Pediatrician visit schedule for year one

Year one of pediatrician visits is more often than any other year of your child's life. Here's the standard AAP schedule, what gets checked at each one, which vaccines are due, and how to make appointments feel less rushed.

The AAP-recommended visit schedule

Most US pediatricians follow the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Bright Futures schedule. In year one, that's 7 well visits:

Age	Focus	Vaccines due
3 to 5 days	Weight regain, feeding, jaundice	None (Hep B usually given at birth)
1 month	Growth, development, feeding patterns	Hep B (dose 2, if not given earlier)
2 months	Reflexes, sleep, development	DTaP, Hib, Polio, PCV13, Rotavirus
4 months	Motor skills (rolling, head control), nutrition	DTaP, Hib, Polio, PCV13, Rotavirus
6 months	Starting solids, sitting, babbling	DTaP, Hib, PCV13, Rotavirus, Hep B (dose 3), Flu (seasonal)
9 months	Crawling, words, autism screening	None routine
12 months	Walking, eating solids, transitions	MMR, Varicella, Hep A, Hib, PCV13 (boosters)

Some practices add a 2-week or 6-week visit, especially for breastfeeding support or weight checks. Some add an 18-month visit (then back to the schedule of 2 years, 3 years, etc.).

What happens at each visit

3 to 5 days

First post-discharge check. Pediatrician will:

• Weigh baby (looking for return to birth weight by 10 to 14 days).
• Check for jaundice (yellow tint).
• Discuss feeding (latch, ounces, frequency).
• Review umbilical cord stump.
• Listen to heart and lungs.
• Check reflexes.
• Discuss your recovery and sleep.

Bring: a feeding log if you have one (especially helpful for breastfeeding), and any questions about diapers, sleep, or feeding.

1 month

• Weight, length, head circumference plotted on growth chart.
• Tracking sleep and feeding patterns.
• Movement and reflexes.
• Postpartum mood screen for parent.
• Safe sleep refresh.

2 months

• Growth, development.
• First major round of vaccines (DTaP, Hib, Polio, PCV13, Rotavirus).
• Discussion of upcoming milestones.

Plan for: baby may be fussier than usual for 12 to 48 hours after shots. Low-grade fever is common. Acetaminophen is okay if your pediatrician approves. Ibuprofen is not for under 6 months.

4 months

• Motor skills check (head control, rolling, hand-to-mouth).
• Same vaccine series as 2 months.
• Discussion of sleep training readiness (if relevant).
• Conversation about starting solids (most start at 6 months, some practices discuss earlier).

6 months

• Big milestone visit — sitting, babbling, starting solids.
• Full vaccine series plus first flu shot (in flu season).
• Iron status and starting solids strategy.
• Sleep patterns discussion.

9 months

• Motor (crawling, pulling to stand) and language (babbling, first sounds).
• Developmental screening tool (Ages and Stages Questionnaire or similar).
• Safety review (babyproofing for a mobile baby).
• Less vaccines this visit.

12 months

• First-birthday milestones — walking or pre-walking, words, eating table food.
• Major vaccine round (MMR, Varicella, Hep A, Hib, PCV13).
• Transition discussions: whole milk, weaning from bottle, dropping morning nap (later).
• Iron and lead screening blood draws (one or both, depending on practice).

Plan for: MMR can cause low-grade fever and rash 7 to 14 days after the shot. Very common, harmless.

How to make the most of each visit

Write down your questions ahead

You will forget them in the office. Top 3 to 5 questions per visit is enough to fit in the time.

Bring a feeding/sleep log

Especially in the first 3 months. Pediatricians can spot patterns and concerns from a few days of data faster than from your verbal recap.

Bring your partner if possible

Or a family member. Two sets of ears miss less, especially in the sleep-deprived months.

Ask about the developmental screen at every visit

From 9 months on, pediatricians use structured tools (ASQ, M-CHAT, etc.) to screen for developmental concerns. Ask for the results and what they mean. Early intervention is more effective when started early.

Schedule the next visit before you leave

Booking out is harder closer to the date. Get on the calendar.

Vaccine timing and combinations

The AAP schedule combines multiple vaccines per visit to minimize the number of total visits and shots. Each vaccine has been individually tested and tested in combination. The combinations are safe.

If you want to space vaccines or follow an alternative schedule, talk to your pediatrician. The AAP schedule has the strongest evidence behind it, but some practices accommodate adjusted timing for individual reasons.

Common parental concerns:

• Will it hurt baby? The shots are quick. Babies usually cry briefly. Breastfeeding or a bottle during or right after the shot is a great pain reliever.
• Are there serious side effects? Severe reactions are rare (about 1 in 1 million). Common side effects: fussiness, low-grade fever, soreness at injection site, sleepiness.
• Can I delay if baby has a cold? A mild illness with no fever is usually fine. High fever is a reason to reschedule. Ask your pediatrician.

Sick visits vs well visits

Well visits are scheduled, preventive, and covered without copay under the ACA. Sick visits are for active illness and may have a copay depending on your plan. Both are billed differently.

If your baby has an issue that's not urgent, you can often ask about it during a well visit. If you're not sure whether to schedule a sick visit, call the nurse line — they'll triage.

Telehealth in pediatric care

Many pediatric practices offer telehealth for non-urgent questions. Common uses:

• Rash assessment (with a clear photo).
• Feeding troubleshooting.
• Sleep concerns.
• Mild illness follow-up.
• Reassurance check-ins.

Most insurance now covers telehealth at the same rate as in-person. Faster than scheduling an in-person appointment for many questions.

Costs and what's covered

Under the Affordable Care Act, all well-baby visits and routine vaccines are covered at 100% with no copay or deductible by ACA-compliant insurance plans. This includes all visits on the AAP schedule above.

What's not always covered:

• Sick visits (subject to copay/deductible).
• Specialist referrals.
• Specialty labs beyond routine screening.
• Some optional preventive measures (e.g., RSV monoclonal antibody for premature babies, depending on plan).

If you're uninsured or underinsured, ask your pediatrician about Vaccines for Children (VFC), a federal program that provides free vaccines for eligible children up to 18.

When to call between visits

• Fever (rectal temp 100.4 F or higher under 3 months — always urgent).
• Unusual sleep patterns, refusing feeds, sudden change in behavior.
• Concerning rashes, breathing changes, repeated vomiting.
• Anything that feels off — pediatricians would rather hear from you than have you wait.
• Postpartum mental health concerns for you.