When you have a newborn, especially when it is a firstborn, it can be frightening and confusing. Since they don't come with instructions, it is up to you to find a pediatrician who can help you to understand vaccinations and well baby visits. Gabrielle Maxwell PA-C at Integrated Medical Group B & A Pediatrics provide the support and newborn care in Pottsville, PA that new parents need.

Well baby visits for your newborn begin in their first week of life. You will make an appointment when you get home for the hospital. You will need to bring the baby in within a couple of days. The purpose of well visits is to make sure that your child is thriving and developing at the normal rate. In the first year, at least six visits will be scheduled; the first week, 1 month, 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, and 9 months.

These visits are your opportunity to talk to the doctor about any concerns that you may have about your baby's newborn care in Pottsville, PA. Bathing the baby with the umbilical cord, nursing issues, crying, sleeping and anything else that is troubling you. Keep a list of things that concern you.

During the visit, the baby will be weighed and measured, and you will discuss any milestones that your baby has achieved. The baby will have their temperature taken, their eyes and ears checked and their extremities examined. Their vaccinations will also be brought up to date.

By the time your baby is two years old, they should have received all their vaccines for the majority of contagious diseases they are likely to be exposed to, including measles, whooping cough (pertussis), chickenpox, and Hepatitis A and B. Most vaccinations require more than one dose to be effective. It is important that, unless there is a medical reason, your child get vaccinations on schedule. The complete schedule has been updated for 2024. Keep a record of the vaccinations, as this record will be necessary when attending daycare and preschool, not to mention kindergarten.

Contact Gabrielle Maxwell PA-C of Integrated Medical Group B & A Pediatrics when you need newborn care in Pottsville, PA. Give our office a call today at (570) 622-4840 to make an appointment.