Maximizing Baby Checkups: A Guide for Parents 0 11 Months

Maximize Your Baby's Checkup Visits Ages 0-11 Months

Overview

It is recommed that infants receive six well-baby visits before their first birthday. These routine checkups allow healthcare professionals to ensure your baby's health and development are proceeding as expected, allowing for early detection of any issues that can be treated more effectively when caught in the early stages.

Each well-baby visit includes a thorough examination by a doctor or nurse, which plays a vital role in identifying potential problems promptly. This also provides an opportunity for you to address questions regarding your baby's care with healthcare professionals.

In this guide, we provide information on what happens during each checkup and practical tips for making the most of these appointments.

Routine Visits

• Newborn Visit: Your baby will see a doctor within 2 to 3 days after coming home from the hospital. After this initial visit, subsequent well-baby checkups occur at:

  • Month 1

  • Month 2

  • Month 4

  • Month 6

  • Month 9

In case you're concerned about your baby's health, it is recommed to seek immediate medical attention rather than wting for the next scheduled appointment.

Child Development Checkpoints

Understanding if your infant is meeting developmental milestones enables you to confirm their healthy progress and address any potential concerns. The healthcare provider will ask about:

• Physical Milestones: How well your baby can hold their head, lift arms when lying on stomach, focus eyesight on objects within reach, and react to sounds.

• Cognitive and Social Development: Whether the baby responds to familiar faces, coos at people speaking, laughs or smiles during play, looks attentively at you while you call them by name.

As your child progresses through their first year:

• At 1 month: Most infants will hold their hands in tight fists, exhibit jerky arm movements, focus on objects within a few inches and show preference for sweet scents.

• By the second month: They'll be able to lift head when lying on stomach, look at your face, respond with smiles upon hearing your voice, and react to loud noises.

• At 4 months: Babies might bring their hands to mouth, make cooing sounds, grasp toys offered by hand, track sound sources, or imitate speech-like noises.

• By the sixth month: Infants can sit without support and potentially lean on their arms for sitting stability, roll from stomach to back, display interest in objects, recognize familiar people, and enjoy looking at themselves in mirrors.

• At 9 months: Most babies may produce multi-syllable sounds like mamama or babababa, giggle during play peek-a-boo games, react to their name being called, and sit without support.

If you are concerned about your child's development:

It is essential to discuss any concerns with the healthcare provider at each visit. that every baby grows and develops at a unique pace. If you have questions or worries regarding your child's growth and learning abilities, speaking with the doctor is crucial for getting guidance and addressing potential issues.

Further detls about each developmental milestone are linked here.

The information in has been updated on July 10, 2024.

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This content is provided by the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Services HHS.

Last Revised: September 23, 2024
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