A Rundown of an Infant Well-Child Checkup at 1 Month Old

Scheduled checkups for infants and toddlers in Cumming play a significant role in child healthcare. As your infant turns one month old, their health checkup becomes a critical measure of their growth and progress. At Vickery Pediatrics, we have created a list of the important guidelines and factors for infants at one month old. Let’s look into the specifics of this important milestone.

What Are the Main Features of an Infant Well Check at 1 Month Old?

As you reach the end of your first month with your newborn, it’s important to visit your pediatrician for another checkup. The one-month-old well-child visit ensures your baby’s health and development are on-track and can give your family peace of mind. Here are some of the milestones for your infant at this age.

Feeding and Elimination Guidelines for Your 1-Month-Old Baby

• Continue feeding on demand – will average 2-4 ounces every 3-4 hours if bottle-feeding or 15 min on each breast every 2-4 hours if breastfeeding (usually taking 20-27 oz. per day).
• No solids or infant cereal until 4-6 months.
• Changes in stooling patterns are normal, it is a problem only if the stool is very hard to pass or running out of the diaper, if blood is noted in the diaper, if the baby is fussy all of the time, if the baby is losing weight, or if going less than once every five days.
• Your baby should still be having between 5-8 wet diapers a day.
• Continue vitamin D supplementation until three months for formula-fed infants or six months for breastfed infants.

Weight Gain for a 1-Month-Old Infant

• An important part of your newborn’s first doctor’s visit is to check the baby’s weight, length and head circumference to ensure they are growing at a healthy rate.
• The average weight gain is initially 2 pounds per month.
• Birth weight is doubled at 4-5 months and tripled at 1 year of age.

Infant Care and Common Concerns

• The baby can have a bath every 2-4 days once the umbilical stump has fallen off – use an infant bathtub and infant soap to prevent over-drying of the skin.
• It is ok to use a moisturizer, like Eucerin, for dry skin on an as needed basis.
• Cradle cap is yellow scales attached to the scalp and may be seen on the eyebrows. Apply baby shampoo to the baby’s scalp and leave it on for 5 minutes, massaging it into the scalp using a baby brush, then rinse. After the bath is complete, apply baby oil to the scalp to keep it moisturized.
• Tear duct obstruction is demonstrated by a continuously watery eye without swelling or redness of the eye or swelling of the eyelid. Massage the duct with clean hands to help drainage by gently taking your finger and placing it on the inner edge of the eyebrow and massaging to the corner of the inner eye. Bring your baby in to be seen if the discharge becomes yellow or thick.
• Colic is unexplained crying that usually occurs in bouts when the baby is well-fed, dry and healthy. It usually starts between 3-6 weeks and generally resolves by 3-4 months of age. It is not due to bad parenting and there is no medicine to give. Various soothing techniques like cuddling, rocking and vibrating bounce chairs have been helpful.
• This is a great time to introduce “tummy-time” – this enables the baby to develop strong neck and trunk muscles. A great way to start is to lie on your back and hold the baby on your chest facing you. Gently turn their head from one side to the other and as the baby gains strength, they will achieve this task on their own.

Developmental Milestones for an Infant

• More awake
• Will follow bright lights and sounds
• Moves all extremities equally
• Startles to loud sounds

When to Call the Doctor for Your 1-Month-Old Baby

• A fever in a baby is a temperature greater than 100.4 (38C) rectally. If the baby is unusually fussy, not eating or drinking like usual or sleeping more than normal, you may take the temperature rectally. Because of the baby’s immature immune system, the baby needs to be evaluated immediately in the emergency department if the temperature is greater than 100.4.
• A drastic change in eating, elimination, or behavior patterns.

Immunization Schedule for the First 2 Years

• 2 months – Pentacel, Hib, PCV13, RotaTeq
• 4 months – Pentacel, Hib, PCV13, RotaTeq
• 6 months – Pentacel, Hib, PCV13, RotaTeq
• 9 months – None or previously missed vaccines
• 12 months – MMR, Varicella, Hep A
• 15 months – PCV13, Hib
• 18 months – DTaP, Hep A
• 24 months – None or any previously missed vaccines
• Annually – Influenza (optional)

Immunization Guide

• Pentacel: DTaP, Hib, and IPV
• DTaP: Diptheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis
• Hep B: Hepatitis B
• Hib: Haemophilus Influenza Type B
• IPV: Polio (inactivated virus)
• PCV13:  Pneumococcal Pneumonia
• MMR: Measles, Mumps, Rubella
• Hep A: Hepatitis A
• Varicella: Chicken Pox
• Rotateq: Rotavirus (oral vaccine)

**All vaccines are preservative free (no thimerosal)
**Hep A > age 5 years if at risk, mandatory <5 years
**MCV4/PPSV > 2 years if at high risk

Experienced Pediatric Care for Infants and Toddlers in Cumming

Trust Vickery Pediatrics for comprehensive one-month well-child checkups, sick care visits and other vital pediatric treatments. Our pediatricians work with families from Cumming, Buford, Dawsonville, Gainesville, Johns Creek, Sugar Hill, Suwanee and Forsyth County. To ensure your child gets the best care and treatment, reach out to us at (678) 990-2501 or request an appointment today.