Mother and baby check up

Most of our patients come for the first visit 6 weeks after birth for the wellness check for mother and baby. At this stage both mother and baby are examined and checked for any physical health problems. The first weeks and months of a baby’s life are magical and amazing, but can also be quite challenging for mothers and the rest of the family as they adjust to the new baby. We encourage our new mothers, as well as fathers to discuss any concerns or problems they may be dealing with, from breastfeeding, sleepless nights to mental health issues. There are a number of services available to help new parents and it is important to remember that most parents have faced similar issues at some point in their children’s lives.

Health checks are used to monitor how your child is growing and to check whether certain conditions are present so they can be treated. Your child and family health nurse or doctor will check or discuss your child’s hearing, vision, development, height, weight and head circumference growth, and will be happy to discuss the results with you.

The 6 week immunisations are given, and as a standard, contraception is discussed.

When should children be checked?

Children’s health and development should be checked at:

• birth
• 1 to 4 weeks
• 6 to 8 weeks
• 6 to 9 months
• 18 months
• 2 years
• 3 years
• 4 years

Be sure to take your child to visit your nurse or doctor at these ages. Some children may also need additional visits if they have particular health issues – your doctor or early childhood nurse should advise you of this if it is the case.