Your Newborns First Office Visit
Once you are home, you and your baby will begin to develop certain patterns and schedules. Most babies do well whether they are breast or bottle fed. A few babies begin to feed poorly once they get home and can develop symptoms of dehydration or jaundice. After a few days at home, we would like for you to bring your baby to the office for their first appointment.
This first visit usually consists of a weight check and a physical exam to see if any new findings have developed since discharge from the hospital. The doctor will be checking for any signs congenital heart disease, metabolic disease, or any serious conditions. This visit is a good time to review how feeding is going. Important data your doctor will want to review will include feeding information like the frequency and amount and the amount of wet and dirty diapers.
Usually, no shots or blood tests are required at this visit, unless your baby is becoming jaundiced, yellowing of the skin.
After this visit, if you are having trouble with breastfeeding your doctor will make a lactation consult. These specially trained lactation consultants frequently will come by your home for an evaluation and are sometimes covered by insurance.
Usually if all is going well the next checkup will be when your baby is two weeks old.
How Can I Make The Visit Easier For My Child
- Schedule visits at a time when your child isnt usually napping.
- Use a toy doctors kit to teach your young child about all the things the doctor will do when you visit. Or bring along a favourite buddy, a stuffed animal or doll, who gets an exam along with your child. This might help them feel more comfortable when it comes time for the real thing.
- Young children may find it difficult to sit still in a doctors waiting room. Bring a couple of books, a favourite toy and a snack to help keep your child busy and happy during the wait.
- If your child is older, explain why they are visiting the doctor. Use simple, easy-to-understand language. If it is for a regular check-up, explain that all children see a doctor, and that the doctor checks how they are growing and developing. Be honest about what your child can expect from the exam.
- Tell your older child or teen that they can see the doctor without you in the room. This might help them feel more comfortable talking with the doctor.
And How Are Their Potty Habits
Again, you don’t have to write down every little change in your baby’s stool. All you have to do is tell your doctor how often you change your little one’s diaper and what stool patterns they have. We’re talking about the poop color and consistency here. Since by this time your doctor will know whether you breastfeed or formula-feed your baby, they’ll know what kind of poop is normal .
If you have even the slightest concerns about your baby’s bowel movements, don’t hesitate to share them with your doctor at this point.
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Your First Prenatal Care Appointment
Your first prenatal appointment will probably be your longest one. Here you will give your doctor, midwife, or nurse your complete health and pregnancy history. This information is important because it will give your practitioner a good idea of how healthy you are and what type of problems you are most likely to experience during your pregnancy. You will learn what your estimated due date is as well.
There are many areas that may be checked during your physical exam, including:
- Blood pressure
- Ultrasound
- Urine screen for protein and sugar
- Weight
You will probably be seen for your first appointment between 8 and 10 weeks gestation, though you may be seen earlier if you’re having problems or if it’s your doctor or midwife’s policy.
What Should I Do With My 2 Week Old When Awake
When your baby is awake, give him or her supervised time on his or her tummy so he or she can develop upper body muscles. Focus and begin to make eye contact with you. Blink in reaction to bright light. Respond to sound and recognize your voice, so be sure and talk to your baby often.
Here are some other ideas for encouraging your newborn to learn and play:
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Setting And Following A Schedule For Newborns
Now its time for you to take what youve learned and put it into action. As a new parent, you have a lot on your mind, but you dont need to worry about the health of your children. Appointments with your pediatrician allow you to talk about any changes that you see and actions or symptoms that concern you.
At the office of Doctor Ana, we accept new patients as young as newborns and work with them until they reach the age of 21. Call today to see what you need to do to schedule an appointment and how you can get the help that your baby needs.
Who Should I Contact When My Pediatricians Office Is Closed
In babies under three months old, its important to know we consider a fever to be a temperature of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit, measured rectally. Parents should ask how they can contact their doctor during off hours and what would be considered abnormal. In those cases, I tell parents if the baby is not feeding well or is very irritable or any signs of a fever or illness, thats when Id want to see the baby or have it checked out at a nearby urgent care or ER.
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How Long Will My Babys Checkup Last
Most newborn appointments are scheduled to last about 20 to 30 minutes, but its a good idea to plan for some buffer time in case there are any unexpected delays.
Youre probably experiencing a lot of new things now that your baby has arrived. So, the doctor wants to make sure you and other new parents have all your questions answered before you leave, which might take a little extra time.
Over the coming months, your babys wellness checkup schedule will include several more appointments at specific times. And as they get older, those appointments may vary in length depending on your babys health needs.
What To Expect During This Visit
The doctor and/or nurse will probably:
1. Check your baby’s weight, length, and head circumference and plot the measurements on a growth chart.
2. Ask questions, address any concerns, and offer advice about how your baby is:
Feeding. Newborns should be fed whenever they seem hungry. Breastfed infants eat about every 13 hours, and formula-fed infants eat about every 24 hours. Your doctor or nurse can watch as you breastfeed and offer help with any problems. Burp your baby midway through a feeding and again at the end.
Peeing and pooping. Newborns should have about 6 wet diapers a day. The number of poopy diapers varies, but most newborns have 3 or 4 soft bowel movements a day. Tell your doctor if you have any concerns about your newborn’s bowel movements.
Sleeping. A newborn may sleep 14 to 17 hours or more in 24 hours, waking up often to breastfeed or take a bottle. Breastfed babies usually wake to eat every 13 hours, while formula-fed babies may sleep longer, waking every 24 hours to eat . Newborns should not sleep more than 4 hours between feedings until they have good weight gain, usually within the first few weeks. After that, it’s OK if a baby sleeps for longer stretches.
Developing. In the first month, babies should:
3. Do an exam with your baby undressed with you present. This exam will include an eye exam, listening to your baby’s heart and feeling pulses, inspecting the umbilical cord, and checking the hips.
Read Also: Why Is Newborn So Fussy At Night
What Your Pediatrician Is Looking For:
The safest way for babies to sleep is on their back, which can sometimes lead to a little . It helps to do supervised tummy time, says Dr. Nicklas. That strengthens their neck and upper back muscles, and when their neck muscles are strong, they tend to move their head around more, which takes away some of the pressure.
Newborn Care: What Happens At Your Babys First Doctor Appointment
Having a new baby brings lots of excitement in the home. But dont neglect care for them. Find out here what happens at your babys first doctor appointment.
If youve recently had a new baby, you know how overwhelming it can feel and just how important it is that your little one stays happy and healthy.
Soon after your babys birth, youll need to schedule your babys first doctor appointment, but you might not know what to expect.
This helpful guide will explain what happens during the first-week well-baby visit so you can be prepared and ready. Read on to learn more.
Recommended Reading: Can Newborns Fall Asleep On Their Own
Pay Attention To Certain Body Parts
During the physical exam, special attention should be given to the umbilical cord, as well as to your baby’s genitalia . At this point, it’s important to make sure that the umbilical cord stump has fallen off and it’s visible that the baby’s belly button is healing properly and doesn’t have any signs of infection.
When it comes to the infant’s genitalia, the doctor will check for any symptoms of infection, too. If you have a baby boy, they’ll also make sure that his testes have descended into the scrotum. In case the boy is circumcised, it’s important to see if everything is healing well.
What Your Baby Is Up To:
Babies start grabbing things and putting them in their mouth, a stage thatll last about a year so pay close attention to choking hazards and . And theyre getting mobile. Some kids crawl, says Dr. Nicklas. Some scoot along on their butt. Some roll around. As long as theyre moving, we dont worry about their gross motor development.
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Don’t Forget To Schedule The Next Appointment
When you’re done asking all the questions you have and your doctor is done giving their recommendations, it’s time to leave. But before you do, don’t forget to schedule the next appointment right away. After all, when you come back home, it’s easy to forget about it due to all the parenting duties you need to do. It’s also highly advisable to take your pediatrician’s phone number and keep it handy in case you have any other questions or concerns.
After your first visit, you can understand whether you feel comfortable with your doctor, as well as nurses and all other people working in their office. Try to learn as much as possible about your clinic’s operation hours, billing policies, and other important things.
What Should You Do If You Need To Breastfeed Your Baby During The Doctor Visit
If your baby gets hungry, feed your baby! Pediatricians and their office staff know that newborns need to eat frequently, so no one will not be surprised if your baby gets hungry during the visit. They should allow you to stay in your exam room as long as you need to while you feed your baby. If not, then they should be able to bring you to a dedicated breastfeeding space so that you have privacy while you nurse. You should never feel like you have to apologize for staying a bit longer to nourish your newborn if you feel unsupported or pressured to leave when you have to feed your baby, its a sign that this might not be the right pediatricians office for you.
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Tips For The Four Month Baby Appointment
- Four months is the age that you may receive a green light for starting baby food.The AAP states that your baby is ready to be introduced to baby food if they meet a few qualifications . This isnt necessary, but theres a potential that it may prime your baby for both preference and allergies. If you want to jump on this wagon as early as possible, definitely check with your pediatrician.
- Some babies experience a sleep regression at this age. My advice? Hang in there, mama itll pass. In the meantime, talk with your doctor about what ideas they have to help you both get through this faster. Id love to give you more than that. The truth is that regression is really sometimes just about baby and only something that will be fixed with time. Stick to your sleepy time routine and youll come through it generally intact.
Write Down Your Questions
Keep a running list of non-urgent questions and concerns on your phone so youll have them ready when the doctor asks, Any questions or concerns? From how much weight should my baby be gaining? to when will she start sleeping through the night? and am I burping her right?, well-baby visits are your chance to get the advice and reassurance youre craving. And if youve run into a breastfeeding roadblock, your pediatrician or a trained lactation consultant in the office or through referral can help you troubleshoot and get back on the road to success.
Read Also: How To Properly Bottle Feed A Newborn
Newborn Checkup Schedule Month 0
Regardless of whether this is your first or fourth child, youre still going to have to look up the newborn checkup schedule when your baby arrives.
Thats totally not on you baby checkups after birth SEEM kind of sporadic and random. I mean, couldnt we just say weekly and then monthly and then yearly?
The truth is that there is a reason for the way your babys checkups are scheduled, and were gonna learn all about it today!
If you havent already, please feel free to join over 400k new moms and for awesome pregnancy + birth tips!
A Guide To Your Babys Checkups
As a new parent, you know your infant is growing and developing rapidly during his or her first few months after delivery. At HealthPark Pediatrics, you have an experienced medical partner working with you to ensure youre setting up your newborn for a healthy and happy future. We recently covered what you can expect at your babys first doctors appointment on the HealthPark Pediatrics blog. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends babies get checkups at birth, 3 to 5 days after birth and then at 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18 and 24 months. Well be covering your babys checkup schedule and what to expect at each visit.
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