Especially if your baby was discharged from the nursery early, the first visit to her pediatrician can help:
- make sure your baby is feeding well, especially if she is breastfeeding
- is not losing too much weight
- monitor your baby for jaundice
- diagnosis medical conditions, especially congenital heart disease (heart murmur, blue skin color, difficulty breathing, etc.)
Baby's First Visit
When should your baby first see her pediatrician?Although it depends on whether or not your baby was already jaundiced when she went home, how well she was feeding, and if she had any medical problems, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advises that "it is important for your baby to be seen by a nurse or doctor when the baby is between 3 and 5 days old."
An early checkup for your baby is especially important if your baby had an early discharge from the nursery and went home before she was 48 hours old. According to the AAP, these babies should be examined by a health professional within 48 hours of going home.
And of course if your child is not feeding well, has a fever, is jaundiced, or shows other signs of illness, then you may need to see your pediatrician even sooner.
American Academy of Pediatrics. Question and Answers: Jaundice and Your Newborn
Hospital Stay for Healthy Term Newborns. PEDIATRICS Vol. 113 No. 5 May 2004, pp. 1434-1436
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