How soon after HB do you take baby to Dr?

[JenniferLS]

Hope this isn't a dumb question, but I'm curious. I'm planning my first homebirth...third child. I know the pediatrician checks out the baby in the hospital each day...and then they tell you (at least mine did) to bring the baby in to the doctor's office at one week old.

I noticed on one thread someone posted about a good thing about HB is not having to go ANYWHERE for two weeks. So, my question, when do you
bring your baby to the doctor? (provided there are no problems, etc.)

I have a feeling, even though our pediatrician is wonderful, that she woudl frown on a homebirth, and thus be anxious to see the baby right away, etc.

[sept04mama]

I am planning my 1st homebirth (3rd baby) as well! I have asked a similar question and it really varied. Some did 2 weeks, many not until a year or when they needed a dr/got sick or whatever. My ped freaked about my HB plans and so I'm switching peds. (Didn't tell her, but that's my plan)

I figure for ME (and I have no experience) I will probably go in at 2 weeks if I feel like I need to, or wait until around 2 mos. if I feel everything is good/midwives have checked him out well enough.

Hope this helps!

[the_lissa]

It is 2 months here. Here, the midwife is the baby's caregiver until the 6 week discharge. They also do home visits for the first 4 weeks, and then a final visit at the clinic at 6 weeks.

[JenniferLS]

WOW! That's interesting...I'm anxious to hear more responses on this one!

I have a good relationship with our pediatrician. But, I really do not believe she would be thrilled about a homebirth. i think she would accept it, though. I mean, what can she do, right?

I guess if the midwives are totally capable of checking out the baby, then there probably isn't really a need to bring the baby to the doctor for awhile.

However, I'm pretty certain DH would want the doctor to see the baby in a timely manner.

[tourist.]

Our pediatrician wanted to see the baby the next day. Our midwives seemed pleased with his recommendation.

That said, next time around I'm going to wait for at least a few days before we go assuming no medical issues. It was so so so hard for me to go there the next morning. I was so worn out and completely emotional from lack of sleep and constant failed breastfeeding attempts (should have seen the lactation consultant before the peditrician!). Thankfully the pediatrician was wonderfully kind and supportive.

[JenniferLS]

tourist

WOW! the NEXT DAY!!!! I definitely could not do that! But it's nice that
your ped was supportive.

[fruitfulmomma]

My midwife does visits up to 6 weeks, unless there is a concern before then. I don't do WBVs so, um, as soon as something is wrong. My almost 6mo hasn't been at all.

[Gena 22]

My pedi is pretty mainstream and he wanted to see the twins right away. Which for me was on day 6. Too early for my taste, but we went. OTOH, he had no problem with the homebirth and was the only medico who wished me a good pregnancy and a full 40 weeks carrying my babes. (My OBs would have induced me at 38 weeks at the latest.)

[tourist.]

Originally Posted by JenniferLS

WOW! the NEXT DAY!!!! I definitely could not do that! But it's nice that your ped was supportive.

It is definitely not something I'd recommend! I basically sat in the back with the baby and cried on and off the whole way there and back. Live and learn though, right?

[littlebb]

My MW does PP visits and to check the baby for the first few weeks. Our chiropractor has a lot of training in areas outside of chiropractic care (she's a doctor and not just a tech) and since she specializes in newborns and small children, I have a feeling we'll be relying more on her than anything if there are no obvious problems. I don't think we'll be doing well baby visits, either - most of the time they are unnecessary and you will know your baby better than a doctor will be able to assess in 10 minutes. Since we aren't vaxing, it's just easier this way, too. We will probably interview some to have on hand 'just in case', but I don't think we'll be going until there is an obvious need or reason. Our MW and chrio are tied together as are most of the families that use both of them and most do the same thing. I think we're lucky to have that kind of community for support and resources (and most rely on natural living and prevention rather than antibiotics and medicating symptoms).

[filiadeluna]

Just curious, but how would the ped even know if the baby was born at home? I mean, I guess they'd have records, but beforehand, why would you bother telling them? Just pretend you're going to a hospital, and then when they ask why the baby was born at home, you could say it wasn't planned, if it's that big of a deal... ? When I was interviewing my ped, he didn't ask where I was going to give birth, though I did use midwives at a hospital.

[aricha]

In another state with the last two, we were required to see the ped within 3 days. The first time it was awful... I couldn't stand up for that long, most of the exam had the baby on the table with the doc between me and baby, and me relying on my (thankfully wonderful and competent) husband to defend my brand new little one. The second time we'd found a MUCH better (and much more expensive) match for a ped, and it was a fabulous, laid-back appointment that I help baby through most of. Still wasn't thrilled to be out with baby so soon, but not as traumatic for us all.

The rationale for the 3-day visit is that it is best practice to have a second set of eyes on the baby very early on, just on the off chance that the midwife missed something. They feel they are trained to care for me, not the baby.

This time, in a new state, we don't have the 3-day requirement. The midwife does the baby's post-partum care for the first six weeks. I do have a good relationship with a good pediatrician, and she has been so far supportive of our choices for not vaccinating and having a homebirth (or has at least been GREAT at hiding her opinion). Because I understand and buy into the idea that it isn't a bad idea to have someone else take a look at the baby, AND I feel like I have a positive relationship with the ped, AND I feel my husband and I are able to be great advocates for what we want for our child as far as medical care is concerned, AND the ped is very close by, we might schedule an appointment for a few weeks after the baby is born.

[paxye]

We didn't go see a doc for the first time until ds was about 10 months old....

No midwife either...

[Delight]

Not planning on going at all...we don't even have a doc we use right now, so it would be a total stranger. Not my idea of fun

[~Kristina~]

I took ds in the following Tuesday after his Saturday birth. But my pedi and I were more like friends, she couldn't wait to meet him, esp after seeing all my other kids since they were born. Unfortunately she recently moved out of state and I may wait this take this peanut in. We delay vaccines so there's no hurry there.

[GAmomto5]

Originally Posted by littlebb

My MW does PP visits and to check the baby for the first few weeks. Our chiropractor has a lot of training in areas outside of chiropractic care (she's a doctor and not just a tech) and since she specializes in newborns and small children, I have a feeling we'll be relying more on her than anything if there are no obvious problems. I don't think we'll be doing well baby visits, either - most of the time they are unnecessary and you will know your baby better than a doctor will be able to assess in 10 minutes. Since we aren't vaxing, it's just easier this way, too. We will probably interview some to have on hand 'just in case', but I don't think we'll be going until there is an obvious need or reason. Our MW and chrio are tied together as are most of the families that use both of them and most do the same thing. I think we're lucky to have that kind of community for support and resources (and most rely on natural living and prevention rather than antibiotics and medicating symptoms).

: This is our philosophy too. Our LO was seen by the midwife at 24 hours, 48 hours, 2 weeks and then six weeks. Our wonderful chiropractor also did a home visit when she was 2 days old and we did an office visit with him at 8 weeks. We don't see a ped (no vax) and she has gone to the chiro every month since then. I'm not to keen on taking my LO to a germy doctor's office, especially at only days old.

[Belle]

I took dd2 into the ped two weeks after she was born. Our midwives had already done a PKU the Friday before so we didn't need to get that done. They didn't seem phased at all by her being born at home. I didn't have her birth records with me at the time and they wanted those. I brought them a copy for the next visit.

Getting a newborn hearing screening done at the audiology clinic was a real PITA. We ended up not even getting that done because they made it such a hassle.

[Carson]

Some peds will also do a home visit. I don't know what the difference in cost is, but IMO it's worth it at least for the first one. That's definitely something I need to look into.

[JenniferLS]

Originally Posted by filiadeluna

Just curious, but how would the ped even know if the baby was born at home? I mean, I guess they'd have records, but beforehand, why would you bother telling them? Just pretend you're going to a hospital, and then when they ask why the baby was born at home, you could say it wasn't planned, if it's that big of a deal... ? When I was interviewing my ped, he didn't ask where I was going to give birth, though I did use midwives at a hospital.

Of course, i would NEVER tell the ped ahead of time...I just was wondering how soon i would have to face up to some criticism after the
baby was born. hopefully my other two children won't have to go to the doctor while i'm pregnant. Even so...I definitely don't feel a need to speak up about the homebirth.

[mumofboyz]

Baby born Friday... took him to pedi Monday following. I just wanted another set of eyes on him and wanted to get established with doc before something went wrong (not that anything did go wrong but ya never know).

Plus I was GBS+ at delivery time. Not that it is a big deal, but I still worried about it.