You will be visiting your pediatrician about every other month in the first year of your baby’s life for well check ups and immunizations. Below is a rundown of how those visits go and approximately how often you’ll need to visit.
Two week visit There are doctor who schedule a visit earlier than two weeks while most pediatricians begin at the two week mark. During this first year, you can expect that at every baby checkup the weight, length, and head circumference of your baby will be measured. A general exam is another thing they will do and the baby’s fontanel will also be checked. At this checkup, the one thing that the doctor is particularly interested in is the baby’s weight gain. Your baby will typically lose some weight right after birth, so at this checkup the doctor will want to ensure that baby is gaining back the lost weight. They will also ask about eating habits, how often the baby is producing wet and dirty diapers, and about how the baby is sleeping.
In the one month visit It’s a fact that this visit will be a lot like the previous visit and it will focus on baby’s development and on yours and baby’s adjustment at home.
Two month visit The baby will once again be checked and the immunizations will usually start at the two month mark. Most of the time, the first dose of the DPT (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis) vaccine is administered at this visit. See the chapter on this subject for more information about when immunizations are administered.
From this point on, you can expect well baby visits every other month, until your baby is a year old. There will routine physical exams, and questions about your baby’s development. The baby will receive immunizations at nearly every visit for the first year of life. When it comes to these visits, they are not only important opportunities for the doctor to check on your baby’s progress, but are also opportunities for you to ask questions and gain reassurance about how things are going, so take advantage of them. One example is if you are concerned that your child has not yet reached a development milestone wherein these visits are a good time to discuss this with your doctor. Also, your doctor will be looking for these development milestones and will alert you if there is an issue. In order for you not to forget, it would be very helpful if you write your questions down as you think of them.
You also need to be sure that you discuss your doctor’s preferences on calling when your child is sick. For example, is there a 24 hour on-call nursing service for questions? Do you know if the on call is only for emergencies? Your relationship with your pediatrician is critical to maintaining your child’s health and your peace of mind. Don’t hesitate to ask questions, and call on your doctor as often as needed to ensure your comfort.
Achieve your weight loss and fitness goals by following these steps.