What is the schedule for baby check-ups from birth?

[AlohaMama]

I'm shortly going to have dc#2. Dc#1 was born in the US where I currently live and from birth he had an assigned paediatrician (at a separate clinic from my own doctor). I took him in for well-baby checkups at birth (Paediatrician came to the hospital), 14d, 30d, 2 mo, 4 mo, 6 mo, 12 mo, 15 mo, 18 mo, 24 mo and then annually. Many of these corresponded with when he was due to get his vaccinations, but not always. This time, I'll be having dd here, but we'll be moving back to the UK when she is 6-8 weeks old. I know I need to ensure she gets her routine care, but how does this work in the UK? Do I just register her with a local GP? Can anyone tell me if there are routine well-baby checks or something similar? Obviously I won't be 'in the system' so won't have had any contacts with midwive or any other health care professional in the UK. I will be registering myself also but assume that will just be going down to local GP office to do that. I just want to make sure I get myself and family registered with the right people at the right time so I don't miss out on important vaccinations or anything like that. Thanks.

I think it depends on your area, here (Northamptonshire) everything is ran through Healy visitor drop ins, the early checks are carried out by a midwife but at 2 weeks dd was discharged and we had a health visitor come to the house twice and since then any contact has been initiated by myself at drop in sessions at local sure start centres other than the 12 week check, 8 month check and injections (which are very much in then out appointments.)

Hope that helps a little :)

As Lurky says, it depends a bit on your area, but broadly....

1. Register your baby with a GP. A baby tends to have a new baby check at 8 weeks old-ish, which is normally arranged by you ringing up and telling them that the baby is approaching that age. (Organised GPs may organise this appointment automatically if the baby is registered well before this, but not others.)

1. You also make an appointment for vaccinstions at 8 weeks and beyond. (In London, some babies also get BCG in their first year.) The schedule here is broadly: Vaccination schedule.

1. Early checks post birth are carried out by midwives in your home/clinics. They then hand over to health visitors, who may visit your home or ask you to come to clinics. You can ring up and tell your local health visitors that you are here. They may come to visit you or ask you to visit them. Or they may just tell you to see your GP.

1. A lot of baby checks are done in local Children's Centres. For example, they have baby weighing clinics there, or breastfeeding support groups etc. These services are less medical but useful for ongoing care.

The difference is that unless your child has a medical condition, here in the UK there are not really standard check ups as such beyond the early days. But obviously we have free care, so you can call up GP whenever you have concerns. My eight week old is seeing the doctor twice this week for his vaccinations/eight week check up and also he has already been twice with a rash and some other issues. And you can go along to regular clinics at Children's Centres to check weight etc www.gov.uk/find-sure-start-childrens-centre.

I think that is most of the main points (although I am pretty tired, so sorry if I have forgotten anything!). Good luck!