Baby Checkups If only babies came with instruction manuals! But they don't…and every new parent has gone through the same feelings, concerns and worries you're having now. But help is always available from your health care professional, a comforting fact that you'll discover in visits to your health care professional. You'll periodically be taking your infant for well-baby visits, a vital part of early childhood care. Preventing health problems at this stage will reduce the risk of disease into adulthood! That's why so much of the focus during these visits is on developmental milestones.

Your infant's first visit will probably be scheduled for two weeks after birth. This initial visit will include a complete checkup and answers to your questions, so make a list of questions and concerns as you go along during those hectic first two weeks.

When it comes time for the first check-up, dress your child in comfortable clothes that are easily removed. During that visit, your pediatrician will weigh your baby, measure the circumference of the head and total body length, check for normal hip movement, and test for normal eye and ear functions.

Some of the questions you may want to ask your doctor involve the following:

• Breast-feeding: it will require effort, since a breast-feeding baby may feed up to 10 times in a 24-hour period. Don't feel as if you must stick to a rigid feeding schedule.
  
  
• Sleep: as early as two months, a baby will often begin sleeping longer at night (in some cases, nine hours or more) and up to six hours during the day, often spread across two or three naps.
  
  
• Eating: your baby may eat every two to three hours, though the frequency will begin to diminish after six to eight weeks.
  
  
• Weight: parents are often concerned about the weight of their child. It's normal for a baby to lose as much as 10% of body weight in the first days after birth. After that, many infants gain 4 to 8 ounces a week.
  
  
• Bowel movements: tell your doctor if you notice a change in the consistency of your baby's stools. Soft bowel movements show that your baby is not dehydrated. You'll get plenty of practice changing: by some estimates, you'll probably go through 72 diapers or more each week!
  

This checkup will include a PKU and thyroid test, which were done shortly after birth in the hospital.

At four weeks of age, you may go in for the second well-baby visit, at which time your infant will probably receive a second vaccination for Hepatitus. The third well-baby visit is often scheduled for the two-month mark.

After that, you and your health care professional will determine the frequency of visits. By age three, your child will likely begin annual visits.

Well-baby visits are an opportunity for you and your partner to get to know your pediatrician. When both partners attend, one can entertain the baby and while the other takes notes…and two sets of questions will always cover more ground than just one.

Don't feel as if you must wait for your next well-baby visit if you think your infant is ill or if you're concerned about some aspect of your baby's health or behavior. Fact is, you're becoming more of an expert in parenting all the time!

All facts, data, and useful tips provided are for informational purposes only and should not be used as a replacement for medical advice.