Newborn and baby checks in Kilmore
The first months come with a great many questions and very little sleep. Regular checks are a chance to raise all of it with someone who has the whole picture – of your baby, and of you.
Two patients, one appointment
The six-week check is usually the first proper appointment after leaving hospital, and it covers both of you. Your baby gets a head-to-toe examination and their first scheduled immunisations. You get your postnatal check.
Booking them together is not just convenient. It means the same GP sees how feeding is going, how your recovery is going, and how you are actually coping – which are related in ways that separate appointments tend to miss.
After that, checks continue alongside your maternal and child health nurse. The nurse follows the state schedule for growth and development. Your GP handles medical concerns, immunisations, and anything about you.
Who this is for
- New babies due for their six-week check
- Parents with feeding, reflux or settling difficulties
- Babies whose weight or growth needs watching
- Parents worried about a developmental milestone
- Mothers due for a postnatal check
- Anyone struggling with mood or anxiety after a birth
What the checks cover
The six-week examination
A head-to-toe check: heart sounds, hips, eyes and red reflex, fontanelles, weight, length and head circumference, and reflexes. Usually combined with the first scheduled immunisations.
Growth and development
Measurements plotted over time rather than judged on a single reading, plus feeding, sleep and the milestones worth watching for. Where something is not tracking as expected, early referral genuinely changes outcomes.
Feeding and settling
Breastfeeding difficulties, bottle feeding questions, reflux, and unsettled babies. Practical help, and referral to a lactation consultant or paediatrician where that is what is needed.
How you are going
Your own recovery, contraception, and your mental health. Postnatal depression and anxiety are common and treatable, and raising them early makes a real difference. It is a completely normal thing to bring up here.
Book an appointment if
- Your baby is approaching six weeks old
- Feeding is not going well, or weight gain is slow
- Your baby is unsettled in a way that worries you
- You have not had your own postnatal check
- You are not feeling like yourself and it has been more than a couple of weeks
Before your appointment
Book the six-week check, the first immunisations and your own postnatal check together so it is one trip. Bring your baby’s health record book, and a list of anything you have been meaning to ask – it is easy to forget in the room. Feeding during the appointment is completely fine.
Related services at All Care
All Care Medical and Dental Centre is at 3 Powlett St, Kilmore VIC 3764, with GP-led medical care and dental services at the same clinic. We welcome new patients from Kilmore, Broadford, Wallan, Wandong, Lancefield, Romsey, Beveridge, Hidden Valley, Heathcote Junction and Pyalong. Book online or call +61 3 9115 2979.
Frequently asked questions
When is the six-week check?
Usually between six and eight weeks. Book it alongside your baby’s first immunisations and your own postnatal check so it is a single visit.
Do I still need the maternal and child health nurse?
Yes – the two work alongside each other. The nurse follows the state schedule for growth and development; your GP handles medical concerns, immunisations and your own health.
What if my baby is unwell between checks?
Call the clinic and say the patient is a newborn, as young babies are prioritised. For breathing difficulty, a fever in a baby under three months, or a baby who is difficult to rouse, go straight to an emergency department or call 000.
Can I talk about how I am coping?
Yes, and please do. Your mental health is a normal and expected part of these appointments, not an imposition on your baby’s time.
Book an appointment at All Care
New patients are welcome. Book online, or call our reception team if you are not sure which appointment you need.