Newborn Care

Your newborn's first checkup occurs just days after leaving the hospital. This comprehensive exam ensures your baby is growing and developing normally. During the visit, the pediatrician will:

• Check your baby's weight, length, and head circumference
• Assess feeding, bowel, and sleeping habits
• Conduct a physical examination, including an eye exam
• Perform a developmental evaluation

These checkups also provide an opportunity for you to ask questions. Whether you're unsure about bathing, facing feeding challenges, or concerned about sleep schedules, this is your time to address any concerns.

The Newborn Screen is a very important test for your baby. NYS screens for genetic and rare medical conditions, including 50 different diseases. The goal is to identify and treat diseases early enough to prevent serious complications such as growth problems, developmental delays, intellectual disabilities, blindness, deafness, seizures, and death.

Around 24 hours after delivery, your newborn has a hearing screening, and blood is drawn from their heel to run the routine screening tests. 

Well-child visits are ongoing checkups for children that follow a specific schedule. 

During each visit, your child's pediatrician will evaluate their growth, developmental milestones, and behaviors. If your baby needs routine blood draws, some of these can also be done in the office. Every well-child checkup is an opportunity to talk with your child's pediatrician about your child's health, growth, development, and wellbeing.

Your pediatrician will give immunizations at the two-month visit to protect your baby from:

• Polio
• Hepatitis B
• Rotavirus
• Diphtheria
• Haemophilus Influenzae
• Pneumococcus

Small doses of the same immunizations are repeated several times over the first 18 months to be sure your infant is fully immunized against contagious diseases.