Newborn Care
Newborn Care FAQs
Here are some things that will be done prior to your baby being sent home from the hospital.
Helpful Tip: Secure your baby's car seat in the car well before delivery. Sometimes it can take a while to figure out how to secure it correctly and doing it ahead of time will make leaving the hospital less stressful!
What screening tests will be done before discharge?
The state of Massachusetts routinely screens for genetic and rare medical conditions, prior to your departure from the hospital. The goal is to identify and treat diseases early enough to prevent serious complications such as growth problems, developmental delays, intellectual disabilities, blindness and deafness. The following screenings are typically done at the hospital:
- Hearing Test
- Cardiac Test
- Blood Tests (done with a few drops of blood taken from your baby's heel) These include testing for diseases such as thyroid, sickle cell disease, cystic fibrosis, metabolic abnormalities. These are processed at the New England Newborn Screening Program.
The results of these usually take 2-4 weeks to come back. The results are sent to the pediatrician you tell the birth hospital will be your baby's PCP.
What medications will my baby receive at the hospital?
- Vitamin K injection (to decrease risk of bleeding)
- Erythromycin antibiotic eye ointment (to decrease risk of blindness caused by untreated eye infections)
What immunizations will my baby receive at the hospital?
- RSV (Nirsevimab) - May be given if we are going into the Fall/Winter RSV season and you did not receive it while pregnant.
- Hepatitis B
When does my newborn have their first checkup?
We typically see newborns for their first visit within 1-2 days after leaving the hospital. See our Well Child Visits
Section for a preview of this visit!