Newborns
Congratulations!
You are embarking on one of the most rewarding journeys of your life. First time parents are our specialty! Gwinnett Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine (GPAM) is here to help you every step of the way.
Wow! The baby came without a manual…do you have any advice for a new parent?
This is an exciting time but can also be very scary and confusing. We’d like to make it as fun and easy as possible for you and your family. We have set up a this page to help with some common questions that all new parents have. Please also check out our online bookstore where we list our doctors’ favorite books to help you out every step of the way. Don’t forget, we also have wonderful pediatric phone advice nurses that can help in between your office visits. They can be reached at 770-995-0823 Monday through Friday during office hours.
What to bring at your first visit?
- A parent / guardian’s photo ID
- Your child’s insurance card (or mom’s if you have a newborn) Remember you must call (withinin 30 days) your insurance to add newborn.
- Discharge paperwork / summary from the hospital
- The green slip from the state newborn metabolic screen given to you at the hospital
- Completed newborn history form and new patient form
Your newborn baby should be seen in our office 2-4 days after being discharged from the hospital. If you deliver at Gwinnett Medical Center (GMC), one of our staff will assist you in scheduling your newborn checkup. If you deliver at a hospital other than GMC, please call our office on the day of discharge to arrange a newborn checkup.
Please bring any paperwork given to you in the hospital to your first GPAM visit. This is helpful even if a GPAM provider cared for your baby in the hospital. Please complete our newborn history form and our new patient form and bring with insurance cards to your first office visit. Remember you only have 30 days to add a newborn to your group insurance policy you must call your insurance company to add your newborn.
If one of our providers orders a bilirubin lab on your newborn, you should be called with the result on the same day it was ordered. If you do not hear back from one of our providers within 4 hours of the lab being drawn, please call our office to get the lab result. Please call our office even if it is after hours to get the lab result.
Your GPAM provider will be happy to answer all your questions at your newborn checkup. So, start making a list to bring with you. If you have any concerns about your newborn prior to his/her newborn checkup, please call our office.
Feeding Your Newborn
Your baby should breast or bottle feed at least every 3 hours. If bottle-feeding, your newborn will likely take about 2 oz per feeding and have 6-8 wet diapers a day. If breastfeeding, your newborn will likely nurse about 10-15 minutes on each breast. A mom’s breast milk usually comes in 3-4 days after delivery. Before your breast milk comes in your baby will likely have 3-4 wet diapers a day. Once your breast milk comes in, your baby will have 6-8 wet diapers a day. If you have any concerns about your newborns intake or urine output prior to your newborn checkup, call our office immediately.
See the section "Nutrition the First Year" to learn about feeding your newborn.
Diapers
Your newborn’s first stools are thick, black, and tarry in appearance. These are known as meconium stools and usually occur in the first 48 hrs. As your baby eats breastmilk or formula, your newborn’s stools will transition from pasty brown to yellow and seedy. Your baby will likely have several stools a day. This transition process is a useful indication that your baby is feeding well. If you have any concerns about your baby’s stools, call our office.
Sleep and SIDS
It is very important that your baby sleep on his/her back in order to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Your baby should sleep on a firm mattress in a bassinet or crib. It is recommended that the bassinet or crib be in the parent’s room for the first 2-3 months. The bassinet or crib should be free of pillows, stuffed animals, etc.
Umbilical cord
The umbilical cord requires no special care. When left alone, most umbilical cords will just fall off by themselves. It is recommended to avoid getting your baby’s umbilical cord wet.
Skin Care
As a result of your baby having been in amniotic fluid for nine months, his/her skin will likely appear dry, cracked, and peeling. Moisturizing lotion will only temporarily improve this appearance.
Illness
Fever is an emergency in a newborn. If your newborn feels warm, take a rectal Temperature. If your baby has a rectal temperature of 100.3 or greater, call our office immediately. Do NOT give your newborn Tylenol. Do NOT delay calling our office. (770-995-0823)
In order to prevent illness, please have visiting family wash their hands before handling your newborn. Please do not allow anyone who is ill to handle your newborn. Avoid visits to public places.
During flu season, all eligible family members and caregivers should receive the flu vaccine
Pertussis, or whooping cough, is a life threatening illness to newborns. Infants are not eligible to receive a vaccine to prevent pertussis until 2 months of age.
Tell me about immunizations
The last twenty years have seen many of the "childhood illnesses" greatly diminish in this country. This is mostly due to the development and expansion of a strong childhood immunization program through such entities as the American Academy of Pediatrics and the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC). Please see our immunization policy and visit our Immunizations page for more information.
Autism
Lab results
If one of our providers orders a bilirubin lab on your newborn, you should be called with the result on the same day it was ordered. If you do not hear back from one of our providers within 4 hours of the lab being drawn, please call our office to get the lab result. Please call our office (770-995-0823 –business hours: option 7 and option 2) even if it is after hours to get the lab result.
If you have any concerns about your newborn prior to his/her newborn checkup, please call our office.
