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WOMEN'S & CHILDREN'S | Family Maternity Center | Pregnancy Resource Center | Pregnancy Library | Baby Health | Baby’s medical care begins immediately
Baby’s medical care begins immediately
Your baby's medical care will begin within minutes of birth. An evaluation of overall health called the Apgar score will be performed. This will help your provider assess vital signs such as breathing and heart rate as well as color, muscle tone and reflex response and let the staff know how the baby is adjusting to life outside Mom.
A nurse or your midwife will probably clear the baby's nasal passages to ease breathing. A vitamin K shot will be administered to help baby's blood clot, and ointment will be given in the eyes to prevent infection. Before your baby leaves the hospital, there will be a blood test, called a newborn screen, to check for a metabolic disease called phenylketonuria (PKU), hypothroidism and other diseases that need early diagnosis. The healthcare provider that you have chosen or a hospital-based provider will examine your baby within 24 hours of birth.
What about first office visits?
Your baby's first trip to the healthcare provider will be between the ages of 10 and 14 days. The provider will measure weight, length, and head circumference and compare those figures to those taken at birth. This will help the baby's provider assess how your baby is progressing.
Your baby's hearing, vision and reflexes will be tested. There will also be a thorough physical examination to check for problems. The healthcare provider will probably ask you questions about how the baby is eating and sleeping and how you are doing with baby care. This is a great opportunity to bring up concerns you have and to ask for advice about the coming month. It's best to come prepared with a list of questions and a notepad to write down any instructions the provider gives you.
A hepatitis B vaccine is usually given at birth or soon after or this may occur at the first visit. It's not too early to familiarize yourself with the vaccination schedule for the coming months.
When to call your baby's provider
You should call your baby's healthcare provider if the baby looks or acts differently. This means if your baby is unusually pale, tired, sleepy, apathetic, irritable, anxious or restless. Don't be alarmed by this long list. By the time your baby is several weeks old you will be able to tell if she is acting or looking different. Other triggers for calling the provider include:
- Fever (above 100.4 degrees F)
- Excessive sleepiness. This can be tough to spot because newborns sleep a lot, but it is a sign of infection. If you think the baby is sleepier than usual, it's best to call.
- Eye problems. If the baby has white discharge or mucousy-like tearing, there may be an infection.
- Very loose stools can be a sign of illness and dehydration. Call your baby's provider if your baby's stools seem watery or looser than usual. Dehydration can be dangerous for a baby.
- Cord infection
- Circumcision infection
Date last reviewed: October 2002.
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