Newborns/Infants and Children
We care for your child from the very first week of life, embracing your instincts and guiding your parental focus by addressing all of your questions and concerns.
This means that your baby will be seen within the first week of life, then at routine health care visits at regular intervals. At each of these visits, we will monitor the growth and development of your baby and discuss nutritional needs,routine immunizations, and evolving parenting techniques.Complete measurements and physical exam, as well as developmental assessment will be performed and vaccinations will be administered according to the schedule endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Vaccinations will be discussed with you at each visit.
Anticipatory guidance and behavioral issues can be discussed and addressed during these visits as well as routine blood work, including lead risk assessment, a vision and hearing exam is done at the appropriate age visits.
Prenatal Meetings
If you are interested to meet your pediatrician prior to your child's birth, familiarize yourself with our office and our approach to medical care, you can schedule a prenatal consultation by calling the phone number below.
ALL ABOUT BREASTFEEDING
All babies are born with a natural reflex to suck and breastfeeding should come fairly easily to most newborns. But is not always smooth sailing form the very start! Even for professional moms, with experience with other parents and children, it does not have to come easy.....until the point it just is!
The main ingredients are to rest, eat a very healthy diet, drink plenty of fluids. No matter how high are your concerns about a quantity and adequacy of your breast milk flow to your newborn baby, the most important ingredients to successes of breastfeeding is to relax!
If you are having trouble with your baby latching on, or other questions, the lactation nurses at the hospital and later, special lactation consultants, are an excellent resource for help. Breastfeeding can be somewhat painful in the first few days. You want to be sure to start off slowly and increase the amount of time the baby spends on the breast gradually within the first week of life. It may take four or five days for your milk supply to come in fully. Once that happens, the baby will feed on demand or usually between one and three hours.
If your baby is very sleepy in the first few days of life, you will need to wake the baby somehow, such as rubbing the bottom of the foot. Most of the milk is let down in the first 15 to 20 minutes. Therefore, after feeding on the first breast for that amount of time, you can switch to the second breast. The whole feeding experience is usually completed within 30 to 40 minutes.
Gently remove your baby from the breast after 15 minutes of sucking on one side. Additional time spent on the breast is unnecessary and can be subscribed to sucking for baby's entertainment. That would be just fine, but it can hurt your breast and nipples and discourage you from breastfeeding at this point.
Do not forget that your baby has only two choices of communication, one is sucking and the other is crying. Parenting requires a lots of patients, now and forever! But even more important is to set boundaries and stay consistent and that training starts here!
Breastfeeding is something that every pediatrician encourages for moms everywhere, and I do too!
Not only does it offer many health benefits and antibody protection against illness, it is a very clean, easy and convenient source of nutrition and a wonderful bonding experience between a mom and her child. However, breastfeeding may not be desired by everyone for personal or medical reasons. In that case, there are excellent formulas available on the market that simulate breast milk very closely and which can be used in lieu of breastfeeding. We recommend a consultation on which one of these formulas is appropriate for your situation—always check with your pediatrician before changing formulas on your own.
BREASTFEEDING DAILY FOOD GUIDE
Breastfeeding women should eat a well-balanced, varied diet. Taking vitamin and mineral supplements is not a substitute for healthy eating. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole-grain breads and cereals, calcium-rich dairy products, and protein-rich foods (meats, fish, and legumes). Make sure you are getting enough calories.
- Milk, yogurt, and cheese -- eat at least 4 servings
- Meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, and nuts -- eat at least 3 servings
- Vegetables -- eat at least 3 to 5 servings
- Fruits -- eat 2 to 4 servings (choose two foods high in vitamin C and folic acid, and one food high in vitamin A)
- Bread, cereal, rice, and pasta -- eat about 6 to 11 servings
- Fats, oils, and sweets -- go easy!
You should be eating 5 servings of food that have plenty of calcium every day, including milk, yogurt, cheese, salmon, broccoli, and tofu.
DRINK FLUIDS
Nursing mothers need enough fluids to stay hydrated. Most experts recommend drinking enough fluids to satisfy thirst. Eight 8-ounce servings (64 ounces) of fluid such as water, milk, juice, or soup is a good goal.
FOODS
Some foods may flavor the breast milk, but babies rarely react to this. If your baby is fussy after you eat a certain food or spice, try avoiding that food for a while, then try it again later to see if it is a problem.
It is possible that some highly allergenic foods (strawberries, peanuts) may be passed into breast milk, increasing the risk of a later food allergy in the baby. If this is a concern, discuss food allergies with your pediatrician.
CAFFEINE, ALCOHOL, AND SMOKING
A nursing mother can safely drink moderate amounts of caffeine (equal to 1 cup of coffee per day) without causing harm to her baby. But some babies may even react to 1 cup a day, so keep a close eye on your baby.
Avoid alcohol while breastfeeding. An occasional drink, no more than 2 ounces of alcohol, may be safe, but you should consult your health care provider about the possible risks.
If you are a smoker, this is a great time to quit!
DRUGS IN BREAST MILK
Many medications (prescription and over-the-counter medications) will pass into the mother's milk. Most of these medications are safe. Check with your health care provider before taking any medications. Do NOT stop taking any prescribed medication without first speaking to your doctor. Remember, medications that were safe while you were pregnant may not always be safe while breastfeeding.
YOUR MENSTRUAL PERIODS AND BIRTH CONTROL
Breastfeeding will delay the return of normal menstrual periods (called lactation amenorrhea). This helps keep extra iron in your body.
Although the risk of pregnancy is less while you are breastfeeding, you can get pregnant. Breastfeeding should not be used as the only method of contraception.
You are less likely to get pregnant while breastfeeding if:
- It has been no more than 6 months since your baby was born.
- You are breastfeeding only, and your baby is not receiving any formula.
- You have not yet had a menstrual period.
Discuss your birth control choice with your health care provider. Barrier methods (condom, diaphragm), progesterone-only pills or shots, and IUDs have all been shown to be safe and effective.