Keeping Your Baby Healthy

Choosing a physician
Newborn screening tests
Newborn vaccinations and medications
Vaccination schedule
When to call the physician

Choosing a physician for your baby

When you first meet with your baby's physician (or if you are interviewing more than one candidate), ask the following questions: 

• On what days and hours is your office open?     
• How many health care providers cover the practice?      
• Is a physician, nurse practitioner or advice nurse available
  by telephone 24 hours a day? How do you handle after-hours and weekend calls?     
• Can appointments be made on short notice if necessary?      
• What is your philosophy about circumcision?      
• How are immunizations handled?      
• When will the baby's first check-up be?      
• How often are well-baby check-ups scheduled?      
• What should I do in case of an emergency?      
• What are your feelings about breast- and bottle feeding?

Newborn screening tests

Soon after your baby is born, a nurse will draw a few drops of blood for a test required by state law for all newborns. The blood draw is simple and safe for your baby. The test looks for a number of rare diseases that can cause brain damage or other serious complications if not treated shortly after birth. When these diseases are quickly discovered and treated, most problems can be prevented.

Newborn vaccinations and medications

While in the hospital, your baby will also receive some essential medications and vaccinations. These are given routinely, but it is a good idea to make sure your baby receives the following:

• Hepatitis B vaccination - Hepatitis B can cause serious liver damage. Your baby may receive the first of three hepatitis B vaccinations while in the hospital.     
• Vitamin K injections - State law requires that all newborns receive a dose of vitamin K, which is essential to blood clotting. Some infants do not have enough vitamin K and, as a result, could develop abnormal bleeding if not given the vitamin at birth.      
• Erythromycin eye ointment - To avoid the possibility of serious eye infection, erythromycin ointment is placed in your newborn's eyes within a few hours of birth.

Vaccination schedule

Vaccines prevent serious diseases by helping your baby build defenses. Most infants and children have only mild reactions to vaccines, which can include slight fever and soreness. Here is a general schedule for vaccinations from birth through childhood. Your physician's recommendations may vary according to what he or she thinks is best for your child. You may also want to check with your health insurance company to see what it covers.

When to call the physician

• Temperature less than 97 or greater than 100 degrees Fahrenheit or any fever lasting more than 24 hours     
• Refusal to eat for more than five or six hours     
• No wet diapers for 24 hours or less than four wet diapers a day      
• Black stools after fifth day of life     
• Blood in stools      
• Constipation or diarrhea     
• Persistent vomiting (not just spitting up): projectile vomiting, green vomit, swollen tummy      
• Listlessness      
• Irritability or apparent pain      
• Difficulty breathing, wheezing      
• Anytime you feel something is not right with your baby - you know your baby better than anyone else does.     
• Swollen, red, draining or foul-smelling umbilical cord      
• Jaundice (yellow skin, yellow eyes)      
• Persistent coughing      
• Blue skin color      
• Signs of ear infection: fever, irritability, pulling at ears      
• White patches in mouth (thrush)     
• Diaper rash that looks very red, raw or has white patches      
• Swollen or red eyes, excessive tearing or discharge      
• Any injury or fall

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