You’ve dreamed of your baby-to-be for nine months, and now your precious bundle is finally home. You’re bound to be flooded with emotions, from over-the-moon happiness to over-the-top nervousness. And whether you’re a first-time parent or a veteran, you’re likely to have a lot of questions.
At your first well-baby visit, usually scheduled within a week after birth, your baby’s doctor will answer those questions and address your concerns. He or she will also perform a complete examination of your new arrival. Here’s what you can expect.
The physical checkup
If your baby had a different pediatrician in the hospital, be sure to bring along all the paperwork about the baby that you received when you were discharged from the hospital. The pediatrician will add this information to your baby’s chart.
Keep in mind that newborns usually lose weight before they start gaining, and your little one will likely still be under his birth weight at this first visit. Exclusively breastfed babies take longer to regain their birth weight, but by two weeks, most babies are back to their birth weight.
Baby’s length may be the same, but it may be longer or even shorter since measuring a newborn isn’t a precise science. In addition to taking measurements and doing a complete physical exam, the doctor will:
- Check to see how the umbilical stump is healing, as well as baby’s circumcision, if he had one.
- Check for newborn jaundice, a common and usually temporary condition in which your baby’s skin may appear yellow — though that may be difficult to determine in darker-skinned babies (which is why a blood test to check bilirubin levels may also be given).
Developmental milestones
Even as early as his first week of life, your little one is starting to master new skills that your doctor will look for during the checkup. At this visit (or soon after), your baby may already be able to:
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- Move arms and legs on both sides of the body equally well.
- Focus on objects within 8 to 15 inches (especially your face!)
- Lift head briefly when on tummy
Developmental milestones like these follow roughly the same timeline for most babies in the first year, but every baby is (beautifully, wonderfully) different, and will achieve milestones at a different pace. So why assess them at all? If a delay is identified within the (very) wide range of what’s considered normal, further examination by your doctor can help determine whether there’s any reason for concern.
The doctor will also look for baby reflexes that are standard issue at birth and are signs that a baby’s new nervous system and brain are working well.
These include the:
- Rooting and sucking reflex, both designed to make sure he locates and secures that food source, thereby getting fed
- Moro reflex, also called "startling," which is that jumpy reaction when baby is laid down on his back or is startled by a noise or other sensation
- Tonic neck reflex, which makes a baby look like he’s fencing
- Grasp reflex, when baby’s fingers curl up in a grasp when his palm is stroked
- Stepping reflex, when baby will seemingly take steps when held upright
1-week shots
This well-baby visit is injection-free. However, if your baby didn’t get the CDC-recommended HepB (hepatitis B) vaccine at birth, he should receive it now. Not sure if he did? Ask!
Questions to ask your doctor
If you suddenly find yourself searching for operating instructions (don’t all babies come with them?), give yourself time. You’ll be surprised at how much of a natural you really are when it comes to being a parent.
In the meantime, take advantage of well-baby visits to get answers to your questions, which could now include:
- How do I know if I’m feeding my baby enough?
- How should I safely bathe my baby and how often?
- How do I trim those itty-bitty nails? (They’re often long in a full-term infant.)
- How do I make certain my baby’s sleep environment is safe?
You may also want to ask the results of any newborn screening that was done at the hospital and/or find out when all the results will be in. And don’t forget to make the 1-month appointment!
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