart Mystery – All the little and many of the big things about your pregnancy and baby are documented in the prenatal chart and the hospital record. You might not see the chart, but the doctor will. It’s a good idea to request a copy of the discharge instructions when you’re in the hospital. It will help you remember the information given about feedings, behaviors, safety, and medications. It’s okay if you don’t understand all the doctor’s “baby” talk. It’s always fine to ask the doctor questions – this is your baby!
It’s perfectly normal to feel a little anxious and unsure about your first visit with your baby to the doctor. This is especially true if it’s your first baby! Have no fear – everyone loves a well baby! The doctor will review the hospital records or baby’s chart from a homebirth and discuss your baby’s feeding, sleeping, and diapering patterns. You’ll have an opportunity to discuss any concerns you have and ask any questions you think of. It’s a great feeling to be a part of your child’s good health! Here are some things you might consider as you prepare your new baby (and yourself) for the first visit to the pediatrician’s office.
3.1. Essential Documents to Bring
Your first official visit to the newborn doctor is usually scheduled at about 1 month after childbirth. At this visit, the baby’s birth weight should be regained if it was lost. You should bring the handover record, your baby’s medical benefit card, the completed maternal and child health handbook, if you have one, and the doctor’s examination ticket to this visit. When going to see the doctor, it is usually best to dress your baby in clothes that are easy to remove and to bring an extra change of clothes. This is because the doctor will measure your baby’s weight while your baby is naked and check the height in the baby clothes. Your baby’s urine may also be measured, and your baby may be administered an injection called the vaccination. Remember that after the vaccination, if your baby has a high temperature, it is considered an emergency since your baby is less than 1 month old.
During the postpartum period, your midwife, who helped you during your baby’s birth, will probably come to your house to perform a checkup on you and your baby. At that time, she will give you your baby’s handover record. She is responsible for the health checkup at about 7 days after childbirth, sometimes combined with the newborn baby’s hearing test, a test during which your baby’s hearing ability is measured. Other common tests that are performed include a check of your baby’s growth and motor skills.
4. What to Expect During the Visits
You should be prepared to answer questions about the color of your newborn’s bowel movements and vomit, and how often they occur (combine the questions about bowel movement frequency, color, and the frequency of vomiting with the number of wet and dirty diapers question). Again, the focus at the first visit is to make sure your baby is healthy and thriving. Information on growth and nutrition is very beneficial for your pediatrician. At each newborn doctor’s visit, regular newborn screenings will be performed. This includes checking for jaundice and a hearing test. All the information gathered from the visits should reassure both you and your pediatrician that your infant is off to a wonderful and healthy beginning. During any well-visit you will have time to review age-appropriate infant care and parenting information. You may even get some care related handouts.
The first newborn doctor visit usually occurs within 2-3 days of birth. If you and your newborn are still in the hospital, the pediatrician will examine your baby in the hospital. After you’re discharged, the pediatrician will want to see your baby in his or her office within 2-3 days of your discharge from the hospital. Then a newborn doctor will see your baby at 1, 2, and 4-6 weeks of age. Some pediatricians will see the baby at 3 weeks, then 8 weeks old. During the first newborn doctor’s visit, your pediatrician will ask questions about breast or bottle feeding, and how many wet and dirty diapers your infant is producing each day. Expect the pediatrician to spend time observing the baby, counting fingers and toes, checking the infant’s reflexes, weight, and overall health. The first visit is a good time to ask your pediatrician about infant care and child rearing tips that you may not have thought about yet.
4.1. Routine Checkups and Vaccinations
To help ensure your little one grows up healthy and strong, be sure to keep all well-baby visits with your baby’s pediatrician. This is a partnership between you and your child’s pediatrician, and begins the day you bring your infant home and continues until adulthood. Routine visits usually happen at regular intervals to assess the growth and development of your child. It is also a good time to address any concerns you have. Be sure to call your baby’s doctor often during the first few days at home if there are questions or problems. By law, all newborns must have their first newborn checkup within three days at the hospital.
Table of Contents Early Visits Well-Baby Checkups Well-Baby Routine Vaccinations Visit Schedule Increase Vaccinations Laboratory Tests Warm the Vaccinations Bringing with You
Visiting the doctor frequently during those first years of life can be intimidating – and the frequent vaccinations and well-baby visits can seem never-ending – so we have a quick tip sheet to get parents started.
5. Common Concerns and Questions
First, rest assured that the doctors and nurses understand that you don’t generally have experience taking care of newborns. I asked about everything. The pediatricians and staff are accustomed to dealing with new parents all day long. If your newborn doctor visit is in a hospital, the physician and nurses will attempt to squeeze in a ton of education before you leave, including how to clean his umbilical cord and circumcision. They’ll give advice for doing things on your own until next weekend or until your baby’s first well baby visit in a week. If your newborn doctor visit is in an office, take advantage of your access to medical experts to ask all of your questions and address your concerns. Even after you leave, staff will promptly return your calls and provide information so that you can keep your child as healthy as possible until his next newborn doctor visit.
After my baby’s first newborn doctor visit, I planned to ask about this green stuff in his eyes. I had seen normal baby eye discharge before, but I figured it would be best to check with the doctor anyway. How do I keep this umbilical cord clean? The pediatrician checked his circumcision, and it didn’t look exactly like I had expected. Could this be a problem? Will my baby’s specific issue always require a visit to the doctor?
5.1. Feeding and Sleeping Patterns
At age 7-10 days, the baby’s skin color should no longer be yellow (jaundice) due to liver function improving. No other change should make you call the office. After 2-3 days, you will be seeing your child’s pediatrician for the first time since discharge. For 1 month, it is best to have six more unscheduled well baby office visits, so your doctor can observe the baby in more normal states. High priority topics: Feeding, sleeping, and peeing and pooping patterns. Scheduled office visits for yourself may be Orbit baby care.
Feeding and sleeping patterns also affect development. In month 1, your baby should have 8 or more feedings and 11-15 hours of sleep. By month 2, babies have 7 or more feedings and about 10-15 hours of sleep. Starting day 1, breastfeeding sessions usually last 20-45 minutes every 1.5-3 hours, and babies usually nurse for 10-20 minutes. By month 1, breastfeeding sessions last about 15-30 minutes every 1.5-3 hours, and in general, babies nurse for 5-45 minutes. By month 2, breastfeeding sessions last 10-30 minutes every 1.5-3 hours, and babies nurse 5-45 minutes. If using formula, a newborn eats at least 2-3 ounces per feeding every 2-4 hours or can continue to eat until they are full. By month 1, a baby eats 2-4 ounces every 3-4 hours, and the time can be up to 6 hours. By month 2, sticking to 3-4 ounces every 3-4 hours is still typical, but it can be as long as 7 hours.
6. Building a Relationship with Your Pediatrician
1. Practice safe sleep – Ask about techniques for safe sleep including skin to skin after birth, use of a pacifier, room sharing, and eliminating soft bedding, etc. 2. Timing – Schedule your baby visits for 3-5 days after hospital discharge, 1 month, 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months, 15 months, 18 months, 2 years, and yearly visits thereafter. This schedule is essential to monitor immunization growth and development. 3. Regular check-ins with your doctor – Use these visits for a professional exam including measurements to detect and prevent problems that may occur in the future (Dense Breast). 4. Weight and height – Take advantage of professional measurements of weight and height and speak to your pediatrician about your concerns with your child. 5. Body Mass Index (BMI) – Ask a question about the growth chart plotted based on the BMI-for-age and measure percentages considered healthy in relation to other children of the same sex and age.
If you have any questions, build a good relationship with a doctor who can help you understand your child. Parenthood is fun, remember you are not alone. And it all starts here…
Whether you are a first-time parent or experienced, going to well-child visits can be daunting and easy to forget. But these visits can help with your concerns and help your pediatrician identify issues early. After all, doctors are experts with or without experience and can keep track of the baby visit schedules, especially those requirements for school and daycare. Knowledge is power. Besides, building a solid relationship with your pediatrician who is there to answer your concerns will make all the difference in the world. So don’t give up and go! We’ve provided a quick-reply checklist below outlining key reasons explaining why, when, and how to go and maintain these visits. These are universal to most, but it’s wise to check with your personal physician for any specialized needs unique to your family’s or children’s health in advance.
6.1. Open Communication and Trust
The best time to figure out if the doctor is right for you is before you make the appointment; a good time to judge is at your baby’s first visit. It is perfectly okay to keep switching doctors until you find the right one for you. You should talk to the doctor to see if he fits in with your way of thinking about bringing up your child. What do you want from your baby’s doctor? Find out all you can about the doctor you are interested in, including what type of medical insurance she accepts, how her office runs, office hours, and how the hospital runs things. When you ask these questions, keep in mind your needs and your baby’s needs. Look for the doctor that not only meets your needs but also is one with whom you can have good open communication and build a relationship with.
It is important to feel comfortable talking to your child’s doctor about problems or concerns you have. It is not easy to do, and for many people, who the doctor is and how you feel about him or her can make a difference. Do you trust that the doctor’s judgment is good and that he is knowledgeable? Do you feel comfortable with the way the doctor handles babies and the way she explains things to you?
7. Keeping Track of Developmental Milestones
The busy physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant will only be able to do a brief assessment of your baby’s physical development, but you can spend many more hours closely observing your baby. You should report to the doctor any concerns you have about feeding behavior, too much or too little crying, and any funny movements, since such observations can be important early indicators of developmental problems. Discussing any of your developmental concerns with the doctor or with the nurse can help put your mind at ease or help identify problems needing early and appropriate referrals to other healthcare professionals.
How does he or she compare to all the other babies out there? What is normal and what is not? These are very appropriate concerns for any new parent. During newborn doctor visits, the healthcare provider will assess your baby’s physical growth and development at regular intervals. Once you become familiar with what is considered “normal” for growth and development, you will have a better chance of recognizing “not normal.”
7.1. Monitoring Growth and Development
In addition, the doctor will be watching how your baby moves, cries, and recognizes you and other close family members. The doctor often plays simple games with your baby to see if the baby is able to see, hear, follow, or reach for certain objects. At some visits, the baby will be given some simple problem-solving tasks, although babies often sleep through this part of the visit! These activities all help the doctor determine if your baby is developing mental and physical skills as expected for his or her age. It’s the doctor’s way of doing a report card for your baby, and this important aspect of healthcare is often called a developmental assessment.
It is important to make sure your baby is growing and developing as well as expected during the first weeks of life. Overweight or underweight babies can have health problems, and sometimes babies who seem generally healthy have a problem with a specific part of the body that was not found earlier. Fortunately, there are well-established guidelines to help keep track of this. The guidelines are based on how big and healthy the baby’s parents are, since these are the two largest influences on how big babies will be. But there can be some ethnic differences as well. During the first three years of life, your doctor is required to plot your child’s height, weight, and head size on a special chart that shows the range of expected measurements for children of the same age and sex.
8. When to Seek Emergency Care
Always call your baby’s doctor first before heading to the emergency room. It is important to develop a relationship with your pediatrician to ensure your child receives the most appropriate and most comprehensive care that she deserves.
In summary, the newborn doctor’s visit shortly after being released from the hospital is critical for confirming normal growth and development and determining if there are any other health or feeding-related problems. Laps or questioning are appropriate when the baby shows signs of not eating well, appears ill, or is breathing labored, among other symptoms.
– Cough producing a whoop, difficulty breathing, unusually rapid breathing, or labored breathing – Blueness in skin, especially around the lips, nails, and face – Sinus; touch ear and child shows pain – Excessive sleepiness or irritability cannot be awakened – Great difficulty in feeding – For any seizure special formula – For refusing to have a bottle for more than 8 hours; Breast for refusing to drink for 4 hours – A fever in the newborn (younger than 2 months), over 100.4 degrees – Vomiting or constant vomiting (not spitting up) – Non-stricken chicken carts – Rash Tie-apart from dry skin or sucking allergies; signs of dehydration – The lack of tears when crying with poor cooperation/signs of dehydration – Multiple in a diaper for babies less than 6 months of age on a rash – Clothes or other signs of reduced peripheral circulation – Blue or gray skin or gray lip or nail streaking – In a severe chest or abdomen bend; Hard to understand when calling – Dehydration (the baby refuses breast or bottle, vomits, seems weaker than usual, or urinates less) – An unconscious or sick baby, who is not awakened as usual – The baby appears shaken or injured
Emergency Room Visits:
The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Emergency Physicians offer these times to go to the emergency room.
Call your child’s doctor immediately if your child is behaving outside of her normal state, is having breathing difficulties, appears jaundiced (yellowing of the skin or eyes), has a serious fall, hit her head, has persistent or severe diarrhea, or is not urinating as much as usual. Always call your doctor first before heading straight to the emergency room. Remember, the ER is to treat emergencies.
8.1. Recognizing Signs of Urgent Medical Attention
Don’t be a hypochondriac about your baby by being at the doctor every week, but don’t blow off well-baby checks and allow small issues to develop into something more serious. Proper indicators include non-stop screaming or crying, unresponsiveness, periods in which your baby stops breathing, or non-stop crying. It’s not just your baby’s behavior that is a cause for concern, but also your effect on the baby; is your baby still eating well, have wet diapers, etc.? You can never ask too many questions or make appointments when you think that you need more than the usual amount of well-child visits to put yourself at ease because it is necessary and beneficial to do so for the health of your baby. There is no dumb question to ask your pediatrician – there are only important questions that you need to ask for the health of your loved one.
Your baby has finally arrived and it’s time to go to the doctor! But what are the standards for these visits? We have put together the ten most important things you’ll need to know about your newborn doctor check-ups to help you understand what to expect and get the most out of them.
9. Conclusion
Keep in mind that your pediatrician is not just here to help when your child is sick. They are your go-to when you don’t know which sunscreen to use, when your child needs sports physicals before school, or when another child keeps stealing your toddler’s applesauce at snack time. The newborn visits help your pediatrician learn about your child just as much as they help you learn from your pediatrician. Stick to those schedules, and ask every question, even when it feels silly. The pediatrician’s advice can grow and change with your child, ensuring that baby has a gentle, healthy, and safe entry into this big, new world.
Keep in mind that your pediatrician is not just here to help when your child is sick. They are your go-to when baby is doing well, too. The newborn visits help your pediatrician learn about your child just as much as they help you learn from your pediatrician. Stick to those schedules, and ask every question, even when it feels silly. The pediatrician’s advice can grow and change with your child, ensuring that baby has a gentle, healthy, and safe entry into this big, new world.
9.1. Importance of Regular Pediatric Checkups
Resist the temptation to stay home to minimize exposure to viruses and infections in the first few weeks of your baby by avoiding the need to make routine newborn doctor visits. Missing these important well visits can delay detection of health problems, weight gain or developmental changes. This delay in detection can result in the need for more aggressive treatment if discovered later. If you have concerns and aren’t sure if you should bring your baby to the doctor, don’t hesitate to call. If you are concerned that you might be exposing your baby to an infection in the doctor’s office or clinic, many now offer sick and well waiting areas to help lessen exposure to your baby.
Doctors appointments are important beginning the first week your baby enters this world. Newborn doctor visits allow your baby to establish a relationship with the pediatrician, but also it allows your pediatrician an opportunity to monitor your baby’s growth and development so that if any problems are present, they can be quickly detected and treated. Additionally, immunizations that are due and necessary to complete are discussed, so that your baby is protected at an early age.
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