10 Questions for Your Baby’s 1-month Check-up
Heading into the pediatrician for your baby’s 1-month check-up? Don’t be surprised if it feels like there are a million issues and questions to get answered in a short time with your doctor, covering everything from vaccines to your own emotional health. Here are 10 things to think about before you and your baby head into the doctor’s so you can make the most of your time:
Weight—if you have any concerns regarding growth be sure and ask your doctor how he or she feels about the amount of weight gain over this first month.
Feeding—if you are having any issues with feeding (breast or bottle) now is the time to address them. If you are breastfeeding and in pain, nursing each time for “too long,” having latching issues or have a baby who seems uncomfortable, you should bring this up. Many feeding issues are addressed with simple corrections, and your pediatrician can guide you in the right direction.
Skin changes—note any rashes, birthmarks, dryness, or any other changes in your baby’s skin that you specifically want the doctor to notice and comment about.
Vaccine questions—prepare your vaccine questions so you can be comfortable as the 1-month immunization is given.
Acetaminophen dose—at each well visit, confirm the dose for acetaminophen in the event your infant is in pain or has a fever
Vision and hearing—if you have any concerns that your infant does not see or hear you, it is very important you bring those to your doctor’s attention.
Follow up on any abnormal prenatal or abnormal newborn testing—ask about the results of your child’s newborn screen if you have not already received them.
Emotional adjustment—if you or your family are having difficulty adjusting to a new member in the family, let your doctor know.
Safety questions or concerns—if you are traveling, being bombarded with people who want to see the baby, or just worried about germ exposure, ask your doctor what you need to know to keep your infant safe.
Sleep—while a consistent sleep pattern may be several weeks away, feel free to discuss what you’ve noticed so far and ask your pediatrician for tips to gently get your baby into a healthy sleep pattern.
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