New Patients
Newborn Patient Information
Pediatric Partners Is No Longer Providing Newborn Visits at University Hospital
University Hospital, like many other hospitals across the country, is changing how they provide maternity and newborn care. This new model is called “Mother-Baby Dyad Care.” With this change, mothers and babies stay together throughout the hospital stay. Babies no longer will go to a nursery, and they will receive medical care from neonatologists – hospital-based physicians specializing in infants. Newborns will be seen by their personal pediatrician within 24-48 hours after discharge. Previously, pediatricians would examine newborns in the hospital nursery. With the new model, pediatricians are unable to dedicate the significant increase in time to visit individual rooms around mother/baby schedules, which would reduce time available to care for patients during office visits seven days a week. Therefore, Pediatric Partners has decided to discontinue newborn hospital visits to be able to continue being accessible to all patients. We urge new mothers to select their pediatrician prior to delivery and schedule their baby’s first appointment within 48 hours of discharge.
Hospital-based neonatologists, specialists in newborn medicine, will provide care for infants during the initial hospital stay. Because neonatologists are hospital-based, they are more accessible to babies dispersed among individual rooms instead of a centralized nursery.
All other local hospitals provide a similar mother-baby care model, so we do not provide in-hospital newborn visits.
Your newborn should see a pediatrician within 24-48 hours after discharge. We encourage Moms-to-be to select their pediatrician early, give the pediatrician’s name to the hospital if they schedule the appointment, or make the appointment yourself.
It’s important for the pediatrician to see newborns quickly. During the initial visit, pediatricians check infant heart functions, eyes, ears, weight, appetite and hydration. Lastly, pediatricians also check breastfed babies to confirm they are not jaundiced, are latching properly and are breastfeeding well, or are digesting formula if they are bottle fed.
Yes. Breast feeding is beneficial for infants because it provides nutrition, immunity and bonding. Moms often have questions about their techniques, frequency, whether the baby is getting enough, etc. That is why why have a physician who is a lactation specialist as well as another staff lactation consultant.
Visit our sister facility
Bella Bambino is a center of clinical excellence, specializing in lactation care, providing support and education in a nurturing environment to mothers and their newborns as they navigate their first few weeks together.
About Vaccinations
Vaccines are safe and effective lifesaving treatments. There is no evidence that vaccines cause autism or other developmental disabilities.
The pediatricians and pediatric advanced practitioners of Pediatric Partners of Augusta, LLC follow the vaccination schedule published by the Centers for Disease Control and the American Academy of Pediatrics. See the schedule below.
Vaccinating children and young adults may be the single most important health-promoting intervention we can do for our children. While we understand there are some controversies about vaccines, we agree with the experts in the field and recommend following the recommended schedule. Not vaccinating is unsafe and can expose children to vaccine-preventable diseases. This puts both the unvaccinated child as well as other children in the community at risk.
Should you have questions please discuss with your healthcare provider before your visit.
CDC Vaccination Schedules
Pediatric Partners of Augusta
We look forward to working with you as your child grows into a healthy, young adult.