You will be making frequent visits to your Pediatrician now.

For newborns discharged in less than 48 hours, the first visit should be within two to four days of life, especially for mothers breastfeeding for the first time.

Age specific topics that should be discussed at well child visits include toilet training (eighteen months) and dealing with temper tantrums (toddlers).

In general, you can expect the following topics to be covered at each visit:

• Examination of your infant's growth and development.
• Review of feeding and sleep schedules.
• Screening height, weight, and head circumference.
• Counseling for effective discipline, injury prevention, dental health (first visit to the dentist by age three unless high risk), and diet.
• Immunizations: by eighteen months your child will have completed the Hepatitis B, Prevnar, and Hib immunizations. He will also have received the primary series of Polio, DTaP, and MMR vaccines and the Chickenpox vaccine.
• Screening test: newborn screen according to state law, subjective tests of vision and hearing, blood level to check for anemia (by nine months), screening questionnaire for lead poisoning risk (routinely at nine months and two years), tuberculosis test if high risk.

Remember to write down any questions you may have for your doctor before you child's checkups.

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