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We have prepared the following information to help you through the first busy weeks with your infant. The physician that sees your baby should have told you when to make your first appointment. Please call our office at (480) 732-0044 to make that appointment as soon as you arrive home. If you deliver at Mercy Gilbert or Banner Desert, your newborn will be seen by either Dr. Ciminello, Dr. Salek or Dr. Chiles. If you deliver at Banner Gateway, Banner Baywood, or Chandler Regional your newborn will be seen by the DPH pediatrician. If you deliver at another area hospital, ask your obstetrician to help you select a pediatrician to see your newborn in the hospital. Many parents ask about Vitamin K. We do follow the recommendations of the Academy of Pediatrics and advise that your child get that medication in the hospital. Hemorrhagic Disease of the Newborn (Vitamin K Deficiency) We also recommend antibiotic ointment to prevent newborn conjunctivitis. We see your newborn each day that you are in the hospital. If you wa nt your son to be circumcised, we will discuss the procedure with you in the hospital. Both of us prefer to do the procedure in the hospital. You may review the following links Circumcision Information for Parents and Circumcision: Frequently Asked Questions, if you have other concerns. Infants should sleep in a crib or bassinet. We discourage sleeping in the parents' bed. Do not leave your infant on a sofa or on adult bed. Newborns will fall off of a surface that does not have restraints and may be seriously injured. It is recommended that you position your infant on his back while sleeping. There may be an increased incidence of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) with those patients positioned on their stomachs. Check the hot water heater thermostat. It should be on the lowest setting or less than 120 degrees. Any time the infant rides in the car, he/she should be in an approved car restraint. IT IS THE LAW! Sneezing and hiccups are normal. Infants normally have nasal congestion and may benefit from a vaporizer in their room at night. The congestion seems to improve during the day. Newborn infants are more wakeful during the night and cry more. They sleep more during the day. We advise the mother to sleep when the infant naps. Infants commonly have fussy time between 5 and 7 PM due to being overly tired. Just expect it, it is not due to gas or colic. Limit visitors during the first two weeks, neither Mom or baby will tolerate the excitement well. Do not bathe your infant daily. Every other day or every three days is OK. Use a mild soap, such as Neutrogena. Do not tub bathe until the umbilical cord has fallen off and the stump is dry. The cord will fall off in 2-4 weeks. Blood may be noted at that time. It may also smell bad. Clean the cord with a Q-tip soaked with alcohol. Feeding is on demand. That is, when the infant cries, feed him. However, there is no need to feed your infant more often than every two hours. Formula fed infants will take 1-2 ounces every 3-4 hours. Baby Feeding and Nutrition Breast fed infants should be feeding 10 minutes every 2-4 hours. Your milk will come in between day 3 and 4. Breastfeeding — Best for Baby. Best for Mom. During the first 3 days your infant will lose weight and will pass urine less frequently and you may notice a red stain in the urine that is NOT blood. It is urates and reflects very concentrated urine. Girls may pass blood and mucous from the vagina during the first week. This is normal. Hands and feet are normally dry and peel. Apply a moisturizing cream such as Keri lotion or Nivea cream. Hands and feet commonly turn blue. As long as the face an trunk are pink and the infant is breathing comfortably, do not become alarmed. It is due to immature circulation. Jaundice (yellow skin) is a common problem and may be due to many things. You may be asked by your physician to have a bilirubin test performed, which is a heal stick to obtain blood. More than one blood test may be required and treatment may be needed, which consists of special lights that may be used at home or in the hospital, depending upon the circumstances. Learn to take a temperature on your baby. The normal temperature is 99 to 100 degrees. When the infant is bundled snugly, the temperature under the arm may be the same as the rectal temperature. Formula fed infants will have 1-3 stools per day. Breast fed infants will begin to have frequent watery golden yellow stools between 3 and 5 days of age. They may have between 10 and 12 stools per day. Spit ups are normal! Your first office visit is usually between 3 and 5 days of age. You should be advised by your pediatrician or in some instances by your health plan as to where your are to take your baby for the follow up exam. Click here to go to our new patient Registration form, which is to be completed before your infant's newborn check-up. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to your appointment time with the forms completed. If not completed you will need to arrive 30 minutes early. We hope you find this information helpful and please call our office as soon as possible to schedule your infant's first office visit. In the meantime, we are available to help you with any questions or concerns you may have. Our doctors are available 24 hours a day. Should you have an urgent need that cannot wait for normal office hours, call our main number 480-732-0044 and listen to instructions on how to reach our physician. We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you on your new arrival. We would like to give you the following suggestions on how to have your newborn added to your insurance policy.
Hopefully, with these helpful hints, this adjustment will go smoothly. If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to call.
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