when did you take LO to pedi after HB?

[yukookoo]

We are going to be going to our first appointment tomorrow and ds will be 5 weeks and some days old. They wanted to see him at a few days, a week, and whatever other times, so we wouldve already gone several times. I hope we dont get kicked out of the practice, cause we dont vax and its hard to find a pedi to begin with...

just curious if others held off too or not. We did have postnatal care with our midwife and she checked him pretty well, we also did the newborn test

[meesh933]

We took DS at 1 day, and at 2 wks. Honestly, if I had it to do over again, I'd have skipped it. The MW checked him out, and I wasn't really worried. Getting everyone packed in the car and hauled to the Dr at less than 24 hours PP was NO FUN.

If asked, I'd just tell them that he was seen by "another provider" prior to this visit.

[ShwarmaQueen]

We went with DS when he was like 16 days old. He was jaundiced (both my kids get the late-onset kind) and I wanted her to look at it, though my MW said it looked fine and I trusted her more than the pedi, but really it was just to appease them. lol She gave me flack about not doing the vit K shot and Hep B shot...or doing the eye goop, but I just rationally explained why I didn't get those and listened and smiled and nodded like a good patient. :)

[tankgirl73]

We did 6 weeks of followup with the midwife, which was "included" in our midwife program.  After that, she's never been to a doctor at all... Well, she's come along with us when I or my son had an appointment.  ;)  And she's now 4yo.

Since we decided to delay vaxes, there was just no point.  We had no concerns.  When we had questions, there was a telehealth phone line to call.  For instance, she got one of those rash diseases... roseola??... when she was about 9mo.  I researched online, made my own tentative diagnosis, then called the telehealth nurse for confirmation.  She agreed, so we just kept on with life.  But unless there's a specific question or concern, and as long as you're well informed about potential health issues to watch for in newborns, then I don't see the point in WBV's personally.

If you want to go, then by all means do.  :)  If you want to not go, then don't stress about that either.  :)

[dogmom327]

With both kids the MW took care of the checks until 6 weeks.  I did take DS to the ped at 8 weeks but never went back to that one.  Tried another one at 6 months and then gave up (we now just use a naturopath).  DD started seeing the naturopath at 8 weeks but we were having really big issues with her (turns out she's celiac).  She's never seen an MD of any type.

I suppose with the next one we'd probably stop by the ND's office at some point with the new babe but more just to show him/her off.  We don't go in unless there's a compelling reason.

[spatulagirl]

I didn't take my last baby in and we got kicked out of the practice. Well, they said they would take my older kids still but not the baby so I thought, "Why bother?".

I switched to someone that doesn't accept insurance but she sees my kids once a year and then answers any questions I have over the phone. Also she does home visits after homebirths! So she will come by after I have the next one.

[Eman'smom]

The two week appt.  Our MW did a 2ish day and a 2 week.  We talked to our ped and midwife and I felt better for various reasons having an over lap at 2 weeks rather than not seeing him until the 2 month appt.

[thebeljur]

I feel like a bad mom, but I honestly can't remember when I've taken each child in?  I want to say it was a couple months after birth?  Maybe six months?  I don't know -- lol.  Oh, wait, I do remember that I took my oldest daughter in a couple days after she was born because her foot was a little turned in at birth.  I just wanted that checked.  (It was fine.)  That's all that visit entailed, and I didn't take her back for anything (we don't vaccinate and they're rarely sick....I do take them every now and then for a well check, but not annually or anything).  I guess if there's nothing you're concerned about, then I don't see a huge need to go immediately when they're so young.  That may be naive of me, though?

[raelize]

We do the normal 2days,1 week,1month,etc. We also have 1-2day mw,2week mw,6week mw. I do pku and mw doesn't do that. Also, I just like another pair of eyes and I like/trust our ped.

[gemasita]

My family doctor (who will be baby's doctor) had a homebirth herself so she said that she already knew the baby was being checked out at 1 day, 2 days, 2 weeks, etc by the midwife so bringing the baby in at about 1 month was fine.

[Mamatoabunch]

Some never, Finnian is 17 months and has never been to the ped. My 7th didn't see the ped until I brought her in at 6 months for a broken leg. They could care less.

[rad]

I usually take then in at about 1 week.

[Greenlea]

My 2nd son is now 10 weeks old and hasn't seen a ped yet.  My MW did quite a thorough exam on him, probably more thorough than any ped I've been to.  He did have jaundice but it went away he was / is fine.  I will probably only bring him in if he gets sick and would need antibiotics or something.  A lot of people ask me how much he weighs, but I really don't know since he was only weighed at birth and not since then.  When I tell them he hasn't been to see a ped yet, they kinda look at me like I'm crazy.

I had my 1st at a hospital and did all the recommended visits and well-visits (4 days, 1 mth, 3 mth, etc.) And frankly it was just a pain in my butt.  He was always fine and it was a waste of time, well visits that is.  Actually I just took him in today for what I suspected was a yeast diaper rash.  They confirmed it was but since I had already begun putting Monistat on it for 2 days, they said to just keep doing what I was doing - so again a waste of time and money.

[Wabi Sabi]

Both of mine were seen by a doctor within a few days of birth. We were having major nursing issues with my first and saw a pediatrician per the advice of our wonderful LC to have him evaluated for tongue-tie. With my second I took her into the doctor just to get her established as a patient and I'm awfully glad that I did since she ended up with pneumonia when she was 3 weeks old. If she didn't already have a doctor we would've ended up in the ER, probably with a spinal tap due to her fever, much more intrusive and traumatic all the way around.

I trust our doctor, figure that an extra set of eyes can't hurt, and as a non-vaxing homebirther thought it was a good CYA policy in case anything should ever come up with regards to medical neglect allegations, etc.

[Monarchgrrl]

Our midwife did checks (mainly weighing and breastfeeding help) until 6 weeks. We didn't do any tests, though. Not the newborn screen or hearing or anything. Then we took DD in to the pedi at 2 months just because our usual insurance was ending and we wanted to at least use it once. It was really pointless because we're not vaxing so it was weighing and measuring. We have to pick a new pedi (on different insurance now) and won't be taking her in unless there is an issue and we really need to for an actual illness or injury. I have a feeling we will be kicked out of quite a few practices before we find the right one for us.

[goldingoddess]

We saw the nautropath at 3 weeks, and the chiro at 3 weeks.  We saw the pedi at 1 year because I felt like I should go (it was totally useless since we don't vax and R had never been sick or had any health concerns.

I won't bother this time, though will likely see the chiro in the first month.

[CookAMH]

This is a helpful thread. I may ask our son's ND about it.  We just switched to a homebirth for my VBAC and my midwife is an ND. She does say, however, in her paperwork, that baby still needs to see their regular doc. But I would imagine baby's actual pedi/ND would be fine with coming in about a week. I'd love to avoid going out the first few days for myself.

[Peony]

I do about a week after birth, it takes several days to get in with our pedi as it is. My second child was the first HB and we didn't have a pedi then, never really needed one with my first child up until that point. My MW had suggested a pedi she likes so after DD2 was born we went in. I left thinking she was nice but we really won't be seeing her again. Turns out DD2 got seriously ill as a newborn and that pedi became my new best friend for many months.  Now we actually do all the suggested WBV and do see the pedi after birth. I really like our pedi, and it is more like a visit with an old friend then a chore. All 3 of my children have turned out to have some SNs, some she picked up on even when I didn't, and she has gone to battle for us more times then I can count to get the care they need. 

[pants]

I am using my family doctor as my DS pedi. My family doc actually had her vbac homebirth with my midwife!! My family doc said that she will see the baby within the week. No need to rush though because she knows my midwife does an awesome job  that first week with the NB checkups.

[tourist.]

We took our DS at one day old...I agree with PP:  NO FUN  That said, there was a small amount of concern about my DS's arm due to the way it was positioned during birth and how much he screamed after being born (looking back though I think that was due to suctioning...but that's another conversation) so we just felt better getting him checked out.  This time we will go at 2+ days after the birth just depending on what day of the week the baby is born on.