Tips for Baby’s first pediatrician appointment

Lots of parents are nervous the first time they bring their newborn to the pediatrician. It is a huge step!

Here are some pro-tips from a pediatrician mom to make it as smooth as possible for everyone.

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What to expect from the first visit

These visits often take about 25-30minutes. They will include a review of the pregnancy and birth history, your family history, a discussion about how feeding/sleeping/pooping/peeing are going, and a thorough top-to-toe physical exam.

In some cases, babies need to be checked for jaundice (via either a skin test or bloodwork). The pediatrician will review growth, look at test results from the hospital, and will let you know when your baby needs to come back for their next visit, which could be as soon as 1-2 days.

The Pediatrician Mom Tip: this is a good time to make sure everyone is on the same page about immunizations.

Here are my top tips to make the first visit as smooth as possible.

Schedule early in the morning

This is when the office is often least busy, so you are less likely to have to wait in the waiting room (or be around sick kids!). Another advantage? If your doctor recommends any testing, such as bloodwork to check for jaundice, it is easier to get that done early so you get the results that same day in case your baby need further testing.

Take photos of discharge papers when you get them

Try to remember to bring your discharge paperwork to your first visit, but just in case you forget, if you have photos on your phone, then at least the information is accessible. If your pediatrician is part of the same hospital system where you gave birth, they may be able to look up the records, but this is not always the case. That paperwork contains information that is critical to help with decision-making, such as prenatal history, lab/other test results, baby’s statistics, etc. 

Bring another caregiver

Carseats are heavy. Diaper bags are heavy. Strollers are unwieldy. Having a second person there to help is so crucial, especially as you’re recovering.

Write down your questions and stop worrying about them being “silly”

Newborn parents have many questions. This is normal, and we don’t mind answering them. No one expects you to already know the answers!

Don’t worry about being emotional

You've waited for this for 9 months, and probably longer. Add the hormones, the lack of sleep, and the self-pressure/mom guilt and we get that this is an emotional time. Many parents cry at the first visit, and we aren’t judging. I promise.

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Ask about lactation services

If you are hoping to breastfeed, talk to your pediatrician. Many have lactation staff, or are certified as lactation consultants themselves, or if not, they likely know who in the area you should make an appointment with.  It can be really helpful to have someone to trouble shoot with.

Let the healthcare staff do our job

Occasionally, parents refuse to unclothe their babies or let us take vitals. While I understand how challenging it is to have to wake up a baby you perhaps finally got to sleep, please trust us that the information we are collecting is important! And on that note…

Bring a blanket (and an extra outfit for both baby and you!)

After weighing, it may be a moment before the pediatrician comes into the room. We always need to do a top to toe exam, so keep your baby unclothed, but having something warm to wrap them in is helpful! At my son’s first visit, he had a massive blowout and soiled his clothes… not a bad idea to bring a spare outfit, just in case :)  

Try to be early

Honestly, especially if you’re first time parents, you are likely underestimating how much time it takes to get a newborn into and out of a carseat, undressed at the doctors office, etc. It is going to take longer than you think. If you are running late, it can be super helpful to call the pediatrician and let us know so we can plan around it!

Be patient

As a pediatrician, I *hate* making parents wait. I hate running late. It stresses me out more than you probably know. But sometimes it is inevitable… perhaps a newborn’s family ran late earlier in the day, or a child is super sick and needs extra time, or a parent needed an extra moment and some reassurance, or a specialist called needing to talk to me. Believe me that I know how hard it is to wait with a child, and I’m doing my best to get to you.

(And remember: if at any point you are the family that needs the extra time, I’ll give it to you, too).

To download a set of these tips, click here

I hope these tips help make your first visit smoother, but remember that part of having a child is realizing that things don’t always go according to plan. We understand!

Welcome to the greatest adventure of your life!