Ever since your baby was born, you’ve probably felt like you’ve gotten to know your pediatrician better than your neighbors. Pediatrician appointments in the first few months start to feel as routine as going to the grocery store, and for good reason—newborns are fragile, and new parents are often overwhelmed. Having that extra set of eyes on your little one can set your mind at ease and provide you with a forum for asking any questions you may have.
But now that your baby is past the newborn stage, your routine well-baby checkups will start to spread out a bit more and will be aligned with your vaccine schedule. Which means that unless your baby becomes sick or you have a concern, you probably won’t be heading in for pediatrician appointments every two to four weeks anymore.
When will you see him or her, though?
Your pediatrician’s office should be able to give you an accurate timeline of events from this point forward, but on average, there are still seven appointments ahead of you from now until when your baby turns two. Usually, they are:
- Fourth month
- Sixth month
- Ninth month
- First birthday
- Fifteenth month
- Eighteenth month
- Second birthday
At each of these appointments, your baby will be weighed, measured, examined, and usually given a series of vaccinations—meaning he or she may feel groggy or irritable for 24 to 48 hours after. These appointments will also serve as your continued opportunity to bring any questions you may have to your pediatrician, and to make sure your little one is still thriving, meeting milestones, and growing healthy and strong.
Of course, if ever you find yourself with questions between appointments, you can always call your pediatrician’s office and ask a nurse on duty. Usually, if they can’t answer your question right away, they will either have the doctor call you, or will ask you to come in if they think it’s something you might benefit from having an appointment for. And with immune systems still building up in those first two years, most babies have their share of illnesses; so it is likely you will be seeing your pediatrician plenty in between.
If for some reason you’ve come to realize you don’t particularly care for or trust your child’s current pediatrician, now is the time to start asking your friends for recommendations and interviewing potential pediatricians you could switch to. With many years ahead of taking your child to the doctor on a regular basis, working with someone you are comfortable seeing will be key to keeping your little one healthy and thriving.
Written by Leah Campbell, infertility advocate, adoptive mama, writer and editor. Find me @sifinalaska on Twitter.
This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general informational basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.
