Well Baby Visits

What are well baby visits?
What happens at well baby visits?
When should I take my baby to well baby visits?
BabycareAdvice.com parenting advice
Child Health Residential Centers

What are well baby visits?

Well baby visits are when a newborn, infant, toddler, or young child has a routine check-up at a doctor's office or child health clinic. The goal of well baby visits is to promote the health of children and provide preventative health care; both of which support a positive future for children.

In the US well baby visits are provided by pediatricians. In other countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Canada, UK and Sweden, the majority of well baby visits are provided by nurses, who have undergone extensive training to provide this specialized service.

What happens at well baby visits?

Your child's doctor or nurse practitioner will ask to see your child at regular intervals in order to...

To monitor your baby's growth and development.
To promote your baby's health by providing you with information on healthy growth, normal development, diet, general care and immunizations.
To detect any problems early so that treatment can be commenced and complications prevented.
To assess your baby's hearing and vision.
To provide routine immunizations to protect your baby against specific childhood illnesses.
To provide an opportunity for you to ask questions relating to parenting problems or concerns.
NOT LEAST, well baby visits provide an opportunity to discuss how you are feeling; or problems you may be experiencing postpartum.

When should I take my baby to well baby visits?

Many countries provide guidelines for new parents on the recommended ages for well baby visits (these can vary from country to country). Most will recommend a visit at...

1 month
2 months
4 months
6 months
9 months
12 months
18 months
2 years
3 years

Of course, visits and telephone calls to your baby's doctor or nurse practitioner should be made anytime you are concerned about your baby's health, or at times you feel that you need professional information or advice regarding any parenting problems relating to the care of your baby or child.

BabycareAdvice.com parenting advice

BabycareAdvice.com consultants are qualified and experienced child health nursese. Each of our consultants has 10 year or more experience in...

Facilitating well baby visits.
Providing parenting advice over the telephone.
Providing parenting education and support for parents during their brief stay at a Child Health Residential Center (see below).

Although our Consultants can't examine your baby over the telephone, they can provide professional parenting advice relating to any problems you may be experiencing in caring for your baby or child.

Our consultants are experienced in providing parenting advice which is based on both BEHAVIORAL and MEDICAL models of care. Using both models of care, enables our consultants to resolve complex well baby/child/parenting problems that other health professionals are unable to resolve. (See Why health professionals often fail to help parents.)

In addition to child health qualifications, each of our consultants is also a registered midwife who is experienced in providing advice on breastfeeding and maternal health during the postpartum period.

...For more information on our consultation service.

Child Health Residential Centers

In much the same way that a hospital can provide more intensive support than can be provided in a doctor's office. A Child health Residential Center provides a greater depth of support to parents and their children than can be provided in at Well Baby Visits. Unfortunately, very few countries provide this type of service for their parents; Australia and New Zealand being two.

When experiencing complex well baby/child care problems related to behavior, such as feeding difficulties, sleep problems, excessive crying or parental exhaustion, parent/s and child are offered a referral (by their child's doctor, pediatrician or community child health nurse) for admission to a Child Health Residential Center.

Child Health Residential Centers are community based centers, similar to a hospital but different in that both parent/s and their well baby or child are admitted to stay for a day, overnight or for a number of days.

During the family's stay (which can vary from 1 - 4 days or more depending on the problem) parents are provided with 24 hour, hands-on support and guidance from qualified child health nurses, who provide parenting education and assist parents with strategies to resolve or improve their baby/child care difficulties.

If you are a resident of Australia or New Zealand, the services of a Child Health Residential Center are provided FREE. Speak to your local G.P. pediatrician or child health nurse for more information.

Written by Rowena Bennett
RN, RM, RPN, CHN, Grad Dip Health Promotion.

Added May 2004.

Back to Caring for your baby Top