Who will perform your baby's newborn examination will depend on the type and timing of the examination, the qualifications of your caregiver, the policies of your birthplace, health insurance status and your personal preferences.
Timing of the examination
Health insurance status and personal preferences
Type of examination and caregiver qualifications
General and daily checks. Both midwives and doctors working with mothers and babies can perform the initial general check soon after the birth. The midwife will normally carry out all the daily physical checks in the early days of your baby's life.
Formal examination. The formal examination is usually performed by a paediatric doctor. A midwife can carry out most of what is required for a formal newborn examination, but may not be qualified to complete certain aspects, such as checking for a heart murmur. This usually needs to be performed by the paediatric doctor at the hospital or your local doctor after going home. The local doctor can also do this if the baby was born at home.
Some midwives in Australia are now gaining further qualifications to enable them to perform a full newborn examination, particularly learning skills on how to detect a heart murmur in newborn babies. This is an extra course usually undertaken by experienced midwives.
Growth and development. Caregivers with early childhood qualifications (or your local doctor) will usually carry out any checks aimed at assessing the baby's growth and development, in the weeks and months after the birth. Many midwives can also carry out most aspects of these checks.
Timing of the examination
General check. The initial general check of your baby will usually be performed by whoever is attending the baby at the time. This check is usually performed soon after the birth or an hour or two later, when the baby is being weighed and measured.