Maternal and child health - visit 2 - two week visit

This is often your first visit to a child health nurse after your baby is born. At this visit, and at every other key age and stage along the way, you and your nurse will talk about your baby’s growth, health and development. Nurses work in partnership with families to support babies and young children through the early years.

What happens at the two week visit#

This visit usually focuses on getting to know you and your baby and covers topics such as:

• registering your baby’s birth
• immunisations
• feeding your baby, including breastfeeding and bottle feeding
• how play helps learning and development
• safety in the car and safety in the home
• family relationships and wellbeing
• a hearing screen
• an eye check, including the red reflex test

Remember, you and your nurse can also talk about any other issues or concerns that come up.

What is my baby doing at this age?#

Even at this very young age, your newborn is ready to begin learning about the world around them. At around this age your baby may be:

• looking into your eyes
• starting to focus on faces
• grasping your fingers when you place them in their hand
• being startled by loud noises
• spending a lot of time sleeping, feeding and crying

Tell your nurse if your baby is not feeding well or is not making any sounds.

Helping your baby learn and develop#

It is never too early to help your baby learn. You may like to:

• talk and sing to them
• talk about what you are doing, for example “let’s have a nice warm bath now”
• look into their eyes and copy their expressions
• cuddle them close to your chest
• give them lots of skin-to-skin contact, or try baby massage

How often should I visit?#

You will usually be invited to see your child health nurse at a series of key ages and stages across your child’s early years. These visits often include a home visit after discharge from hospital, then checks at around two weeks, four weeks, eight weeks, four months, eight months, one year, 18 months, two years and three and a half years.

Families can also access the service at other times by phone or through a center visit. Most centers offer a range of appointment times, including scheduled appointments and open consultation sessions, and some offer after-hours appointments.

Key points#

• The two week visit is often your first visit to a child health center.
• It covers feeding, immunisations, safety, family wellbeing, and a hearing and eye check.
• At this age your baby is starting to focus on faces, grasp your fingers and respond to sound.
• Talking, singing, eye contact and skin-to-skin contact all support early development.
• You can contact the service between visits if you have concerns.

Where to get help#