Newborn Care

Katy Pediatric Associates Our Services Newborn Care

Katy Pediatric Associates

Pediatricians located in Houston, TX

Your newborn child is a precious gift, and you both deserve the best pediatric care available. Asmaa Fotouh, MD, Hebah Aboul-Fotouh, MD, Tabassum Imam, MD, and the team at Katy Pediatric Associates offer exceptional newborn care at their state-of-the-art clinic in Katy, Texas. To schedule your newborn care visit, call the office or request an appointment with the convenient online scheduling tool.

Newborn Care Q&A

What is newborn care?

Newborn care is a thorough assessment of your newborn baby’s health. You should bring your child in to Katy Pediatric Associates within two to five days after your child’s birth so that the team of pediatricians can evaluate their feeding, check for any signs of jaundice, measure their weight, and perform a newborn well-child exam. Remember to bring your newborn’s discharge papers from the hospital when you come in for this visit.

Do you take measurements of my newborn?

During your newborn’s well-child exam, your pediatrician takes the following measurements:

Weight

Your baby’s birth weight can indicate their health since very small babies and very large babies tend to be more prone to problems. The average weight for a full-term baby is about seven pounds or 3.2 kilograms, but newborns can lose as much as 5-8% of their birth weight in their first few days of life. 

Body length

This is the measurement from the top of your newborn’s head to the heel of one of their feet. On average, a newborn baby is about 19.75 inches or 50 centimeters long.

Head circumference

This is the distance around your newborn’s head. A newborn’s head tends to be roughly half of their body length plus 10 centimeters, with the average head circumference measuring 13.75 inches or 35 centimeters. 

What do you check for in the physical exam?

Your newborn exam also involves a physical exam to assess your newborn’s health and vital functions. Your pediatrician measures your child’s:

  • Temperature
  • Heartbeat
  • Breathing rate
  • Oxygen saturation

They also assess the health of their:

  • Skin
  • Head and neck
  • Face, specifically their eyes, nose, and cheeks
  • Ears
  • Mouth, tongue, and throat
  • Lungs
  • Abdomen
  • Genitals and anus

Finally, they evaluate their general appearance, taking into account their muscle tone, posture, level of consciousness and physical activity.

What is a feeding evaluation?

If you have concerns about how your infant feeds, please mention this during your appointment. 

Call the office at Katy Pediatric Associates to schedule your newborn care today, or request your appointment online.

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