There are two situations in which it is advisable for families to contact the pediatrician before birth, in what we call a prenatal pediatric visit. One is when a problem appears during pregnancy that may affect the newborn: risk of prematurity, detection of a fetal anomaly by ultrasound… the interview with the pediatrician will provide further information on the newborn’s problems and will allow us to know what kind of care he/she may need. The other situation is when it is the first child of a couple, especially if they have no previous experience in caring for newborns. In these cases, all the initial doubts about care during the first days and even about organizational aspects of the pediatric visit are raised.
In the case of newborn visits, given that discharge from the maternity ward after delivery is now very early, in most cases it is advisable that the first visit with the pediatrician be 24 or 48 hours later. The reason for this is that at discharge on the third day of life, breastfeeding is not yet fully established, weight gain has not started and some common problems, such as jaundice in newborns, may still be in their infancy and may worsen after discharge.
At the first visit, the pediatrician should complete the family and individual history of the newborn, verify that the various newborn screening tests (hearing, metabolic) have been performed, perform a complete physical examination and ensure that feeding is functioning properly. If it is the first child and a prenatal visit has not been made, this first visit will be the first contact between the parents and the pediatrician, the beginning of a long relationship of trust.