For New or Expectant Parents 
Congratulations!
All of us at East Bay Pediatrics would like to welcome you to parenting. Having a child is one of the most amazing experiences of a lifetime. We hope to guide you on your journey. This webpage should help you learn about our practice. Please feel free to call our New Patient Coordinator with questions or for further information at (925)438-1100, option 8.
Just for New Parents:
Choose a Doctor | When You Deliver | Your First Office Visit with Your Newborn |
Lactation Support | Deciding About Circumcision | Caring for Your Child | Vaccines for You!
Information about the following can be found on the About Us page.
Routine Visits | Sick Visits | Office Procedures | Referrals | Medications and Refills | Vaccines
Hours and Holidays | After Hours | Emergencies | Hospitalizations
Forms | Privacy Policy | Billing Policies
Choose a Doctor
Our physicians are all board-certified pediatricians. View their profiles to learn more about individual doctors.
We encourage you to come in for a prenatal visit to meet with one of our pediatricians. These visits are usually scheduled during the lunch hour or at the end of the day. There is a $50 fee for prenatal visits which can be credited toward future co-pays for appointments with your child. Call our New Patient Coordinator to schedule a visit at (925)438-1100, option 8.
When You Deliver
Tell your hospital which pediatrician you have chosen and the hospital will notify East Bay Pediatrics after you baby is born.
Alta Bates Medical Center deliveries – Alta Bates notifies our doctors by phone after your baby is born. Each day you are in the hospital with your baby, one of our physicians will examine your baby, monitor for jaundice, discuss feeding, and follow any screening tests or other procedures done in the hospital. If you desire a circumcision for your newborn son and are not planning a bris, our physicians try to complete the procedure while you are in the hospital.
Deliveries at other hospitals – Babies delivered at hospitals other than Alta Bates are usually followed by local hospital pediatricians. On the day of discharge, you should be instructed on when your baby needs the first appointment (usually 1-3 days after discharge). Please call for your baby’s first appointment.
Weekdays: call New Patient Coordinator at (925)438-1100, option 8
Weekends: call On-Call Doctor at (925)254-9203, option 4
Your First Office Visit with Your Newborn
A physician will tell you when your first visit to the office should be (often 1-3 days after discharge from the hospital). If you deliver at Alta Bates Hospital, East Bay Pediatrics will call you with the date and time of your first appointment. If you deliver at another hospital, please call to make your first appointment (see phone numbers above).
Please bring the following to your first appointment:
- Any paperwork from the hospital, including hearing screen results and immunization record
- Any available insurance information (often only parents’ insurance is available at this first visit)
- Plenty of diapers and an extra set of clothes!
- If you have time, complete these forms prior to your visit [need the forms]
Lactation Support
Breastfeeding is unlike anything a woman has done before. Sometimes it comes naturally; sometimes mom and baby need extra support. In the hospital, both nurses and lactation consultants are available to assist you with nursing. Once youleave the hospital, your physician will also give you advice regarding breastfeeding. East Bay Pediatrics also offers lactation support through one of our nurses, MaryAnne who can discuss breastfeeding with you both on the phone and in the office. If you need further assistance, we have a list of lactation consultants available at the office.
Deciding About Circumcision
About half of boys in our practice are circumcised. Most families circumcise for religious reasons or for personal reasons (for example, “I want my son to look like his father”). Medical reasons for circumcision exist but are not strong enough to demand that every boy be circumcised. The procedure is safe, performed under sterile conditions to prevent infection, and done under local anesthesia to minimize pain.
For more information on circumcision refer to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
Child Health and Development
There is so much to know about caring for your baby. East Bay Pediatrics offers a quick guide to newborn health care in our baby Blue Book which you will be offered once your child is established as a patient of the practice. In addtion to information about caring for your newborn, it includes fever medication doses, visit and vaccine schedule, space for questions and space for your child's height and weight at each visit.
Other Child Health resources available in our office:
- Child Health page on this website
- American Academy of Pediatrics: Your Baby's First Year This expert-written and reviewed book is a great reference book for child development, illnesses and normal behaviors. Ask for a copy if you have not received one.
- From the California First Five Commission. This packet includes books and a video on child development.
Vaccines for Parents
There are many ways to protect your child from illness and disease. The most important is washing your hands. Washing with simple warm soap and water is the best way for you to prevent passing illnesses to your child.
Two vaccines are available for you as parents to protect your child from certain diseases. Ask any caretakers or others who may be in close contact with your child (including siblings) to get these vaccines:
Tdap (tetanus with pertussis): The Tdap vaccine is your tetanus vaccine (the one you are supposed to get every 10 years) with a pertussis component. Pertussis is the bacteria which causes whooping cough. While many adults may have a mild disease, infants can have severe disease including apnea (not breathing). Most of us have not had a pertussis vaccine since Kindergarten entry. Now that Tdap is available, we adults can get a pertussis booster as short as two years after our last tetanus vaccine. Pediatricians are giving this booster to children ages 11 years and up. Obstetricians may be offering the vaccine in the office at pre-pregnancy visits or in the hospital after your baby is delivered. Family and practitioners and internists should have this vaccine available in their offices as well.
Flu Vaccine: Influenza can cause severe disease and hospitalization in infants, but babies cannot receive flu vaccine until at least 6 months of age. You can protect your newborn during the flu season by getting your flu vaccine (usually available early fall through late spring). Flu vaccine comes in two forms: inactivated vaccine (a shot) or live-attenuated vaccine (a nasal spray called Flumist). Pregnant and nursing mothers should not receive the live-attenuated (Flumist) vaccine. Most physicians offices carry the flu vaccine. Some pharmacies also administer flu vaccines. If you are having difficulty getting the flu vaccine and you are a parent of one of our patients, you can receive the flu vaccine at East Bay Pediatrics (find out more).
Paid Family Leave
Caring for your child can be a financial burden. Don't forget to inquire with your employer regarding Paid Family Leave. This program offers six weeks of a weekly salary up to a portion of your salary so that you can bond with your child. Be sure to submit the paperwork as soon as possible after your child is born. Applications are available online or through your employer if you work for a large company.