Newborn Care
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Lapeer Pediatrics
Board Certified Pediatricians located in Lapeer, MI & Flint, MI
Your newborn baby deserves the best possible personalized and compassionate pediatric care from experienced pediatricians. You’re in the right place at Lapeer Pediatrics in Lapeer and Harastani Pediatrics in Flint/Grand Blanc, Michigan. The knowledgeable board-certified pediatricians are here to guide you down the busy road of parenthood and the many challenges that can come along. The team led by Mohammad Al-Harastani, MD, FAAP, and Sami Al-Harastani, MD, offers quality newborn care to give you and your family the high-caliber medical support you deserve. Schedule through the web or call Lapeer Pediatrics today.
Newborn Care
What is newborn care?
Newborn care refers to pediatric medical care and support for you and your baby right after childbirth. Newborn care can involve many services, treatments, and testing, depending on the individual needs of your baby.
Lapeer Pediatrics offers meet-and-greets and prenatal interviews while you’re expecting to help you get to know your pediatrician. The team takes time to get to know every family and meet you and your newborn’s individual needs.
What does newborn care involve?
During this busy time, it’s important that you and your partner have clear and realistic expectations and feel comfortable with the newborn basics like:
- Handling your newborn and supporting your baby’s neck
- Changing your baby’s diaper
- Swaddling your baby
- Bathing and dressing your baby
- Feeding and burping your baby
- Taking your newborn’s temperature
- Soothing your baby
Your baby’s first doctor visit and recurring visits are also a part of your newborn care. This is your opportunity to ask any infant-care questions you might have and discuss important services like your baby’s immunizations.
Starting with your first newborn care visit, typically when your baby is around 3-4 days old, the Lapeer pediatricians do a full exam and look for normal body functions. Your pediatrician assesses your newborn’s reflexes, skin tone, hip stability, and alertness.
Your pediatrician also measures your baby’s length (height), weight, and head circumference, and records these measurements on a growth chart, so you can see how your baby compares to other infants of the same age.
Your pediatrician typically gauges whether your baby’s development is on track and observes your child’s behavior. Your pediatrician also asks about your baby’s milestones and if you have any concerns.
Your newborn also has a head-to-toe exam to check their hips, legs, abdomen, heart, lungs, skin, mouth, ears, eyes, and other body parts.
In the beginning, your pediatrician also checks the shape of your baby’s head to make sure it’s rounding nicely and checks the soft spots on your baby’s head. These soft spots (fontanels) typically disappear within 12-18 months when the skull bones fuse together.
If you’re breastfeeding, Lapeer Pediatrics also offers lactation support.
What are some of the most common health problems affecting newborns?
Some of the most common health problems affecting newborns and babies include colds, coughs, vomiting, and fevers. Many newborns also have skin problems, including diaper rash and cradle cap.
No matter how serious the problem is, the skillful team at Lapeer Pediatrics is here to help. Most diseases can be particularly dangerous during infancy and childhood.
If you have questions about newborn care and you’re interested in exceptional pediatric support for your baby, call Lapeer Pediatrics or schedule online.
