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Pregnancy Health Centre
Life with a Newborn |
When to See a Doctor
Even if your baby is perfectly
healthy, he or she should see a doctor three to five days after you leave
the hospital. Make this appointment the morning after you get home from
the hospital. Make sure you ask for an appointment for a newborn. Ideally
you decided on a doctor
for your baby when you were still pregnant. At your first visit, the doctor
should go over any of your concerns and suggest a schedule of return visits.
New parents may be nervous
about how to take care of their baby and may be unsure under what circumstances
they should call their baby's doctor. One important criterion for choosing
a doctor is how easily you can get the doctor on the phone if you are
worried or scared. Call the doctor, if your baby:
- is hard to wake up or can't
stay awake during feedings
- won't stop crying
- feels very hot and has a
rectal or ear temperature of more than 38° C (100°F)
- vomits more than once after
a feeding
- has diarrhea
- isn't following his/her
normal bowel schedule and seems uncomfortable
- hasn't had a wet diaper
all day
- doesn't feed (either breast
or formula) at least six times in 24 hours
- appears yellowish (either
his/her skin or the whites of the eyes)
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to Taking Care of a New Baby
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