Well Baby Visit Schedule: Chart of Checkups, Birth to 3

The AAP's Bright Futures schedule recommends well-baby visits at 3 to 5 days, 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 24 and 30 months, then every year from age 3. Each visit checks growth and development, and many include vaccines and screenings. That is 11 checkups after the newborn hospital exam, before your child's third birthday.

Well-baby visits (also called well-child visits) are the checkups your baby gets when they are healthy. Sick visits are separate. The schedule comes from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and Bright Futures, and most US pediatric practices follow it.

Knowing what is coming at each visit makes them easier to plan, easier to prepare for, and less of a blur.

What is the well baby visit schedule?

Your pediatrician may add extra visits, for example weight checks in the first weeks or follow-ups for jaundice or feeding. The AAP notes that if any item on the schedule is missed, it should be brought up to date at the earliest possible time. Missing one visit does not mean starting over.

What happens at every well-baby visit?

Almost every visit includes the same core pieces:

• Measurements: weight and length at every visit, head circumference through 24 months, and weight-for-length through 18 months. BMI replaces weight-for-length from age 2.
• A full physical exam: babies are examined fully undressed, so dress your baby in easy layers.
• Development: your pediatrician watches for milestones and asks what your baby is doing at home.
• Questions about you: how feeding, sleep and family life are going.
• Anticipatory guidance: what to expect before the next visit, from rolling to babyproofing.

Growth is plotted on WHO growth charts until age 2. If you want to understand percentiles before the visit, our baby weight gain chart explains them simply.

Why is there a visit at 3 to 5 days old?

The first week is when feeding problems and jaundice show up. The AAP recommends a visit at 3 to 5 days old and within 48 to 72 hours of leaving the hospital. Your pediatrician weighs your baby, compares it to birth weight, checks for jaundice and, for breastfed babies, looks at how breastfeeding is going.

Bring your diaper and feed counts to this one. The doctor will ask. Our guide to how many wet diapers a newborn should have shows the day-by-day numbers.

Why does the pediatrician screen the parent at 1, 2, 4 and 6 months?

Bright Futures recommends screening for maternal depression at the 1, 2, 4 and 6 month visits. It is a short questionnaire about how you are feeling. It is routine, not a judgment, and it is there because a parent's wellbeing affects the whole family. Answer openly. If you are struggling, this is a good place to say so. Our guide to postpartum recovery and mental health covers what is common and when to get help.

Which visits include developmental and autism screening?

Pediatricians watch development at every visit. On top of that, Bright Futures recommends a formal developmental screening at 9, 18 and 30 months, and autism screening at 18 and 24 months. These use short standardized questionnaires you fill out, often in the waiting room.

It helps to note what your baby is doing in the weeks before. Our baby milestones by month guide gives you a checklist to compare against.

What vaccines are given at well-baby visits?

Most vaccines in the first two years are given at the 2, 4, 6, 12, 15 and 18 month visits. The core infant series (DTaP, Hib, polio and pneumococcal) starts at 2 months, with boosters around 12 to 18 months. MMR and chickenpox come at 12 to 15 months.

As of 2026, the CDC and AAP schedules differ on several vaccines, including hepatitis B, rotavirus, hepatitis A and flu. The AAP still recommends all of them routinely. Ask your pediatrician which schedule the practice follows. For a plain-language walkthrough and tips for comforting your baby, see the baby vaccine schedule explained.

What other screenings happen in the first three years?

• Newborn: blood spot screening, hearing screening, a bilirubin check and a pulse-oximetry check for heart defects, usually before you leave the hospital.
• 4 months: a risk check for anemia.
• 6 and 9 months: oral health risk checks. Fluoride varnish is recommended once the first teeth come in.
• 12 months: a blood test for anemia, and lead screening or a risk check depending on where you live and your insurance.
• 24 months: lead screening or risk check again.
• 3 years: blood pressure and vision screening become routine.

What should you bring to a well-baby visit?

The AAP suggests bringing your top three to five questions and raising them at the start of the visit. Beyond that, bring:

• Feeding notes: how many feeds a day, roughly how long or how much
• Diaper counts, especially before the 3 to 5 day and 1 month visits
• Sleep pattern: longest stretch, naps, night wakings
• Any symptoms with dates, plus any medicines or supplements you are giving
• Your vaccine record if you switched practices
• A spare outfit, diapers and a feed, since visits can run long

How MamaBee helps you prepare

A visit goes better when your answers come from a log, not memory. MamaBee lets you log feeds, diapers, sleep, growth, symptoms, medicine and doctor visits, then export a pediatrician PDF of the last 7 days to show at the appointment. Growth entries are plotted with WHO percentiles. The vaccine schedule shows what is due and sends due and overdue reminders, and you can track 45+ CDC milestones between visits.

Frequently asked questions

How many well-baby visits are there in the first year?

Following the AAP Bright Futures schedule, there are seven well-baby visits in the first year after the newborn hospital exam: 3 to 5 days, and 1, 2, 4, 6, 9 and 12 months. Your pediatrician may add extra weight checks in the first weeks.

Is there a well-baby visit at 9 months?

Yes. The 9-month visit is on the AAP schedule and includes a formal developmental screening, growth measurements, a physical exam, and often lead and oral health risk checks. Vaccines are usually only given at this visit if your baby needs catch-up doses.

What happens at the 2-month well-baby visit?

Your pediatrician measures weight, length and head size, does a full exam, asks about feeding, sleep and development, and screens the parent for depression. It is also the first big vaccine visit, usually including DTaP, Hib, polio and pneumococcal vaccines.

What if we miss a well-baby visit?

Call your pediatrician to reschedule. The AAP says missed items should be brought up to date at the earliest possible time. Missed vaccines can be caught up without restarting the series.

When do well-child visits become yearly?

After the 30-month visit, well-child visits happen once a year from age 3 through adolescence, according to the AAP Bright Futures schedule.

The takeaway

Plan for checkups at 3 to 5 days, 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 24 and 30 months, then once a year. Each one tracks growth and development, and many include shots and screenings. Bring a short question list and a few days of logs, and you will get more out of every visit.

Sources: AAP Bright Futures Periodicity Schedule, AAP HealthyChildren: Well-Child Care, A Check-Up for Success, AAP HealthyChildren: AAP vs Other Vaccine Schedules, CDC: Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule by Age, CDC: Growth Charts

This article is general information, not medical advice. Always check with your pediatrician about your baby.