Your baby’s first pediatrician visit can feel like a lot, especially when you’re still recovering, feeding around the clock, and trying to remember everything your newborn needs.
As a pediatrician, one thing I commonly see is a tired parent realizing they forgot something, whether it’s diapers, a pacifier, or hospital paperwork. Please know this happens all the time. You are not alone, and it is okay.
This guide will help you know what to bring to your first pediatrician visit, what questions to ask, and what to expect during your baby’s first year of checkups.
Key Takeaways
- Your baby’s first pediatrician visit usually happens when your newborn is 3 to 5 days old.
- Bring hospital paperwork, diapers, wipes, a change of clothes, feeding supplies, and your questions.
- Your pediatrician will ask about feeding, wet and dirty diapers, sleep, jaundice, and your baby’s weight.
- The 2-week visit usually checks weight gain and may include a newborn screen.
- Well-checks during the first year usually happen at 2, 4, 6, 9, and 12 months.
What To Bring to Your First Pediatrician Visit
Here is a helpful checklist of the key items to bring to your first pediatrician visit:
1. Hospital Paperwork
This information is helpful because it answers many routine questions quickly, giving us more time to talk about feeding, diapers, jaundice, and anything you’re worried about. Bringing that packet helps us confirm there were no concerns during pregnancy or delivery, whether your baby has any risk factors for jaundice, that they passed the newborn hearing screen, and other important details.1
Speaking of paperwork, some moms like to chart every feed and every wet and dirty diaper and then bring that to the first pediatrician visit. This is great if you have it, and fine if you do not.
Most of the time, your baby will not be on your insurance yet. Still, bring your card, and in a few weeks, the baby will be added. We’ll update any info after that.
2. Diaper Bag Essentials
You’ll want a few items in your baby’s diaper bag. Bring diapers, wipes, a change of clothes, a pacifier if you use one, and a bottle or formula if your baby has been using them.
A blanket can also be helpful because we usually weigh and examine newborns undressed.
Related: What to Pack In Your Diaper Bag
3. Questions for Your Pediatrician
Your first pediatrician visit is a great opportunity to ask questions, and you’ll probably have plenty! We want to hear how feeding is going, how much sleep you and your baby are getting, whether your baby seems especially gassy or colicky, and any other questions that have been running through your mind since bringing your baby home. Whether you’re a first-time parent or you’ve done this before, we welcome all questions.
We’ll have a few questions for you, too, including where your baby is sleeping, whether they are sleeping on their back, whether you are waking them to eat, whether they are having enough wet and dirty diapers, and how things have been going at home overall.
If you forgot something or didn’t get to ask every question, don’t worry. We’ll usually see you and your baby again about a week later, and we can always revisit anything you want to discuss at that appointment.
Related: Answers to 5 Common Questions New Parents Have for Pediatricians
What To Expect at Baby’s First Pediatrician Visits
Having your pediatrician guide you through your baby’s first year is what we are here for. Here is an overview of what you can expect at your baby’s first pediatrician visits.
3 – 5 Days Old
The initial visit is usually when the baby is between 3 and 5 days old. However, we see some babies right after hospital discharge if there are concerns with weight or jaundice. Most newborns can be seen a little later if everything is going smoothly after birth.
That first pediatrician visit is usually more of a conversation where your doctor will review feedings, the count of dirty diapers, and how much sleep is expected from the newborn. Shots and blood work are not usually done at this visit unless there is a concern, such as jaundice.
Related: 5 Things You Should Do in Your First Week as a New Parent
2 Weeks Old
If everything is going well, the next visit is usually around 2 weeks of age, and we will check whether they are showing good weight gain. Most babies have regained or surpassed their birth weight by about 2 weeks of age. We also perform a state-mandated newborn screen to rule out treatable thyroid, blood, and metabolic disorders.
Related: How Much Weight Loss Is Normal for a Newborn
2 Months Old
If mom and baby seem to be progressing normally, we will check back in around 2 months for the well-check and first routine vaccines. Typically, at the 2-month pediatrician visit, your little one is often due for several routine vaccines, which may include three injections and one oral vaccine, depending on your pediatrician’s office and vaccine schedule. Most offices use combination vaccines to minimize the number of injections, and most also carry only preservative-free vaccines.
4 – 12 Months Old
After the 2-month visit, the schedule is 4 months, 6 months, 9 months, and then one year. Vaccines are given at every pediatrician visit except the 9-month visit, when we will check hemoglobin and, if necessary, lead (if there are risk factors).
At each well-check, we focus on the baby’s growth in height, weight, and head size. We will also review all the milestones they should reach in the first year, ensure their physical exam looks healthy, and, of course, answer all the questions that come up between visits.
Most pediatricians recommend following the CDC vaccine schedule, especially for the first year of life.1 Babies are exposed to many new bacteria and viruses during their first year as their immune systems continue developing.
Related: Baby Milestones Month by Month
Those first pediatrician visits can feel like a lot, but they are also a chance to ask questions, see how your baby is growing, and get reassurance as you settle into life with your newborn.
If you forget something or leave with another question, do not worry. Your pediatrician expects questions and is there to help you and your baby through each stage of the first year.
Before long, these checkups will become a familiar part of your family’s routine, helping you celebrate each new milestone along the way.
