Newborn Care Check-Up Schedule: What to Expect

The first weeks with a newborn come with a lot of unknowns. Understanding which screenings your baby needs and what happens at each visit makes the early days a little less overwhelming.

Nobody warns you how many appointments your newborn needs in their first few weeks of life. You’ve just come home, you’re exhausted, and your schedule is already filling up.

Those early visits exist for good reason, though — the screenings your baby receives in the first five days can catch conditions that look completely normal from the outside.

At The Birth Center of New Jersey in Union, New Jersey, our midwives handle all required newborn care and walk you through what’s happening at each visit so nothing catches you off guard.

Screenings your baby needs in the first five days

New Jersey law requires three screenings for every newborn, and timing matters for all of them. At The Birth Center of New Jersey, these are completed 1-5 days after birth:

Newborn blood screening

A small heel prick collects the blood sample used to screen for dozens of metabolic, genetic, and endocrine conditions. Many of these, including phenylketonuria (PKU) and congenital hypothyroidism, produce no visible symptoms in a newborn but can affect development significantly if they go undetected.

Hearing screening

A small device checks how your baby’s ears respond to sound. The test takes just a few minutes, and your baby can sleep through it. Identifying hearing differences this early gives families time to pursue intervention during the period when it has the greatest impact on language development.

Heart defect screening

Small sensors placed on your baby’s skin measure blood oxygen levels. Some congenital heart defects don’t produce a murmur or obvious physical signs, and pulse oximetry catches what a physical exam alone might miss.

What your midwife checks at follow-up visits

Beyond the required screenings, your midwife sees your baby for follow-up visits in the first weeks to make sure feeding and growth are on track.

At these appointments, your provider checks weight gain, looks at the umbilical cord stump, assesses for jaundice, and goes over any questions you have about feeding, sleep, or daily care.

Signs that need attention before your next newborn visit

Most newborn concerns can wait for a scheduled visit, but a few symptoms need a call to your midwife right away:

Difficulty breathing or unusual breathing patterns
Fever above 100.4°F
Yellowing of the skin or eyes
Refusal to eat
Extreme fussiness that doesn’t let up
Fewer than six wet diapers a day once the first week ends

Trust what you’re observing. You know your baby better than anyone else.

To schedule a newborn care appointment, call our office at 908-627-4455 or book a visit online.