Congratulations!

Having a new baby is a very special and joyous event but can also be very stressful.  We would like to make your hospital stay as pleasant as possible.  This section is intended to help you anticipate some of the things  you can expect from our pediatricians in the hospital after you have delivered your baby.  

If this is your first child, choosing a pediatrician can be big step.  It is very common these days to have a completely different group of pediatricians caring for your new baby while in the hospital nursery.  When your baby is discharged, care is then transferred to your primary pediatrician.  We believe that our relationship with you and your baby should begin from day-one in the nursery.  If you have any questions or concerns, or would like to meet us in person, please do not hesitate to contact us.

You Will See Us Every Morning!

As general pediatricians, our primary focus is making sure healthy babies remain healthy.  So we only see babies in the Newborn Nursery.  We leave the highly specialized care of preterm and ill newborns to the neonatologists in the NICU.  We make daily newborn rounds at Presbyterian Hospital and Women’s Hospital only.  We do not go to UNM.

On the very first visit, we will review your pregnancy and delivery records for any potential issues that will require further attention.  We also do a comprehensive newborn physical examination.  While you and your baby remain in the hospital, we will continue to do daily physical examinations to make sure that your baby remains healthy.  We will update you on your baby’s progress on a daily basis, go over what to expect at home following discharge, and when to come to our clinic for followup.  You will have a follow up appointment scheduled before you are discharged.

If you would like to have your baby boy circumcised, we will do that prior to discharge.

Routine Care Done By Hospital Staff

There are some things that are considered routine newborn care that  will be done by hospital staff unless you specify otherwise.  These include the administration of an eye ointment and vitamin K injection shortly after delivery, a bath, a hearing screen, and the first Hepatitis B Vaccination.  When your baby is 24 hours old, the first metabolic screening test (also known as the PKU test) is also drawn.  In general, our recommendation is to always follow what is considered  standard of care by the American Academy of Pediatrics.