This page provides initial pediatric information for newborns.

You can follow this link to the Pediatric Clinic Home page

Routine Pediatric Care

If this is your first child, Your child may have a military or civilian primary care manager depending upon availability in the military clinic. Because pediatrics and family medicine are different clinics, an adult family member may be in the military clinic while your child has a civilian. Tricare office can provide you with a list of civilian providers in your area.

If you have other children, your newborn will receive pediatric care with the same primary care manager (military or civilian) as your other children.

If your baby has medical conditions warranting closer supervision, your baby will receive care at the NMCP special pediatrics clinic.

Well Baby Visits

The first year of life is medically busy. To get your newborn off to a good start during the first year, he will have approximately six well baby visits with his pediatrician. These visits track your baby's development and provide immunizations. Well baby visits occur at the following times after birth:

2 weeks	6 months
2 months	9 months
4 months	12 months

Your first well baby visit is usually two weeks after birth. Your doctor may want to see your baby sooner. If this is the case, you can use the Mother-Baby Clinic associated with the Mother-Baby Unit for these checks.

First Well Baby Visit

For your first well baby visit you need to do the following:

? Before you bring your baby in, he needs to be enrolled into DEERS. For medical purposes this is usually done bedside in the Mother-Baby Unit. If you deliver in a civilian hospital, you will need to enroll your baby through your sponsors supporting personnel services detachment. If for some reason this has not occurred, you will be seen for the first visit but not for future visits.

? Bring in all your baby's discharge papers and “Yellow” shot record. These contain all of the baby's birth information that the doctor is going to need.

? Bring diapers and at least two bottles if using this method for feeding. Plan for the worst and pack for it. The NMCP pediatric clinic has a breastfeeding room to support breastfeeding mothers.

? Think of any questions or concerns you have about your baby for the doctor. Write them down so you don't forget anything. There are no bad questions. We are here to put you at ease and to help to do the best we can for your child.

? Try to arrive 20 minutes prior to your appointment. It is not just for our convenience. Your promptness makes the check in process run smoothly. If you arrive late to your appointment you will be moved to the back of your provider's patient schedule. For the first visit, you will be seen that day. For future visits you may be asked to reschedule.

At the visit

At all well bay visits, your baby will be measured to check weight, length and head circumference. Your baby will be completely undressed for this. Be ready for a diaper change. It is not unusual for newborns to pee and or poop when naked. The medical staff is familiar with this.

You will be asked about any concerns you have about your baby, gestational age, type of delivery, any complications with the birth, any drug allergies, if the baby is taking any medications. Breast or bottle feeding . If bottle, the type of formula used.

At the first visit your baby will not receive immunizations unless he did not receive them at birth. He may have blood drawn to establish a baseline for exposure to lead. You may have to go to the lab for this. Future well baby visits will provide immunizations.