Homebirther/Free Standing Birthers - When are you taking baby to Dr's?

[earthymama4]

Hi All,

I was wondering when you are planning to take baby to pediatrician or holistic practioner after the birth? This is our first home birth and I don't really want to leave right away to go to the doctor's. Input/advice is welcomed!

[amydidit]

We're planning on trying to get an appointment for her within about a week of the birth. We want to have the newborn screening done.

[DomerJen]

We'll probably go at 2 or 3 days old.

[kdf]

Our MW takes care of both of us until 6 weeks then I will take the baby to the dr at 2 months.

[dachshund mom]

My midwife comes after a couple days and again at 2 weeks. We'll go see a dr for the first time at 2 months.

The pediatrician I interviewed said 2 days, 2 weeks, 1 month, 2 months.

What's done at a newborn screening? My midwife does the pku test and blood tests required by law. We'll get the hearing test at the 2 month visit. Am I missing anything else?

[3for_me]

My MW will do our newborn screen and will take care of both of us for 6 weeks so there is really no hurry. That being said we love our PED and want to show our new ones off to her so we will go sometime within the first month or so.

[Double E]

I think we'll also go 2-3 days after the birth.

[Multimomma]

We'll do it about two weeks after birth.

[YayJennie]

Originally Posted by dachshund mom

What's done at a newborn screening? My midwife does the pku test and blood tests required by law. We'll get the hearing test at the 2 month visit. Am I missing anything else?

I'm wondering this as well.

My midwife takes care of both of us until 6 weeks, and after that I don't intend to rush to a doctor. We should probably find one, and go in and introduce ourselves, but we're not vaccinating, and aren't going to do well baby visits. So honestly, baby probably won't see a pediatrician unless baby gets sick!

[amydidit]

The newborn screening is actually the name of the PKU blood test. Well, it used to be called PKU test, so that's what most everyone knows it as... but it is technically the newborn screening and screens for many many more things than just PKU.

[happydoulamama]

We'll probably go in the first week just for her first medical checkup. My mw provides well care for 6 weeks also (as well as the newborn screen), but I want to establish care with my ped so she has her on record, etc.

I'm not sure how I'll handle her wanting me to bring her in often after that. I don't want to come back a week later, then a couple weeks later, then a month later, etc. If she is doing well, I don't see the point, and honestly it's a waste of money for our insurance co as well as our pocketbook. We can weigh her at home and we're not vaxing so we don't need to go in for those. But my doc will likely try to get me to bring her in per their protocol.

ETA! OH MY GOSH! I just realized an hour or so later as I re-read my post that I said "HER" referring to the baby. I wonder if I just did that since I'm used to the pronoun after having two girls or if it's my first inkling as to what this baby is going to be...

[JJ'sMom]

Thanks for the reminder.

Our midwife is also our Naturopath doctor, so I would have forgotten to visit the "regular" one. I will probably book a family visit for late April, just to get baby on her patient list.

[Malva]

The midwife takes care of both of us for the first 6 weeks so I don't know when I'll bring the baby to meet the regular doc. Maybe next time one of us has a physical? The whole family has the same GP and we don't vax so we only see her sporadically. I don't do well baby visits.

[Devaskyla]

Whenever he/she is sick. We don't do well baby visits. I'll call the health unit after the baby is here & they'll send out a nurse a few days later to do the newborn screen & check up on us. That'll be it unless I decide to go over to the nurse to get the baby weighed/checked again.

[lanielayne]

I don't plan on taking her to a ped unless necessary. I will be doing the newborn screen because it is needed as proof of birth (I am UCing) so I will just set an appt with a lab. I took my last daughter at 2 weeks and she came home with a cold. We are not risking that again.