Prenatal Consultations

What is a prenatal visit?

A prenatal visit is a scheduled visit at the pediatrician’s office which provides the opportunity for you to meet the pediatrician, their staff, and visit the office facilities.
During this visit, the pediatrician will gather essential information about your current pregnancy and answer all the questions you might have.

When is the best time for a prenatal visit?

You can schedule the prenatal visit any time during your pregnancy. Most expectant moms arrange for this visit during the third trimester, between 32-36 weeks. Don’t wait too long, or you might end up having the baby before meeting the pediatrician.

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Why are prenatal visits important?

It is imperative that you feel comfortable with the person who will be taking care of your child. During this visit you can get the feel for the pediatrician’s style of practicing, believes and biases.

The prenatal visit is a chance to start building a relationship with the pediatrician and the office staff before the baby’s arrival. Consider the prenatal visit as the footing for a trustful, long lasting relationship that will hopefully last for the next 18-21 years.

What is typically covered during this visit?

  • During this visit the pediatrician will ask many questions regarding your pregnancy, past pregnancies, and past medical history in order to identify any potential risks for the baby.
  • The pediatrician will also ask about what hospital you will be delivering at and what type of delivery you are planning for.
  • Other topics for discussion are the typical length of stay at the hospital, hearing and newborn screenings done prior to discharge, first immunization, and the proper safety car seat installation.
  • The pediatrician will discuss with you several other topics including bringing your newborn home, breastfeeding, typical newborn issues, typical newborn care, newborn safety, the recommended well checkup schedule, and immunizations.
  • The pediatrician might use this opportunity to point out factors that could be a concern for the future like how to recognize postpartum depression or parental fatigue and will inquire about the family dynamics and support system.

Questions you must ask during the prenatal visit:

Are you board certified? How long have you been in practice?

What are the office hours? Is the office opened during weekends?

The last thing you want is to bring your healthy newborn to the doctor office and expose the baby to an illness. That’s why it is important to ask about the office facilities. Do they have a separate waiting room for newborns? Is there a separate waiting room for sick and well visits?

How can you get in contact with the pediatrician after hours or during the weekend?

What happens if my baby is born during the weekend?

If you plan to breastfeed, ask about what kind of support you will receive from the office. Do they have a lactation consultant in house to support you through this new and sometimes difficult experience?

If you are on the fence about breastfeeding, this is the perfect chance to learn more about it and why it is beneficial to the baby.

If you have decided not to breast feed, ask if they will be supportive of your decision without passing any judgement on you.

These are just some sample questions, get inspired and come up with your own list…and don’t forget to bring your questions to the appointment.

What is typically covered during this visit?

Prenatal visits are particularly important for:

  • First time moms
  • Experienced moms, but a long time has elapsed since your last delivery.
  • High risk pregnancies
  • Parents expecting more than one baby (ex; twins/triplets)
  • New family to the practice
  • New adoptive parents
  • New foster parents