It is very important for you to keep all appointments with your baby’s pediatrician. Your baby’s first check-up will be around 1 to 2 weeks of age. This first visit is very important for your newborn. Health problems that may not have shown up at birth may show up at this time. Well-baby check-ups are usually every 4 to 8 weeks until your baby is 6 months old.
During well-baby check-ups, your baby’s weight gain, growth, and development are checked and recorded. Most newborns gain 6 ounces each week and grow an inch each month for the first 6 months. Watching how your baby grows will tell his doctor if he is getting enough milk. Some well-baby visits will include immunizations.
If your baby did not receive the hepatitis B vaccine in the hospital, he can be given the vaccine during his first check-up. To give your baby a healthy start, make sure he gets all recommended vaccines as scheduled. Ask your pediatrician or someone in his office to give you an immunization schedule. Then keep a written record of all immunizations your baby receives and the dates he received them.
Your pediatrician, his nurse practitioner, or physician assistant will talk with you while they carefully examine your baby. They will ask if you have any questions or concerns about caring for your baby and how you and your baby are doing. This is a good time to go through your list of questions. Don’t hold back any concerns you have. If you have questions about your baby’s check-up, ask those too.
Instructions from your pediatrician
When you call your pediatrician or bring your baby in for his check-ups, your pediatrician may give you instructions for your newborn’s care. If, for any reason, you cannot do exactly what the doctor has asked, tell him so right then. That way, he can change his instructions or find a way to help you follow them. It is better for your newborn for the doctor to change his instructions than for you to change what the doctor has asked you to do.
For example, if your pediatrician wants your baby to have a certain type of medicine or formula, and you don’t have that medicine or formula and cannot get it, tell him so. The doctor may be able to suggest something that you do have or can get. If you follow your pediatrician’s instructions exactly, he will know how your baby responds to certain medicines or treatments and what has been tried if your baby doesn’t get better.
Caring For Your Newborn
Table of Contents
Introduction
Congratulations!
Caring Begins at Birth
Your Newborn’s Hospital Check-up
Ten Fingers and Ten Toes
Special Care for Your Newborn
When Your Newborn Cries
Changing Your Newborn’s Diaper
Feeding Your Newborn – breast or bottle feeding
Feeding Your Newborn – spit ups, weight gain, BMs
Bathing Your Newborn
Dressing Your Newborn
Shhh!! We’re Sleeping
Keeping Your Baby Safe
Your Newborn’s Admirers
Taking Your Newborn Out
If Your Newborn Gets a Cold
If You Have Questions
Well-baby Check-ups
When to Call Your Pediatrician
Take Care of Yourself, Too
