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4 things to expect during your newborn’s first checkup

In the hours after delivering your baby, a lot is going on. You’re focused on spending time with the new addition to your family, learning next steps and trying to get what rest you can. You’ll also typically receive a visit from a pediatrician in those first few hours to perform your newborn’s first checkup.

Four things to expect during your newborn’s checkup:

1. A weight check in

It’s typical for newborns to lose a small percentage of weight soon after birth, but your doctor expects them to start having consistent weight gain after one week. It’s important to catch newborn weight loss early to make sure that your baby is getting enough nutrients to grow and thrive.

But it’s not all on you to track this. Your baby’s care team will help you keep an eye on your baby’s feeding pattern. If your newborn isn’t consistently eating at regular intervals, they can give you different techniques to try and help you understand what signs are cause for concern. If you’re breastfeeding, a lactation specialist can help ensure the baby isn’t having trouble latching.

2. Vitamin K injection

Babies are born with extremely low vitamin K levels which their body quickly consumes in the first few days of birth. A single vitamin K injection is recommended for all newborns soon after birth to reduce the risk of bleeding since the vitamin is essential for blood clotting. This is also especially important because there is a risk of internal bleeding during the birth process — especially in the infant’s brain, for male infants after circumcision and as the umbilical cord separates.

3. Application of erythromycin antibiotic ointment

To prevent severe eye infection, most states require the newborn care team to apply one dose of antibiotic ointment to the infant’s eyes within the first hour after birth. This can prevent eye infections that could lead to rapid corneal damage, scarring and blindness. The ointment helps protect the newborn from the countless bacteria they are exposed to during the birthing process beyond just sexually transmitted infections.

4. Jaundice

Your child’s pediatrician will also check for signs of jaundice, a yellowing of the baby’s skin and eyes caused by too much bilirubin in the baby’s blood. Bilirubin is a byproduct of old red blood cells and is normally processed by a mature liver. Babies are all screened for jaundice at 24 hours of life so that early treatment, such as light therapy, or a close monitoring plan can be established to prevent deadly brain complications from very high levels of bilirubin.

Picking a pediatrician

Your child’s pediatrician, a covering pediatrician or a newborn hospitalist will visit you and your baby in the hospital for the first checkup usually within the baby’s first day of life.

Finding a pediatrician should be a top priority as you prepare for your baby’s arrival. Working ahead allows you to research the best option for you and your child and gives you one less thing to think about during your hospital stay.

If you have questions about any of these recommendations, you should feel comfortable bringing them up to your child’s pediatrician. They can give you advice based on your child’s needs and medical best practices.