Newborn Screening/PKU

[Salem Lily]

I'm a first time momma, due in November, planning a homebirth and have a question about the newborn screening test.

I've heard of some people waiting to do their newborn screening/PKU testing. Some wait a couples days, others a couple weeks.

When is the test usually done? What are the advantages/disadvantages of waiting? Will waiting make the results more accurate?

I'm concerned that if we do wait, and there is a problem with the baby, we could do some sort of irreparable damage.

Thanks for your help!

[dannic]

My MW does it 48 hrs after birth, which I've recently heard isn't the best timeline, but that's my option here.

[sosurreal09]

i would do it ASAP, that being said our pead did it 3x before they finally did it correct! so our final results were when she was like 2 m/o...

[Pyrodjm]

I've read that it is most accurate after your milk comes in, so we wait about a week.

[EMAID]

I asked my children's pediatrician, who will be my baby's pediatrician, when he would be comfortable with me bringing the baby in after a homebirth. The PKU test was the main thing I was concerned about; I was afraid that if it wasn't done ASAP I'd get scolded by the ped. He said that I should try to get the baby to him in the first 3 days after birth, but that if doing that would be too hard on me post pardem, it could wait "a little longer."

[pinkyfinx]

The PKU is only effective after your milk has come in for 24 hours or so. Otherwise there isn't enough hormone in the baby's blood to test (making the early hospital tests completely useless and explaining why the retest is done at 7 days). I would plan on day 4ish depending on when your milk comes in.

PS. I have to brag because my midwives are awesome about this. They have a nurse they have a contract with who comes to your house to do the PKU. It's great! I got to hold the baby through the whole thing in my livingroom and she just sends the results to whatever doc you pick. Love it.

[Oliver'sMom]

My midwife did it in our home 7 days pp. She also mentioned that the test is most accurate after the babe has had breastmilk for at least 24 hrs.

[BlackSheepPDX]

Our midwives do newborn screen draws twice, I think on the 2 day and one week visits. They come to our house at 1, 2, 7, 14 days, IIRC, and then we do a 6 week (and maybe a 4 week?) office visit follow up.

[GoBecGo]

My MW did it on day 5. SHe was great. She made sure DD's foot was very warm, and lower than her body/heart, she used the blade-type implement to prick rather than a needle type and DD had not at that point had the Vitamin K (we ended up getting it because her cord stump came off very early and was bleeding, we weren't concerned about the bleeding disorder, just thought she could do with some help clotting - we had the injectable kind on day 10 and it did the trick) so she bled very easily. I nursed her while it was being done, and it was very quick. She stopped bleeding nice and quick too, and her results were clear

[EdnaMarie]

I was initially concerned about it, but it is very quick and it's ONLY for diseases that:

1. are degenerative (so, the sooner you catch them, the better your chances are)
2. are very severe (and may result in the worst-case scenario).

Because of that, I decided to do it. We didn't do vit. K for our girl or eye balm, but I did that just in case. I'm glad. When we got the results it was just, great, now if there's any small thing, we won't have to worry it's a sign of those. It was just one thing not to worry about. Baby seemed far more disturbed by band-aids than the prick!

[tessie]

It's usually done here between days 5 and 8. Usually it's done at home by a midwife on a postpartum visit.