6 Questions To Ask At Your Baby’s Medical Visits
There are questions you should ask your pediatrician at your baby’s medical visits. Here are six of the most important ones.
You want to make sure you’re doing everything you can for your baby’s health. But to help, you need to know if there’s a problem early on, and if so, what type of care they need.
You can avoid emergency doctor visits just by knowing a few areas to look out for in your baby’s health.
We’ve gathered the top 6 questions you should ask your pediatrician at your baby’s first visit.
What To Ask At Your Baby’s Medical Visits
Here’s what you should ask at your baby’s medical visits:
1. Diet
What a baby eats is perhaps one of the most important aspects of their development. Without the proper nutrients, they won’t grow as they should.
So whether you go for an in-person visit or use pediatric telemedicine, you should tell the doctor exactly what your baby eats, how often, and bring up any concerns you may have.
Based on your concerns, your pediatrician may recommend supplements, reveal if your baby may be lactose intolerant, or recommend more or less frequent feedings.
2. Sleep Patterns
We all need our beauty rest, and babies are no different. Sleep is closely tied to a baby’s overall cognition functioning and physical growth.
If your baby isn’t getting enough or high-quality sleep, this could bring real problems.
Ask your doctor about your baby’s ideal sleep schedule. How often you should put them down for naps, when it’s ok to wake them up, and the best sleeping positions to promote better sleep.
3. Poops
How and when your baby poops are great indicators of their health. Taking a closer look at the color, texture, and frequency can help your doctor know how to better help your baby’s sleep and diet.
So before you meet with the pediatrician, make a mental note or write down notes to yourself about your baby’s poops.
The more descriptive, the more your pediatrician can assess what their poop is trying to say.
Even if everything is alright, ask your doctor about what you should be on the lookout for in the future as a sign that something’s wrong.
4. Development
When looking at your baby’s development, you want to be aware of both physical and cognitive milestones to look for:
- When and how often should you have tummy time?
- When should they respond to shiny objects or sounds?
Always report milestones on the baby’s progress to your doctor, so they can intervene if anything’s wrong.
5. Comfort
An important part of your baby’s growth is feeling safe. The emotional development that comes from a safe, trusting environment will inform their emotional health for the rest of their lives.
So ask your pediatrician about the best ways to comfort, when you should and shouldn’t provide comfort, and the best self-soothing techniques to offer your baby.
6. Promoting Good Health
The last question you should always ask is “How can I help my baby going forward?”
This is a great opportunity to inquire about general concerns and learn better techniques for keeping your baby safe and growing as they should.
You can ask anything like the best vaccination schedule, how to improve routines, or what public places they should avoid early in life.
Sometimes getting your pediatrician talking can be the best way to learn more about how to help your baby.
Take Action For Your Baby’s Health
If you ever think there may be a problem with your baby’s health, don’t let it go unaddressed. Your pediatrician is there to help because your baby’s early development will determine much of their health for the rest of their lives.
So, take an active role in promoting healthy growth and development, and ask every question you have when you see your pediatrician.
