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As a new parent, you already know that you need to take your baby to see the doctor regularly. Before you take your baby home from the hospital, your pediatrician will come and check on your baby to make sure that she is ready to go home. She will also get her first Hepatitis B vaccine. After you baby has been cleared to go home, you will be instructed to make an appointment when she is between 4 and 6 weeks old. There are a few things that you should expect to occur on your first visit.
#1 Vaccinations
When your baby goes to see the doctor during her first visit, she is going to need vaccinations. Most of the vaccinations that your baby will need during the first year of her life need to be given in two or three doses. During your baby’s first visit to the doctor, she will need the following vaccinations.
• 2nd dose of Hepatitis B
• 1st dose or Rotavirus
• 1st dose of Diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis
• 1st dose of Inactivated polio virus
• 1st dose of pneumococcal conjugate
• 1st dose of Haemophilus influenza type b4
This may sound like a lot of shots for one day, however, they are necessary. Having your child vaccinated is the best way to protect her against serious, deadly diseases. After your baby gets her shots, your doctor will go over the side effects that you can expect. After your pediatrician vaccinates your child, you will be given an information sheet about each vaccine.
#2 Measuring the Baby
During your baby’s first visit, the doctor will measure and weigh her. Her head will also be measured. This will give the doctor an idea of how well the baby has been thriving since she was born. After the measurements are taken, the pediatrician will put create a percentile chart. This will give you an idea of how your baby’s size compares to other babies her age. For example, if your doctor says that your baby is in the 60th percentile, it means that she is the same size as 60 percent of the babies her age. The higher the number, the better. If your baby falls in a very low percentile, additional testing may be necessary.
#3 Discussing Milestones
According to WebMD, if your baby is developing properly both mentally and physically, she should be hitting certain milestones by the time she is a certain age. Your pediatrician will examine your baby and talk to you to be sure that she has reached these milestones. By 2 months old, you baby should be doing the following:
- Your baby should have the head control and strength to hold her head up when she is being held upright or when she is on her tummy.
- While she won’t have the coordination to play with toys, she will try to bat at toys around her.
- At 2 months old, you baby should be able to see objects and people from up to 18 inches away. She should also be able to follow you with her eyes when you walk by. This is something your pediatrician will check during your visit.
- Your baby’s hearing should have improved by 2 months old. She will also follow your voice with her eyes.
- When your baby is happy, she should start cooing and maybe even smiling by two months.
Your baby still won’t be on a sleep schedule when she is two months old. She should be sleeping for 15 to 16 hours each day.
When you talk with your pediatrician and your pediatrician examines your baby, you will have an idea of how well your baby is developing.
#4 Answering Questions
Most new parents have plenty of questions. A large portion of your baby’s first visit to the doctor is Q&A regarding your baby’s behavior, development, eating habits, and any other worries and concerns that you may be having. If you have any concerns between visits, you should visit contact your regular pediatrician or visit a clinic like Rocky Mountain Urgent Care for an immediate appointment.
Your baby’s first visit to the pediatrician is a very important one. Before you leave the pediatrician’s office, you will need to make the next visit, which should be when she is four months old.