Care by age: birth to 12 months
Your baby’s first year, one visit at a time
Seven well visits in the first year, a doctor who answers the phone, and plain guidance on feeding, sleep, crying, rashes and fevers. This page gathers what families of newborns and infants ask us most, and what to keep in the medicine cabinet.
NCQAPatient-Centered Medical HomeWhat this year is about
Feeding, growing, sleeping, and finding your feet
The first year is the fastest growth of a lifetime: birth weight triples, the brain doubles, and a newborn who can only cry becomes a baby who waves, babbles and pulls to stand. Our job is to check that growth and development at each visit, keep vaccines on schedule, and answer the questions in between so small worries do not become long nights.
Well visits fall at 3 to 5 days, 1, 2, 4, 6, 9 and 12 months. Each one covers growth, feeding, sleep, development, safety and vaccines, and leaves time for your list. Dr. Viswanadham sees newborns in English or Spanish.
Most common questions
What families of babies ask us
Fever in a baby
Under 3 months, a temperature of 100.4°F or higher is an emergency. Over 3 months, treat comfort, not the number.
Newborn sleep
Short cycles, night waking and day–night confusion are normal. Safe sleep every time; a routine from 6 to 8 weeks.
Colic and crying
Crying peaks at 6 weeks and eases by 3 to 4 months. What soothes, and how to protect your own sanity.
Poop, spit-up and gas
Colors, frequency and the three colors that need a call. Why straining is not constipation.
Starting solids
Around 6 months, when your baby sits with support and shows interest. Iron-rich first foods and early allergens.
Rashes and diaper rash
Baby acne, cradle cap and diaper rash mostly clear with simple care. What yeast looks like.
Teething
First teeth between 4 and 12 months. Chilled teethers help; numbing gels and necklaces harm.
Milestones
What to expect at 2, 4, 6, 9 and 12 months, and the signs that mean an earlier look.
Vaccines in the first year
The schedule, what each vaccine prevents, and how we make shot visits easier.
Medicine cabinet
Over-the-counter basics in the first year
| Situation | What is appropriate | What to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Fever or pain, under 3 months | Call us or go to the ER for any fever of 100.4°F or higher; no medicine before we see the baby | Any fever reducer without our okay |
| Fever or pain, 3 to 6 months | Acetaminophen (infant drops) dosed by weight, with our okay, every 4 to 6 hours | Ibuprofen under 6 months; aspirin at any age |
| Fever or pain, 6 to 12 months | Acetaminophen or ibuprofen dosed by weight; see our dosing answer | Alternating both without a plan; combination products |
| Stuffy nose and cough | Saline drops and a bulb or suction device, a cool-mist humidifier, upright holding | Cough and cold medicines (not for children under 4); honey under 12 months; vapor rubs on infants |
| Diaper rash | Zinc oxide paste or petroleum jelly at every change; air time; clotrimazole for a yeast rash | Powders; steroid creams under the diaper without asking us |
| Teething | Chilled teether, cold washcloth, gum massage; acetaminophen for a bad day after 3 months | Benzocaine gels, homeopathic teething tablets, amber necklaces |
| Gas and colic | Feeding position, burping, motion, swaddling; simethicone drops are safe though rarely helpful | Gripe water and herbal drops; frequent formula switching |
| Dry skin and eczema | Fragrance-free moisturizer twice a day, short lukewarm baths; 1% hydrocortisone for flares on the body, briefly | Fragranced lotions; hydrocortisone on the face without asking us |
| Constipation (after solids) | A little prune or pear puree, extra water with meals from 6 months | Laxatives, suppositories or enemas without asking us; honey; corn syrup |
| Sun | Shade and clothing under 6 months; mineral sunscreen (zinc or titanium) from 6 months | Chemical sunscreens on very young babies; direct sun at midday |
Questions
First-year questions
When is the first visit after birth?
Within 3 to 5 days of going home, sooner if the hospital asks. We check weight, feeding and jaundice and answer everything from the first week. Call before you leave the hospital and we will hold a slot.
How do I reach you at night with a newborn question?
Call the main number; after hours the on-call provider calls you back. For a fever under 3 months, difficulty breathing or a baby who is hard to wake, go to the ER or call 911 first and let us know after.
Do you support breastfeeding and formula equally?
Yes. Fed is the goal. We help with latch and supply, safe formula preparation, and combinations, and we refer to lactation consultants when it helps.
Which vaccines does my baby get in the first year?
Hepatitis B, rotavirus, DTaP, Hib, pneumococcal, polio, RSV protection in season, and flu from 6 months, on the AAP schedule. See the immunization schedule.
Expecting, or just home with a newborn?
Call or text (770) 615-7000 for a prenatal meet-the-doctor visit or to schedule the first newborn visit. We hold same-week slots for newborns.