New Patients

Your First Office Visit with Your Newborn

Please bring the following to your first appointment:

• Any paperwork from the hospital
• Any available insurance information (often only parents’ insurance is available at this first visit)
• Plenty of diapers and an extra set of clothes!

Deciding About Circumcision

Some of the boys in our practice are circumcised. Most families circumcise for religious reasons or for personal reasons. Medical reasons for circumcision outweigh the risks of the procedure but are not strong enough to demand that every boy be circumcised. The procedure is safe, done under local anesthesia to minimize pain, and can be done either at the hospital or at our clinic. For more information on circumcision refer to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

Vaccines for Parents

There are many ways to protect your child from illness and disease. The most important is washing your hands. Washing with simple warm soap and warm water is the best way for you to prevent passing illnesses to your child.

Two vaccines are available for you as parents to protect your child from certain diseases. Ask any caretakers or others who may be in close contact with your child (including siblings) to get these vaccines:

Tdap (tetanus with pertussis):

The Tdap vaccine is your tetanus vaccine (the one you are supposed to get every 10 years) with a pertussis component. Pertussis is the bacteria which causes whooping cough. While many adults may have a mild disease, infants can have severe disease including apnea (not breathing). Most of us have not had a pertussis vaccine since Kindergarten entry. Now that Tdap is available, we adults can get a pertussis booster as short as two years after our last tetanus vaccine. Pediatricians are giving this booster to children ages 11 years and up. Obstetricians may be offering the vaccine in the office at pre-pregnancy visits or in the hospital after your baby is delivered.Family and practitioners and internists should have this vaccine available in their offices as well.

Flu Vaccine:

Influenza can cause severe disease and hospitalization in infants, but babies cannot receive flu vaccine until at least 6 months of age. You can protect your newborn during the flu season by getting your flu vaccine (usually available early fall through late spring). Flu vaccine comes in two forms: inactivated vaccine (a shot) or live-attenuated vaccine (a nasal spray called Flumist). Pregnant and nursing mothers should not receive the live-attenuated (Flumist) vaccine. Most physician offices carry the flu vaccine. Some pharmacies also administer flu vaccines.