First Pediatrician Appt.??

[Anonymous]

When do you make the first appt. for your new baby?!? I guess you have to wait until after s/he is born to call for the appt.? Is it the first week...the second....???? Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Day after you come home from the hospital, then weekly after that (if I recall). We got home on a Friday, and I took DD in on Monday.

[Anonymous]

we were told to make an appointment for the day after you're released from the hospital. If you're released on a weekend, make it for the following Monday. They'll weigh and measure your baby, talk to you about baby care and feeding, answer your questions and check for jaundice.

our next appointments were at 2 weeks and 2 months. At two weeks it was pretty much the same as the first appt, though shorter. at two months, they get their first round of vaccinations.

[Anonymous]

It depends on whether you will be breastfeeding or not. I didn't so my son's first appt was about 2 weeks or so after discharge. He had gained a pound and a half (almost) in that time which floored my pediatrician.

[Anonymous]

The ped in the hospital advised us to see the ped two days after we were discharged. If you know ahead of time who your ped will be, why not ask them what they recommend? Or better yet see if they come to the hospital where you will deliver? Our new doc comes to our hospital.

[Anonymous]

The pediatrician you choose will most likely tell you what they prefer. Mine visits the newborn at the hospital, then wants the first appointment 2-3 days after discharge.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The pediatrician you choose will most likely tell you what they prefer. Mine visits the newborn at the hospital, then wants the first appointment 2-3 days after discharge.

I think this is the norm in NWDC/Montgomery County.

[Anonymous]

We had a similar situation as pp's about 3 yrs ago and with baby #2 expected in a few weeks we were told to do the same thing.

Our ped doesn't have privledges at the hospital where we deliver. Ped is in Alex and hospital in Arlington. Baby was cared for and released by the head of peds at the hospital. Our ped then wanted to see the baby 2 days after hospital discharge. With baby #1 we had some weight issues so we ended up returning to the peds every other day for weight checks, so I don't know what the next normal appt should have been.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The pediatrician you choose will most likely tell you what they prefer. Mine visits the newborn at the hospital, then wants the first appointment 2-3 days after discharge.

I think this is the norm in NWDC/Montgomery County.

Very similar in VA too.

OP - if there are any complications - jaundice for example, the follow up wellness visits to the doc. office may be more frequent.

[Anonymous]

OP here - thanks for all the info. I called the potential ped. and we're going in for a "meet and greet", so now I at least have some clue as to what to ask her!!