Pediatric Care

This is an exciting and sometimes, let face it an exhausting time.  We are here to help support you through this process.  We want you to be able to focus on bonding and loving your baby, while we help tend to their medical needs. 

If you have not yet established care with our practice, please apply here as soon as possible.  We like to see our newborns within one to two days after discharge from the hospital, or delivery with midwifes care (if delivered at birthing center or home).  

Please inform the hospital staff that you have established care with us when you check in for your labor and delivery.  They will then give us a call to let us know so we can coordinate hospital rounding on your newborn.  Routine care during your hospital stay includes Hepatitis B vaccine, Vitamin K shot, and antibacterial eye ointment—if you have any questions about these we can discuss them further prior or during your hospital stay.  We will then help to coordinate your follow up in clinic 1-2 days after discharge from the hospital, to help keep close track of weight gain and other important well newborn monitoring items.  You will be provided a green envelope with your babies newborn screening card—please hang on to this and bring it to your follow up clinic appointment, as we will need this for the second screening due at your 2 wk old clinic visit. 

 Please call the clinic as soon as you are able after the birth of your baby to allow enough time to schedule your first appointment.  We prefer to see your baby within the first 24 hours of life.  Many outpatient midwives offer newborn care for up to 2 months of age, which is excellent for the continuity with your growing family.  Our hope is to also be a part your baby’s health care team from the beginning to get to know you, assist in care/support, as well as not be a stranger if more advanced health care needs arise during this vulnerable early time in your baby’s life.  We can and frequently coordinate with your midwife to alternate visits.  If you call the clinic, the receptionist can help coordinate this prompt appointment.  If your birth occurs over the weekend or after hours, you can still call the clinic line and relay the message to our answering service so this can be coordinated by our providers after hoursJ. 

After your initial newborn visit (hospital rounds count here), Dr. Burns is happy to offer home visits for those that live within the city limits of Coeur d’Alene ID so that you and your baby can focus on bonding.  If you are a patient of Dr. Burns, please talk to Dr. Burns on how to coordinate this!  The next clinic visit will then be at 2 wks of life.  

This is such a gift we can give to help our newborns thrive.  Breast feeding is a combination of innate drive, and frequently a lot of trial and error to get into a good rhythm with your baby.  If this is your first baby, we strongly recommend meeting with a lactation consultant to help breast feeding go more smoothly and give you tools to help navigate the early weeks that can be sometimes challenging.  Kootenai hospital is staffed with some wonderful lactation resources, so make sure to take advantage of their knowledge and tips while in the hospital and don’t be shy about scheduling follow up after discharge if needing more support!