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Well baby visit – take baby home time – one month baby

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By Ricky Richardson & Suzanne Dixon BSc, MBBS, FRCP, FRCPCH & MD, MPH

Dr Ricky Richardson was brought up in Spain, educated in the United Kingdom at Eton College, and took his first Degree with Honours in Cell Biology and Immunology at the University of London. He then proceeded to study clinical medicine at the Middlesex Hospital Medical School, qualifying in 1973. Following three years as an intern and then resident in Internal Medicine, he turned to Paediatrics and he has remained in this field ever since.

Most of his paediatric career has been based at The Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in London, but a considerable period of time has been spent overseas on specific assignments in Africa, Central America, Southeast Asia and the Middle East.

He spent five years in Brunei to devise and implement a comprehensive integrated paediatric service at the request of the Government of Brunei. He also spent two years in Muscat in the Sultanate of Oman as Senior Paediatric Consultant and advisor to the Ministry of Health.

In addition to his academic role, he was appointed Honorary Consultant Physician at The Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, a position which he still holds. He is also a Consultant Physician at the Portland Hospital for Women and Children. His clinical interest is in children with specific learning and behavioural difficulties. In 1990, he co-founded Whizz-Kidz, a children’s charity which has become the largest supplier of mobility aids and specialist services to disabled children outside the NHS.

Dr Richardson is an acknowledged authority on the emerging field of e-Health and Telemedicine. He lectures frequently on the subject and is Chairman of the UK Telemedicine Association. He is also involved in an European working group mandated to facilitate e-Health and telemedicine activities across the European Community.

Dr Richardson is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (FRCP), a Fellow of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (FRCPCH), a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine.

Dr Richardson is married and has two sons.

"I love this job!" says Suzanne Dixon. "I believe I can bring the best of information to families by the thousands every day. I'm not shy about tapping my colleagues and friends all around the country so that we can get the latest, best, and most sensible advice on every issue."

Suzanne Dixon, MD, MPH, was born and raised in Minnesota and graduated from the University of Minnesota, School of Medicine. She did her paediatric training at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and then completed a fellowship in Child Development at Boston's Children's Hospital. Dr Dixon joined the faculty at the University of California, San Diego, and did patient care, teaching, and research for 20 years. She ran a large newborn service, performed research in early child development, and was involved in many community outreach activities in maternal child health. Throughout her entire professional life she has maintained an interest in cross-cultural activities, living and working in many parts of the world, including Mexico, India, Kenya, Indonesia, and several countries from the former USSR.

Dr. Dixon is the author of numerous research articles, review articles, and textbook chapters in paediatrics, child and family development, and public health. Her textbook, written with Dr. Martin Stein, Encounters With Children: Pediatric Behavior and Development, has become a classic in child health education andis just coming out in its third edition. She has served as an associate editor for Infant Mental Health and currently reviews for several major paediatric journals.

Dr Dixon is a fellow of the American Academy of Paediatrics and served in national positions in that organization. She is a member of the Society for Paediatric Research, the Society for Research in Child Development, the American Public Health Association, and the Society for Developmental and Behavioral Paediatrics.

Dr. Dixon continues to lecture and consult worldwide on aspects of maternal, child, and family health. She practices behavioral and developmental paediatrics in Montana and works with local advocacy groups on education and women's health. Dr Dixon has been married for 25 years and has three sons. She and her husband travel frequently and enjoy being amateur anthropologists.

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Happy one month! Time for your child's first well-baby visit. How much does he weigh? Does he follow you with his eyes? Is he eating and sleeping okay? There's lots to check at this very important appointment!
Well baby visit - one month

When you take baby home everything is new, exciting, suprising and the time passes so quickly that you cannot believe a month has passed and it is time for the first well-baby visit from your health provider. Your first well-baby visit will be about one month after you take your baby home from the hospital. Your GP or health visitor will check the weight and height of the one month baby, and offer you advice on how to handle minor illnesses or concerns at home and when to call the doctor.


You're still getting used to life with your baby, so give yourself as much time for this checkup as you can. Take along whatever you need to keep your baby warm, fed and contented, and make sure you take a copy of your newborn's hospital record (Red Book or Baby Book) if you have it.



At this visit, your GP will probably do the following with your one month baby:


 Weigh and measure your baby to make sure he's growing at a healthy rate. Click here to see our growth chart.

 Check that his umbilical cord stump has fallen off and the tummy button is healing well. If your baby son was circumcised, your GP will check that this is healing as well.

 Address any health concerns that he or she notices, such as cradle cap or nappy rash.

 Give you some insight into your baby's individual personality and temperament, as well as his development.

 Ask you about your baby's sleeping, eating and elimination patterns ("the "wee-wee" and "poo-poo" reports).



Your GP will want to know:


 Has your baby seen another general practitioner since the last visit? If so, why? What was the outcome of that visit, and was any medication or treatment prescribed?
 Does your baby hold his head up when you put him on his tummy?
 Does he quieten down, at least briefly, when he hears you or when you pick him up?
 Does he sleep a little longer during some part of the day or night?
 Does he have longer periods when he's alert?
 Does he follow you with his eyes, and study your eyes and face when you're close?
 Does he respond to your voice or other sounds?
 Is he put to sleep on his back? Are his bedding and room appropriate? Click here for more information on SIDS.
 Does he watch a mobile above him?
 Is he a little more restless at the end of the day? All of this behaviour is expected at this time.
 If you are breastfeeding, are you taking any medication or supplements?
 Are there any particular stresses or changes at home?



Talk It Over


You no doubt have many other concerns. Now's the time to discuss them with your GP. Here are a few common issues:

 How is your baby eating and sleeping? Let your doctor know how often your baby eats.

 Your baby may have a common newborn skin condition, such as cradle cap; your GP can help you understand what it is and how to treat it.

 Talk about how siblings and other family members are adjusting.

 Ask your GP or health visitor to show you how to take your baby's temperature. You can also ask the nurse to watch while you take it, and to offer suggestions.

 Ask about crying management and comforting techniques. Your baby should respond to being held. Discuss the use of dummies as well.



Speak Up!


When new parents take baby home, they always have questions. Don't be shy around your GP - he or she wants to help with your one month baby. For example, you should mention to your GP any of the following situations that apply to you:

 Since you take baby home people are giving you advice that confuses you or is contradictory.
 Your baby doesn't respond to sounds, especially your voice.
 Your baby isn't moving both hands and feet equally.
 Your baby has a puffy or runny eye.
 Your baby doesn't focus on your face when he is alert.
 You're having difficulty comforting your baby.
 You're feeling down or having trouble sleeping or eating.
 You're going back to work soon and you're not sure how you're going to manage it.
 Your baby doesn't stay awake for more than 30 minutes at a time.

Click here to return to Well-Baby visit Introduction.


 
 
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