New Born

Newborn care is an area of pediatrics that focuses on ensuring that babies under three months old are getting the nutrition they need and developing properly. If you have a newborn, or are expecting in the coming months, take a moment to learn more about what is required when caring for a newborn. Good newborn care includes scheduling regular checkups with a pediatrician during those first few months of the child’s life.

New Born Care

When you bring your newborn home, it is a very exciting yet also nerve-wracking time. The child is so tiny and delicate, almost like a Faberge egg. If it is your first baby, you will likely be nervous about everything from the baby's handling to the baby's feeding. Caring for a newborn properly is crucial because their small bodies are in the beginning stages of development. Part of proper newborn care is scheduling and maintaining regular appointments with a pediatrician.

The Importance of Regular Checkups with a Pediatrician

When you bring your child home from the hospital, it is important that you find a qualified and trusted pediatrician as soon as possible for regular checkups. In fact, it’s probably best to take care of this task before the baby is born. This is the doctor that your newborn will grow up with, so choose someone that both you and the child will be comfortable with. Regular checkups help ensure that the baby is developing properly and in continued good health. It’s also a time for you, the parent, to ask important questions. Prepare a list before the appointment so that all of your concerns can be addressed.

Newborn Care Appointment Milestones

If you're unsure of when you should bring your newborn in for a checkup with your pediatrician, here are a few of the most important milestones to keep in mind:

1.) The first doctor’s appointment should be within a few days of returning from the hospital after the child’s birth.
2.) The second appointment should be about two weeks after the first.
3.) The third doctor’s appointment for a newborn should be at one month.

The purpose of these checkups, also called well-baby visits, is to chart the baby’s growth, check for concerns that may have developed after leaving the hospital and ensuring that the baby is getting plenty of good nutrition.