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Newborn Pediatrician in Baton Rouge – Expert Care From Your Baby's First Week

✓ New Families Welcome ✓ Medicaid Accepted

Bringing home a new baby comes with a hundred questions. Our pediatric team will help you answer them, starting with your baby's first checkup a few days after birth. We accept Medicaid for newborn care.

Still expecting? Call now and we'll be ready when your baby arrives.

Call (225) 273-5995
New Patient Info

Newborn Care at Red Stick Pediatrics At A Glance

  • First visit: 3–5 days after birth, or within 2–3 days of leaving the hospital
  • First-year checkups: 7 well-baby visits, at 3–5 days and 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, and 12 months
  • What we check: Weight, feeding, jaundice, umbilical cord, newborn screening results, and how you're doing
  • Feeding support: Help with breastfeeding and formula feeding. Dr. Emily Grezaffi has a special interest in breastfeeding.
  • Medicaid: Babies born to mothers on Louisiana Medicaid are generally covered from birth through their first birthday
  • Choose early: You can pick your baby's pediatrician during pregnancy
  • Where: 888 Tara Blvd, Baton Rouge, LA 70806 · (225) 273-5995

Is your newborn covered by Medicaid?

In Louisiana, a baby born to a mother who has Medicaid when the baby is born is generally covered by Medicaid from birth until their first birthday. Report your baby’s birth to Medicaid and your health plan as soon as possible so the baby gets their own ID number. Red Stick Pediatrics accepts Medicaid for all newborn checkups and sick visits. See accepted insurance →

Read: Does Medicaid cover pediatric care in Baton Rouge?

Overview

Choosing a Pediatrician for Your Newborn

Choosing your baby's pediatrician is one of the first decisions you'll make as a parent. You're picking the team you'll call at 2 AM with a fever, the people who will weigh your baby every few weeks, and the ones who'll tell you when something is normal and when it isn't.

At Red Stick Pediatrics, newborn care means:

  • Unhurried visits where every question gets an answer
  • Pediatric-trained providers, including a board-certified pediatrician and certified pediatric nurse practitioners
  • Help with feeding, whether you breastfeed, formula feed, or both
  • A team that knows your baby from the very first week
  • Medicaid families welcome, with the same careful care for every baby
The First Visit

Your Baby's First Pediatrician Visit

Most babies should see a pediatrician 3 to 5 days after birth. Your baby may need to come in sooner if they were born early, had jaundice in the hospital, or are having trouble feeding.

At your newborn’s first visit, your provider will:

  • Weigh your baby. Most babies lose a little weight after birth and get back to their birth weight by about 2 weeks.
  • Check for jaundice, a yellow color in the skin or eyes
  • Review feeding. How often, how long, and how it’s going, for breast or bottle
  • Look at the umbilical cord and the circumcision site, if your baby had one
  • Review hospital results, including the newborn blood screening, hearing test, and heart screening
  • Talk about safe sleep to lower the risk of SIDS
  • Check on you. New parent stress, sleep, and mood matter too.
  • Answer every question. No question is too small.
What to Bring

What to Bring to Your Newborn's First Visit

  • Your baby’s hospital discharge papers (birth weight, test results, any shots given)
  • Your baby’s Medicaid or insurance card, or your own card if the baby’s hasn’t arrived yet
  • Your photo ID
  • A diaper bag with extra diapers, wipes, and a change of clothes
  • A feeding log if you’ve been keeping one (feedings, wet and dirty diapers)
  • Your list of questions
Newborn Checkup Schedule

Newborn and First-Year Checkup Schedule

Red Stick Pediatrics follows the American Academy of Pediatrics Bright Futures schedule for well-baby visits.

VisitTypical AgeWhat We Focus On
First visit3–5 daysWeight, feeding, jaundice, cord care, hospital screening results
1-month visit1 monthGrowth, feeding, sleep, parent mood check
2-month visit2 monthsGrowth, first social smiles, first round of infant vaccines
4-month visit4 monthsRolling, head control, vaccines
6-month visit6 monthsSitting, starting solid foods, first teeth, vaccines
9-month visit9 monthsCrawling, babbling, developmental screening
12-month visit12 monthsFirst steps and words, lead and anemia tests, vaccines

We’ll tell you what’s coming at each visit so there are no surprises. See the full well-child visit schedule through the teen years →

What's Normal

What's Normal in the First Weeks?

New babies do a lot of things that look strange but are perfectly normal. Here’s a quick guide.

TopicWhat’s Usually Normal
FeedingBreastfed babies eat 8–12 times a day. Formula-fed babies usually eat every 2–4 hours.
Wet diapersAbout 6 or more wet diapers a day by day 5 or 6
WeightA small drop after birth, then back to birth weight by about 2 weeks
Sleep14–17 hours a day, in short stretches
Umbilical cordDries and falls off in about 1–3 weeks
Sneezing and hiccupsCommon and usually nothing to worry about
SkinPeeling, small white bumps, and blotchy patches are common

Call us right away if your newborn:

  • Has a temperature of 100.4°F or higher (this is an emergency under 3 months)
  • Is feeding poorly or refusing several feedings in a row
  • Has yellow skin or eyes that are getting worse
  • Has fewer wet diapers than usual
  • Is very sleepy, floppy, or hard to wake
  • Is breathing fast or working hard to breathe
Safe Sleep

Safe Sleep for Your Baby

Every sleep, every time: Alone, on their Back, in a Crib.

  • Place your baby on their back for every nap and every night
  • Use a firm, flat mattress with a fitted sheet only. No pillows, bumpers, blankets, or stuffed animals.
  • Share a room, not a bed, ideally for at least the first 6 months
  • Never let your baby sleep on a couch, armchair, or adult bed
  • Keep your baby smoke-free, at home and in the car
Feeding Support

Help With Breastfeeding and Formula Feeding

Fed is the goal, and we’ll help you get there. Whether you’re breastfeeding, pumping, formula feeding, or doing a mix, our providers will check your baby’s growth and help you work through:

  • Latch problems and sore nipples
  • Worries about milk supply
  • Choosing and mixing formula safely
  • Spit-up, gas, and fussiness
  • When to start solid foods (usually around 6 months)

Dr. Emily Grezaffi has a special interest in breastfeeding support. Meet Dr. Grezaffi →

WIC tip: Many Medicaid families also qualify for WIC, which helps with formula, breastfeeding support, and healthy food. Ask us how to apply.

Immunizations

Your Baby's First Vaccines

Vaccines protect babies from serious illnesses at the age they’re most at risk. Your baby’s first vaccines are given at the hospital and at the 2-month visit, with more at 4, 6, 12, 15, and 18 months. Children on Medicaid get recommended vaccines at no cost through the Vaccines for Children program.

Have questions about vaccines? We’ll answer them honestly and without judgment. Learn about immunizations →

Choosing Before Birth

Expecting? Choose Your Pediatrician Now

The best time to choose your baby’s pediatrician is during pregnancy, ideally in the third trimester. Choosing early means:

  • One less thing to figure out in those tired first days
  • You can tell the hospital who your baby’s pediatrician is, so records come straight to us
  • Your baby’s first visit is easy to schedule after you go home
  • You know exactly who to call if something worries you

How to make Red Stick Pediatrics your baby’s pediatrician:

  1. Call (225) 273-5995 and tell us your due date and delivering hospital
  2. Tell your health plan that Red Stick Pediatrics will be your baby’s primary care provider
  3. Tell the hospital when your baby is born, and call us to schedule the first visit
Why Red Stick Pediatrics

Why Baton Rouge Parents Trust Red Stick Pediatrics With Their Newborns

  • AAP standards at every well-baby visit
  • Experience with the tiniest patients. Our providers include former pediatric ICU and pediatric ER nurses who know what to watch for in newborns.
  • A board-certified pediatrician with a special interest in breastfeeding, Dr. Emily Grezaffi
  • Medicaid accepted, so there are no money worries for your baby’s checkups
  • Same-day sick visits when your baby isn’t well
  • Saturday morning appointments for working parents
  • Serving families across Baton Rouge, Prairieville, Zachary, Baker, Central, Gonzales, Denham Springs, and St. George
Service Area

Care for Families Across the Baton Rouge Area

Baton Rouge · Prairieville · St. George · Baker · Zachary · Central · Gonzales · Denham Springs

Red Stick Pediatrics is at 888 Tara Blvd, Baton Rouge, LA 70806. Get directions →

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Related Services

FAQ

Newborn Care FAQ

A newborn should see a pediatrician 3 to 5 days after birth, or within 2 to 3 days of leaving the hospital.

  • Babies with jaundice, early birth, or feeding trouble may need to be seen sooner
  • Call (225) 273-5995 before or right after your baby is born to schedule

Yes. Red Stick Pediatrics accepts Louisiana Medicaid for all newborn checkups and sick visits.

  • Babies born to mothers on Medicaid are generally covered through their first birthday
  • Healthy Louisiana plans and LaCHIP accepted

At the first visit, your provider checks your baby's weight, feeding, and jaundice, reviews hospital screening results, and answers your questions.

  • Umbilical cord and circumcision check
  • Safe sleep guidance
  • A check on how you're doing as a new parent

Babies need 7 well-child visits in the first year: at 3–5 days and at 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, and 12 months.

  • This is the American Academy of Pediatrics Bright Futures schedule
  • Medicaid covers every visit

Yes. Choosing a pediatrician during pregnancy, ideally in the third trimester, is a smart way to prepare.

  • Tell your delivering hospital and your health plan who you chose
  • Call Red Stick Pediatrics at (225) 273-5995 with your due date

By day 5 or 6, most newborns have about 6 or more wet diapers a day.

  • Fewer wet diapers can be a sign your baby isn't getting enough to eat
  • Call us if you notice fewer wet diapers than usual

Call Red Stick Pediatrics right away. A fever of 100.4°F or higher in a baby under 3 months is an emergency.

  • Same-day sick visits are available
  • Also call for poor feeding, worsening yellow skin, fast breathing, or a baby who is very sleepy

Bring your baby's hospital discharge papers, your baby's insurance or Medicaid card (or yours), and your photo ID.

  • A diaper bag with extra supplies
  • A feeding and diaper log, if you have one
  • Your questions

Call Red Stick Pediatrics at (225) 273-5995, then ask your health plan to change your baby's primary care provider to Red Stick Pediatrics.

  • We'll request records from your baby's previous pediatrician
List

Ready to Schedule Your Baby's First Visit?

Whether your baby is due next month or was born yesterday, we're ready to help. New families welcome. Medicaid always accepted. Call (225) 273-5995.

New Patient Info

Services

Clinic Hours

  • Mon - Fri : 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
  • Saturday : 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
  • Sunday : Closed
info@redstickpediatrics.com 225-273-5995

888 Tara Blvd
Baton Rouge, LA 70806

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