Your Baby’s First Year: Home Health Essentials, Visits & Recommended Vaccines

Medical kit recommendations:

·        Acetaminophen (aka Tylenol-fever and pain reliever)

·        Simethicone (gas drops), ibuprofen (6 months and up)

·        Cetirizine (antihistamine aka-Zyrtec)

·        Electrolytes powders (i.e. Pedialyte)

·        Probiotics (like Persephone synbiotic 🙂)

·        Nasal saline spray or drops

·        Zinc oxide-based diaper cream (i.e. Boudreaux's, Desitin, Triple paste, etc.)

·        Clotrimazole cream (OTC antifungal)

·        Hydrocortisone 1% ointment or cream (anti-itch and anti-inflammatory)

·        Hypochlorous acid spray (wound care, diaper rash, etc. )

·        An emollient like Vaseline or Aquaphor

·        Bacitracin or prescription mupirocin (antibacterial ointment)

·        Band aids

·        Tweezers

·        Nail clippers

·        Nasal suction device (fridababy NoseFrida Snotsucker with Case)

·        Rectal thermometer (fridababy Quick-Read Digital Rectal Thermometer, ear, temporal or oral ok for older kids). 

I like to make curated recommendations for older kids like Zofran (anti-nausea disintegrating tablets) and oral steroids (i.e dexamethasone or prednisolone) for croup to be used under the guidance of a pediatrician.

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Taking Baby’s Temperature:

Rectal thermometer with some Vaseline. This is really the most accurate for all babies and toddlers, but acceptable to use an ear or temporal scanner after 6 months. Really under 3 months is the critical time when we want to know if there is truly a fever over 100.4 F and it's best to check rectally to ensure you are getting a true core temperature.

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Scheduled appointments for the 1st year:

·        1-3 days after discharge from hospital

·        2 weeks

·        1 month

·        2 months

·        4 months

·        6 months

·        9 months

·        12 months

·        Some offices offer monthly visits between 1-6 months

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Vaccine Schedule 0-2 years

·        Hep B in hospital or at first visit

·        2/4/6 months: DTaP/Polio/Hib, pneumococcal, rotavirus oral and hepatitis B

o   an extra dose of hep B acceptable if giving hep B as part of a combo vaccine, some families, however, wait until 2 months or you can omit the 4 month dose and give a different combo vaccine

o   combo vaccines available: DTaP/Polio/Hib (Pentacel), DTaP/Polio/Hib/Hep B (Vaxelis),  DTaP/Hep B/Polio (Pediarix) some offices   carry multiple while others only 1.

o   DTaP, polio, hepatitis B and Hib are available as separate vaccines and do not have to be given as a combination vaccine.

o   Rotavirus oral vaccines are available as a 2-dose series (Rotarix) or 3 dose series (Rotateq).

o   Flu vaccines are offered at 6 months seasonally (babies get 2 doses separated by at least a month).

o   RSV immunoglobulin offered to all infants under 8 months during RSV season which is typically October-March (maternal RSV vaccine is reasonable alternative).

·        12 months: MMR, Varicella, pneumococcal, Hep A, Hib (most offices will separate these between the 12 and 15 month visits)

·        15 months DTaP

·        18 months Hepatitis A

·        2 years: Hepatitis A (if not given at 1 year). Hep A is a 2 dose series, dose 1 and 2 must be separated by 6 months.