The first few months after your child’s birth is a time of rapid change. From the time of your newborn’s first pediatrician office visit to their three-month wellness check, this period sets the foundation for their future development. However, for many new parents in Cumming, these sudden changes can feel overwhelming. So with that in mind, let’s examine the first few months after your newborn’s birth.
What Can I Expect in My Newborn’s First Three Months?
Building a close relationship with your pediatrician is vital during the first three months and throughout your child’s development. With this support, parents can get the guidance they need and ensure that a child reaches important milestones.
Tracking Your Newborn’s Growth & Development
Expect your newborn to grow considerably in the first few months, with regular growth spurts and weight gain. During this period the neck muscles begin to develop, and babies start to gain some control of their heads. Motor skills will also see some improvements, particularly with movements like grasping.
Understanding Newborn Sleep Patterns
Newborns may sleep up to 17 hours each day, though they typically wake up every 2–4 hours. As the months progress, some babies will sleep for longer periods uninterrupted, but this won’t always be the case. Building a relationship with your newborn’s pediatrician is key to establishing healthy routines and managing sleep challenges.
Your Baby’s Feeding and Nutrition
A newborn baby will need to feed around 8–12 times per 24 hours. To identify when to feed your baby, look for hunger signs like crying at night, sucking on their hand, turning their head and opening their mouth, as well as lip smacking. You can talk to your pediatrician about breastfeeding, formula feeding, or a combination approach if you are unsure.
Reaching Early Developmental Milestones
Newborns display jerky movements at first, but they start to show more control by the second and third months. During this time they also demonstrate more eye contact, alertness and social cues, such as smiling at people. While reaching developmental milestones can vary, you can usually expect a baby to show more awareness of their parent’s voices and faces, with visible excitement and interest.
Scheduling Checkups and Immunizations
Families will typically attend a newborn well-baby exam 3–5 days after the birth, and then during months one and two. Pediatricians will record height, weight, length and head circumference, and discuss any concerns with parents. At these visits, babies can also receive their scheduled immunizations for hepatitis B, rotavirus, diphtheria, tetanus and acellular pertussis, pneumococcal conjugate and others.
Schedule a Newborn Well-Child Visit in Cumming, GA
Vickery Pediatrics provides newborn well-child visits and sick care appointments for families in Cumming, Buford, Dawsonville, Gainesville, Johns Creek, Sugar Hill, Suwanee and Forsyth County. Contact our team to arrange an appointment with a pediatrician. Call (678) 990-2501 or request an appointment today.
