Q for STMs: 1st pediatrician appt

erjarv

I feel like this has got to be a stupid question but I'm genuinely unsure...when do I need to call the pediatrician to set up my LO's first visit? Do I need to go in before I even have him to kind of introduce myself or whatever? Or do I just call and make an appointment once he's born?

k.martell

Our was when she was 2 days old to have her jaundice checked to make sure it was getting better.

The hospital told us when to go, I don't know if it was just because it was the jaundice or it's something they'd normally do.

blondie42107

Our pedi saw LO in the hospital each day we were there.  Then the nurse called to schedule our 1st "post discharge" appt.  

ohshenaniganz

we contacted a pediatrician and went in for a prenatal interview. If we submit our paper work before the birth they will actually come and do the first visit in the hospital the day after the baby is born. If we choose to wait they said to make the first appointment a day or two after we are discharged from the hospital.

judahsmommy1

You should name your pediatrician before you go into labor. When you go to the hospital they will ask if you have chosen one. So call around and find out who is accepting new patients. If you have questions, you can set up a brief (think 5 minutes) appointment to ask them. You should also ask if they make rounds at the hospital you are delivering at. After your baby is born, the doctor that you have chosen (or sometimes a partner... a lot of practices take turns making rounds at the hospital so you get the person that is making rounds that day) will show up in your hospital room to do a once over of your baby. When you leave, you will be told when to contact your doctor for your next appointment. Sometimes it's the next day because of a minor issue like jaundice, sometimes you have a few days and they want to see the baby when they're a week old. If you're getting ready to leave the hospital and no one has told you when the doctor needs to see your baby next, just ask. They'll either tell you right away or be able to find out for you.

ETA: Not even a little bit of a stupid question. This is the stuff that you don't know until you either experience it or you ask. 

alyson686

The hospital I gave birth at works with two local pediatricians that see all newborns each day they are in the hospital (unless you've arranged to have your own pedi come in to see LO).  Before being discharged, they tell you when to schedule your first appointment. 

HeyJune

This may be different depending on where you live and where you deliver, but here's how it works where we live:

1. At the hospital, they'll ask you if you have chosen a pediatrician yet. If you have, they'll put that one down in the chart. If the pediatrician you chose makes rounds at your hospital, he/she will be the one to evaluate your newborn before you go home. If you haven't chosen one or yours doesn't round at your hospital, the one who is making rounds that day will see/evaluate your child instead. 

2. The pedi will tell you when they'd like to see you again (usually about one week later and mostly to see if baby is gaining weight) and you call their office to set up the appointment.

I called the pedi office before DD was born and the offices here don't really do interviews ahead of time. It just isn't customary here, and they stay booked with appointments for sick kids and well baby visits, so interviews aren't something they have room for in their schedules. Instead, they sent me a pdf document of their procedures and practices and asked me to call if I had questions. It is that way at all 8 or 9 pedi offices in my area.

mandapie

We went back to the maternity ward for his 48hr check-up as procedure at the hospital we delivered at. His 2wk appt was actually made before we left the hospital and was written on our discharge papers. The pedi office was on the first floor of the hospital so I'm not sure if that's standard procedure everywhere though. I wouldn't call until he's born, I'm sure they have special newborn slots in their schedule.

MichelleL1118

We met with the pediatrician before DS was born, to see the office & ask him a few questions (to make sure our philosophies were in line mostly), and asked at that visit what the procedure was for the first visit after birth.  They gave us all the new patient forms to fill out, so we'd have them done ahead of time, and said to call once we knew when we were being discharged from the hospital.  DS was a little bit jaundiced, so we were told on our scheduled discharge day that they'd only release DS if he had a pedi appt the next day - so I called right then and made him an appt for the next day.

Tash13

The pediatrician we chose said that, as long as there aren't any concerns, baby will be under MW's care for the first week and we should bring baby in at about 2-weeks for first check up.  Only thing he'd do before then is check color, weight and ask questions about stool/urine, etc. which the MW is more than capable of doing.  If we or the MW feel any concern about anything than we should obviously call him sooner.