It might feel as though it’s been much longer (or much shorter) but it’s been about a month since Baby arrived! At your next well-child visit, your child’s healthcare provider will continue to track growth, check for milestones, and give additional tests and updates.
At the appointment
It’s recommended that a baby’s vision be checked three times in the first year of life, and this might be the first time for Baby. Babies have a hard time focusing their eyes in their first few months, so it’s possible that Baby‘s eyes might wander or look crossed. Your healthcare provider will be able to tell the difference between normal eye adjustment and a vision issue. It might also be time for their second dose of the hepatitis B vaccine.
Your healthcare provider will be checking on milestone progress for things like Baby‘s ability to calm down, recognizing your voice, following you with their eyes, smiling, and lifting their head when they are on their tummy.
Questions to ask
The first week with Baby was probably a bit of a whirlwind, so you may have new or additional questions for your healthcare provider that you didn’t get answered the first time around. Ask whatever’s on your mind, and consider these questions as well:
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I’m feeling ______, is that normal?
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How can I help Baby sleep?
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Are there any community resources I should know about? (help with food, parenting groups, etc.)
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When can I switch from breastmilk or formula?
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How do I know if I’m ready to go back to work or school?
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Is it okay if baby poop is a weird color?
Sources
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“AAP Schedule of Well-Child Care Visits.” HealthyChildren.org. American Academy of Pediatrics. December 18, 2015. Web.
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“Well-child visits.” MedlinePlus. U.S. National Library of Medicine. February 5, 2015. Web.
