Baby's First Doctor's Appointment

As a new parent, you may be wondering what to expect at your newborn’s first doctor’s appointment. Community pediatrician Dr. Brookley Carlino shares some great tips for new parents to help them feel prepared and empowered to get the most out of this important checkup.

The Basics

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, your newborn should see a pediatrician or a family medicine provider three to five days after birth, or one to three days after discharge. But Dr. Carlino recommends thinking ahead. “Your relationship with your pediatrician is personal. You want to find someone you’re comfortable with and that can take a little planning before the baby arrives.”

Before your 20-week prenatal care appointment, start looking for the right pediatrician for you and your newborn. Many of Community’s family medicine providers also accept newborns as new patients. There are plenty of resources available through Community to help find the right match, like Find a Doc and online reviews, but Dr. Carlino reminds us that sometimes just asking around will help the most. “Talk to your coworkers, relatives, friends, and neighbors with children. They will have firsthand experience and can help point you in the right direction.” Once you’ve created a shortlist of doctors you like, you can ask the office if they offer in-person meet and greets to make sure their practice matches your needs.

The First Appointment

Now that you have a pediatrician in mind, you don’t need to worry about scheduling the first appointment until after your newborn arrives and once you know when your baby will be discharged from the hospital. But what does that appointment look like?

“The first newborn appointment usually takes about 30 minutes but allow yourself extra time to get to the office and plan for a little longer,” Dr. Carlino says. The appointment will start with a nurse or medical assistant who will weigh and measure your baby.

After the nurse steps out, the doctor comes in. “The first part of the appointment will just be a conversation. We’ll review the pregnancy and delivery, as well as your family medical history,” Dr. Carlino explains. “We’ll then move on to more current events, like how the first few days at home have been. We’ll discuss how feeding, sleeping, peeing, pooping are going.”

This conversation is also the perfect time to ask your pediatrician any questions you might have about your child. And don’t be shy. Dr. Carlino has heard every question and concern you could possibly imagine. “Nothing is off limits. We know everything is new for you as a parent and it’s natural to have questions. There are no questions too small to be asked, and your pediatrician will be glad to answer them all.”

After this conversation, Dr. Carlino moves on to a full examination of your new baby. “We think of this as a ‘head to toe’ exam. We listen to the heart and lungs with a stethoscope. We check the head, eyes, nose, mouth and ears. We look at the skin, the belly, the hips, the back, and the arms and legs, among other things as well.”

After the exam, your baby’s doctor will help plan out your next steps. The doctor will review results from the hospital, look at the baby’s growth, and let you know when to come back for your next visit.

What To Bring

A lot of parents ask Dr. Carlino what they should bring to this first pediatric appointment, so here’s a helpful list:

1. The discharge paperwork. You can also take a photo of this with your phone so even if you forget it, you have a reference.
2. A blanket for the baby. Your newborn will be undressed for the majority of the time they are in the office, so it’s good to bring a blanket to help keep them warm – even in the summertime.
3. An extra outfit for the baby (and maybe even one for yourself). Newborns can get messy.
4. Another support person. Bringing someone with you to the appointment is great for extra support like carrying the car seat or diaper bag and even just helping to remember all the information discussed at the appointment.
5. A list of questions. When things come up at home, jot them down. Keeping a list will help you make sure you get to all your questions. There are no silly questions.

First-Time Steps

There are a few more simple tips that Dr. Carlino shares with new parents.

“We get it. You’re probably exhausted. Don’t be afraid of asking your pediatrician to repeat or clarify something they said. We’d rather have you ask now and leave the office feeling confident.”

“The end of the appointment is a good time to review how to contact your pediatrician after-hours if necessary.” At Dr. Carlino’s office, there’s always someone on-call. “Urgent after-hours calls are directed to a 24/7 triage nurse who can answer most questions, but if you need or want to talk to a doctor, there will always be someone available by phone.”

“And finally, remember that while this appointment can feel stressful for some parents, it’s also a lot of fun. One of my favorite things about this job is being able to get to know new parents and join in on their excitement.”

To learn more about pediatric care at Community, visit eCommunity.com/children.

And if you’d like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Carlino, you can schedule online or call her office at 317-621-3680.