Baby's First Doctor Visit

So you just welcomed your little one into this world and leave the hospital with your new bundle of joy. It's now time to book your doctor's appointments. At this point, you are probably wondering, when should your baby be seen? How often do they need to be seen? And what happens at each of these appointments?

Hi, my name is Dr. Kia Nelson and I'm a Pediatrician at Sauk Prairie Healthcare. I am here to share what you need to know about scheduling your baby's first doctor's visits.

My connection with families usually starts in the delivery room or soon after, when your baby is still in the hospital. I attend C-sections and other deliveries that require a newborn doctor. I then see your newborn in the hospital, do their first physical exam, and discuss feeding and routine newborn care.

After your baby discharges from the hospital, I like to see them one to three days later to check their weight, see how feeding is going, and repeat a physical exam. I will then usually see your baby back at two weeks to again check their weight and answer any questions you have.

Most babies will be back at their birth weight by this visit. If everything is going well, we start spacing out the visits and I will see families back at two months. We will also check your baby's growth and development, talk about nutrition, sleep, vaccines, diapers. Since babies grow and change so quickly during their first two years of life, we check in frequently during this time to monitor how things are going.

After their two-month visit, we will see your baby back at four months, six months, nine months, 12 months, 15 months, 18 months, and two years. After that, doctor's visits are spaced out to once every year.

In childhood, we continue to monitor things like growth, development, vision, nutrition, sleep, behavior, mental-health concerns, and perform a full physical exam at each visit. I also see kids throughout the year for issues such as illness, rashes, school concerns, and so on. I almost always have same-day appointments for any of those last-minute issues that pop up.

If you found this video helpful, please like and share with your friends. And if you're looking for a doctor for your child, come see us here at Wisconsin Heights Clinic.