Your first visit to the pediatrician’s office – when should this happen?
In most countries infants are first seen by a physician before they are discharged from the nursery.
The question that is then asked is whether or not an infant need to undergo an additional examination by a pediatrician outside the hospital and if so, when this needs to be done.
If the infant has a medical problem that requires monitoring, like jaundice for example (read more here), then there is no question about it – see a doctor in the first visit as soon as possible or as advised upon discharge from the nursery.
When should a healthy baby, who has no issues and was not advised to see a physician for a specific problem, see their pediatrician for the first time, then?
Newborn physical examination
On the one hand, undergoing a physical examination by a senior physician is always a blessing. On the other hand, we have no interest in troubling a baby and having him/her come for a doctor’s visit where he may have to sit with several other sick children in the waiting room and be exposed to viral infections.
Pediatricians recognize the importance of the first visit but are also well aware of the dangers and problems that may accompany it. Some of the solutions that have been suggested include:
1. Having babies under the age of one month come into the office at a scheduled time, without any waiting time
2. Scheduling babies under the age of one month when the office isn’t very busy, for example, half an hour before opening hour.
I suggest you check with your pediatrician’s office regarding the local accepted practice.
In my opinion, a smart pediatrician will also allow for more time for a newborn as opposed to the few minutes he would normally have for an older child’s visit.
I believe that even if there is no specific issue that needs to be examined, parents should visit the pediatrician with their newborn in his/her first few weeks of life. The first visit may include weighing the newborn, a conversation with the pediatrician with regards to what needs to be monitored as well as a request for a referral to hip ultrasound examination (read more here).
Newborn nurse’s visit
The first visit to the nurse’s office usually takes place in the first few days/weeks of life. During this visit, the nurse discusses the prenatal screening tests that were performed, the baby’s hospitalization at the nursery, the baby’s nutrition and their safety (with emphasis on safe sleeping practices). In addition, the nurse confirms that the red eye reflex and hearing test that were performed at the nursery were normal.
This visit does not include vaccines. The next routine vaccine is given at the age of 1 month in most countries.
For me, unless the parents bring up any other concerns, the one most important thing during this visit is the weight of the newborn.
Around the age of 2 weeks, I like to learn about the infant’s feeding habits (what it is and how) and mostly to make sure that he/she have regained their birth weight. It is not okay to find out for the first time that an infant has only gained 150g at the age of one month.
So, when should a newborn undergo their first physical examination?
In babies that are healthy and whose medical history was normal up until the visit, and provided the parents are experienced and the baby is feeding well, these visits can take place during the second half of the first month of life.
However, if the child is a firstborn, has had complications at the nursery, is breastfeeding but not gaining enough weight or if there are any other parental concerns, the first appointment with the pediatrician or nurse should be made at an earlier time. You can use this link in order to see frequently asked questions about infant feeding and nutrition in the first weeks of life.
Do not forget to bring the papers you received upon discharge from the nursery.
Any professional eye and listening ear is a blessing to young adults that have just started their journey as parents.
Good luck…
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