Congratulations! You just became parents and gazing ecstatically at the tiny bundle of joy in your arms, you wonder if you are completely prepared to nurture this tiny life and does your knowledge of each milestone that seems to pass by in a blink, feels slightly inadequate. In preparation, you had read numerous books and browsed innumerable articles on pregnancy and new born care and yet chances are that they hadn’t entirely prepared you for this overwhelming rollercoaster joyride.

It takes a village to raise a child and while that might not be viable in the modern society today, especially given the social distancing norms during a global pandemic; ‘Well Baby Visits’ come to your rescue to help you navigate this exciting and fruitful journey of new parenthood.

Simply said, a Well Baby Visit is a check-up at birth, 2 weeks, 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months, 15 months, 18 months, and 24 months, and annually thereafter. But the discoveries you make during this visit is what will keep you happily coming back over and over. With each visit you witness your baby’s growth in evident statistics – baby’s height, weight and head circumference. At a Well baby Visit, no question is a silly question. As a pediatrician, I encourage parents to voice all their concerns, is the baby sleeping enough, is s/he feeding and pooping enough, even the color and consistency of that poop, no kidding! Well Baby Visits are great opportunities to develop insights into
your child’s healthy development. And I would like to know how you’re doing, too. Your health and well-being are just as important as your little one’s are.

Let’s take a quick look at what all parameters I assess during these visits and how they can help you in
understanding the baby’s wellbeing status:

• Developmental milestones: In the first year the baby changes every month. Since there are so many developmental milestones in such a short period of time, I apprise you when to expect each milestone such as tiny smiles, establishes eye contact, supports neck independently, mimics facial expressions, budding teeth, uses her/his thumb and forefinger to pick up small items, crawling and so many more. These observations help to assess their cognitive, emotional and social development.
• Vaccination: Some vaccines are administered at birth and for the others, the parents are given a schedule chart to anticipate and be prepared for the Well Baby Visits that involve the nerve-wracking pricks. I can talk you through the process and ease your concerns about any side effects such as pain or fever, how to manage it and how to sooth the baby. Vaccinations are absolutely essential to prevent illnesses like measles and whooping cough (pertussis) and 12 other serious diseases. It is one of the best things you can do to protect your child and community.
• Baby’s growth: You might faintly notice the growth spurts now and then or on the contrary, imagine the baby isn’t growing at an expected pace. During Baby Well Visits, I plot all measurements on a growth chart and compare it to standard benchmarks to ensure the baby’s growth curve is on track.
• Physical Examination: – A complete head-to-toe examination is performed. If the parents proactively don’t offer questions, I like to ask parents what the baby can do physically appropriate to his/her age, such as lift the head briefly, respond to loud sounds etc. I check if the fontanels (soft spots on your baby’s head) are closing properly. I check for fluid or infection in baby’s ears. I look inside baby’s eyes with ophthalmoscope and as s/he grows, I track eye movements and observe response to voices. The mouth is checked for cleft palate or oral thrush which is an easily treatable yeast infection and for signs of teething such as more than normal drooling or chewing. Skin conditions such as rashes are also assessed. I also look for any abnormal heart sounds (murmurs) or rhythms or breathing difficulties. And by gently pressing the belly I assess any tenderness, enlarged organs or unusual masses. The legs are checked for dislocation or issues with hip joints. And the genitals are checked for tenderness, lumps or signs of infection. Early diagnosis of a health issue goes a long way in better treatment and quicker recovery.

Cruising uncharted waters can be a scary experience and parenthood shouldn’t feel like that. Confident in the knowledge of your baby’s steady growth and development and armed with the healthy statistics charted in Well Baby Visits, you’ll be well assured of your role as the care giver and nurturer.

Your baby is precious and I acknowledge it with my undivided attention and high-quality medical care because the early developmental months and years are the foundation to a healthier and brighter future. Let’s make your Well Baby Visits a reassuring experience and resolve any bumps on the way together.

We hope to see you soon!