Your baby’s first medical visit
Most healthy, full-term newborn babies are released from the hospital within one to two days after birth. These babies, and those who are delivered at home, need to be seen by their health care provider on the third or fourth day of life. Try to bring a list of questions with you to the medical visit, so that you do not forget to ask when you see the doctor. At your newborn baby’s first medical visit, the doctor will do the following:
- ask questions about how well your newborn baby is feeding and whether there are any problems
- ask how often your baby is wetting his diapers and passing stool
- listen to your baby’s breathing and heartbeat
- measure your baby’s weight
- check your baby’s hearing and eyesight
- check your baby’s overall health
- check for any physical conditions of concern
- answer questions about your baby’s development, feeding, sleeping, and overall health
Subsequent medical visits
You will need to bring your newborn baby back to the doctor for a well-baby visit at two weeks and four weeks. After the first month, bring your baby back for a check-up at two months, four months, and six months of age, to coincide with the timing of immunizations. Your baby needs one more doctor visit between six and 12 months of age. Try to bring a list of questions with you to the medical visit, so that you do not forget what to ask when you see the doctor. If at all possible, bring your partner with you, so the doctor can get to know you all. During the medical visit, the doctor will do the following:
- ask questions about how well your baby is feeding and whether there are any problems
- ask how often your baby is wetting his diapers and passing stool
- listen to your baby’s breathing and heartbeat
- measure your baby’s height, weight, and head circumference to make sure that he is growing properly
- examine the genital area, especially if your baby boy was circumcised
- check your baby’s hearing and eyesight
- check your baby’s overall health
- make sure that any major development milestones are being met
- check for any physical conditions of concern
- answer questions about your baby’s development, feeding, sleeping, and overall health
- administer immunizations when necessary