Index
What parents rarely know and care about during pregnancy is who the specialist will entrust to their baby’s health and development. After all, the first appointment at the pediatrician will only happen when the baby is born, right? Wrong! The first consultation with the pediatrician should preferably occur during pregnancy , as from the 32nd week of pregnancy . It is not easy to find a pediatrician or any specialist who gives you confidence right away, so the search and the choice must occur before the baby is even born.
Talking to other mothers and asking your child’s pediatrician for advice is a good way to find out who will accompany your baby. Obviously one who is an excellent doctor for your friend will not always be the best for you, so consider several options. After making the decision of the pediatrician who will accompany your greatest treasure, a good conversation about how the pregnancy went, exams performed and about all pregnancy complications is indicated so that the specialist knows more about the baby even before he is born.
Take the opportunity to talk about breastfeeding and take all your doubts related to the newborn’s first days. Colic, hygiene and care in the first days and every detail you are still unsure of. Remembering that the choice must be made, putting on the scale much more than empathy for the doctor. Professional indications and if he is part of the Brazilian Society of Pediatrics , are points to be analyzed. The office location and the availability to assist you in an emergency is also extremely important.
First Consultation with the Baby
Soon after birth, the first appointment with the pediatrician should be scheduled. It is indicated that it occurs within the 5th to the 10th day after birth and that all exams performed while still in the maternity hospital are taken for presentation. The first consultation is an important moment, it is where the one that your trust will be placed will know your greatest asset and will accompany each step of its development and offering total security in solving the issues that are to happen.
In this first contact, the doctor will request information about the birth, check the documentation released by the maternity hospital where it informs the baby’s weight and measurements , to start monitoring the growth that should be noted at each visit. Dad and Mom should never forget the baby’s vaccination card. Your newborn should be monitored at least once a month where weight gain or loss, growth and the baby’s full development will be analyzed.
Take advantage of this first consultation to take all your doubts about these first days of the baby’s life. The first few days are often complicated for the new routine, and it may take a while to adjust. Doubts about breastfeeding and schedules, appearance of stools and what is normal and what is not. In the consultation, besides the growth, the healing of the umbilical stump , if it has any possible infection and also warn about the hygiene and care of the place will be analyzed . The baby’s vision and hearing will also be assessed, in some cases the ear test can even be done in the office.
In the vast majority of cases, babies are born yellow due to jaundice and worsen after discharge from motherhood. In the first consultation, the pediatrician will also check the intensity and, if necessary, may request tests to analyze the intensity of the jaundice and indicate the appropriate treatment.
You will be informed about the vaccines that should be given in this first period, and about the care that you must maintain to provide a healthy life. Sunbathing and their schedules, proper hygiene, quantity of clothes and body temperature, every detail that over time will become such a simple and routine matter for parents.
Ideally, all doubts should be noted before the consultation. That way, no questioning or fear will go unnoticed. The pediatrician has the function of monitoring the development and giving total support in what concerns the child’s health, clarifying all the doubts of the parents and indicating the necessary treatment and care for each case.
See also: Little Ear Test – What is the Need?
My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.
Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.
