First Doctor Visit
We like to see all of our new babies within 48 hours of being discharged. We save appointments in our schedule for new babies. Please call our office during business hours and take one of these designated appointments. Please bring all your discharge papers from the hospital to your initial visit in our office. We will need to record much of the information on this paperwork regarding the results of the hearing test, and the PKU test and the hep B vaccine in your baby's permanent record. Please plan on arriving at least 20 minutes in advance of your appointment to be able to have adequate time to complete all the required paperwork.
During this visit we will review all the hospital paperwork and do an exam. We will asses for adequacy of breast or formula feeding and assess for signs of dehydration. If there are any concerns regarding breastfeeding, we will refer you to our lactation consultant on staff. We will also assess for signs of jaundice and may refer you to the lab for a bilirubin test. We will also take this time to answer all of your concerns and give you written guidance on issues regarding new babies. You will also be given a complementary copy of the AAP book, Birth to 1 year. This is a convenient paperback published by our accrediting body, the American Academy of Pediatrics regarding the most current recommendations in newborn care. At the end of the visit, as we will with every visit from this point, we will advise you when to schedule your next visit. Typically, this is when your baby is 2 weeks old.