Parenting is a new phase and period of joy in everyone’s life. Everything you come across is something new to deal with.
Whether it is the way to take care of your newborn or knowing how to properly, you must seek guidance to do it in the best possible manner.
The same happens when you take your baby to the pediatrician for the first time.
You might be anxious about what will happen on your first visit to the pediatrician.
Don’t worry this blog will discuss all the essential aspects of your baby’s first pediatrician visit.
The first pediatrician appointment is informative and empowering for you as a parent.
There is nothing to get afraid of.
Here we will guide you with what you can expect at your baby’s first pediatrician appointment.
When Should You Go for First Pediatrician Appointment?
According to the American Academy of Pediatricians, you must take your baby to the pediatrician 3-5 days after birth.
You must try to get the Pediatrician appointment for the least busy hours of the day to avoid the rush. You must spare and plan at least half an hour for the appointment. But also, you must be prepared to wait as well.
What should you carry with you?
While making your first visit to the pediatrician, you must remember the essential belongings you need to carry.
Remember to carry medical records of your baby, such as its discharge weight and complications during pregnancy or birth. Also, you must remember to carry your insurance card.
Also, check for the medical history of your family.
This will make the diagnosis easier.
Who Should You Bring Along With You?
It is better to bring your partner or any other caregiver of your baby at the first pediatrician visit.
Two persons can effectively take care of a baby as it would become easier to ask the doctor relevant questions and remember their advice.
Also, the other person will serve as a helping hand for you to make your visit to the pediatrician’s office easy.
For instance, they can do the paperwork while you are taking care of your baby and guide you well through the process of appointment.
Ways to Prepare your Baby for the Appointment
On the first visit to the pediatrics office, the doctor will examine the baby’s full body.
Therefore, dressing your baby in decent clothing or a soft blanket is recommended.
Also, it is recommended that you carry extra diapers, wipers, feeding supplements, extra clothing (if required in case), and other newborn necessities.
Ensure to Keep your Baby Safe
Baby has weak immunity as its immune system is not fully developed. It is advisable to take extra care to keep them away from any infected person by maintaining a distance of at least three feet.
For this, if you are taking any other person with you for the appointment, ask them to complete the hospital formalities while you wait with your baby safely in the car.
These practices will ensure less exposure of your baby to the sickness-causing germs.
Before meeting the pediatrician
Before a direct meeting with the pediatrician, a nurse will examine your baby first. She will weigh your baby by laying him on the scale without clothes.
No need to worry in case your baby loses weight. Usually, newborns lose ten percent of their weight in the first week. But they will gain it back in two or three weeks.
Also, the nurse will extend your baby’s limb to measure height and width.
She will determine the baby’s head circumference using a measuring tape.
Meeting the Pediatrician
The pediatrician will adequately examine your baby over every essential aspect. They will educate you as a parent about the proper ways to care for your child’s health.
During the session, they will examine the following:
Neck and Collarbone of your baby:
The pediatrician will check whether your child’ Collarbone is broken, as some babies fracture their clavicle while squeezing through the birth canal.
In that case, if there is a small bump, it will suggest that the fracture has started to heal.
Head Check:
The pediatrician will palm the baby’s head to check for the still-soft fontanel.
Ideally, an infant’s head should grow about four inches a year, and two soft spots on the head accommodate that growth.
If the soft spots close too quickly, it can prevent the development of your child’s brain.
This condition is cured by surgery.
Hip Check:
Until your baby starts walking, the pediatrician will check rolls baby’s hips.
This is done to ensure that the baby is not suffering from hip dysplasia or malformation of the hip joint.
Reflex Check
In the first four visits to the pediatrician, he will check for Moro reflex.
Whenever something startles your infant, they will fling their arm out.
This is the voluntary response of your baby, demonstrating that your child is growing normally.
Pulse Check
In every pediatrician appointment, the doctor will press the skin along the side of his groin.
He will do so to ensure whether the pulse is weak on one side or hard to detect.
This is the ideal way to check for a heart defect in babies.
Genitalia Check
The pediatrician will check your baby’s private parts to ensure that testicles do not descend into the scrotum in boys and girls; they ensure that the baby is not more prone to urinary tract infections.
Baby’s feeding pattern
The doctor will ask you about the general feeding pattern of your baby to get an idea about it and concerns related to the feeding.
Digestive System
The doctor may ask for the color and consistency of your baby’s waste to access your baby’s digestive system.
Conclusion
The initial appointment with a pediatrician plays a crucial role in your child’s better health and development.
Hope you are all set for your baby’s first appointment with the pediatrician.
Visit Sun Pediatrics for the best health care for your newborn.
Schedule the pediatrician appointment now.