31860 US-19 North, Palm Harbor, Florida 34684

Newborn Care

Newborn Care Begins From The Moment Your Baby Arrives

The arrival of your new baby is not only a joyous event, but also a major parental responsibility. There’s a lot you need to do to prepare for your newborn’s parental priority when it comes to your little one's health.



At Children’s Medical Center, we help make your transition to parenthood as efficient and simple as possible, for you and your family.

Our doctors visit newborns at Mease Countryside Hospital and the Medical Center at Trinity. Our pediatric services for newborns include:


  • Circumcision – If you wish to have your baby circumcised by one of our board-certified pediatricians, please let the nursery staff or Children’s Medical Center physician who sees your baby in the hospital, know of your preference. We recommend that the circumcision be done as soon as it is possible after birth, preferably within the first seven days.


  • Frenotomy – Some babies are born “tongue-tied” – a condition in which frenulum (the fold of skin under the tongue or between the lip and gum) is unusually short or tight, impairing the infant’s ability to breastfeed. To correct this condition, the highly skilled physicians at Children’s Medical Center perform a frenotomy, a quick and painless procedure that involves holding the tongue up toward the roof the mouth, and cutting through the white, fascia-like tissue that runs parallel with, and close to, the tongue. As a result, breastfeeding is significantly improved.


  • Vaccinations and Immunizations -- To protect your newborn from diseases and infections, the doctors at Children’s Medical Center adhere to the immunization guidelines recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). These include:


  • A first dose of Hepatitis B vaccine at birth and a second dose between the ages of one and two months.
  • The first dose of Rotavirus (RV) vaccine, DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis), Hib, PCV13, and Inactivated poliovirus by the age of two months.\

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Newborn Care FAQs

  • When does my newborn have their first checkup?

    Your new baby has their first checkup within two weeks after leaving the hospital. During this newborn care visit, their pediatrician performs the required newborn screening tests in the office, so you don’t need to make a separate trip to the hospital for your baby’s testing.


    Your newborn’s checkup is a comprehensive exam to be sure they’re growing and developing normally. During the checkup, the pediatrician: 

    • Checks your baby’s weight, length, and head circumference
    • Evaluates your baby’s feeding, bowel, and sleeping habits
    • Does a physical examination, including an eye exam
    • Performs a developmental evaluation

    These visits also give parents time to ask questions about their baby, whether they’re not sure about how to bathe the baby, they have trouble with feeding, they’re worried about the baby’s sleep schedule, or any other concerns.

  • What screenings does newborn care include?

    Some states routinely screens for genetic and rare medical conditions, including 32 core and 24 secondary conditions. The goal is to identify and treat diseases early enough to prevent serious complications such as growth problems, developmental delays, intellectual disabilities, blindness, deafness, and seizures.


    Within the first 24 hours after delivery, your newborn has a hearing screening, and blood is drawn from their heel to run the routine screening tests. Some states require the same procedure to take place at your baby’s two-week checkup.

  • What are well-child visits?

    Well-child visits are ongoing checkups for children that follow a specific schedule. After the two-week newborn care visit, your newborn should see the pediatrician at one and two months.


    During each visit, their pediatrician will evaluate their growth, developmental milestones, and behaviors. If your baby needs routine blood draws, they can also be done in the office. Just like the two-week newborn care visit, every well-child checkup is an opportunity to talk with the pediatrician about baby care and your baby’s health and safety.


    Your pediatrician also gives immunizations at the two-month visit to protect your baby from:

    • Polio
    • Hepatitis B
    • Rotavirus
    • Diphtheria
    • Haemophilus Influenzae
    • Pneumococcus

    Small doses of the same immunizations are repeated several times over the first 18 months to be sure your infant is fully immunized against contagious diseases.


COMPREHENSIVE PEDIATRIC CARE FOR NEWBORNS AND INFANTS IN TAMPA/ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA


Following an initial visit, your Children’s Medical Center pediatrician will see your baby regularly until feeding and weight gain are established, and then again at two weeks of age for a second newborn screening.


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