We ask that you call us prior to your child’s birth if you choose to use our office for your child’s pediatric care. This will enable us to answer any questions and verify your insurance. We are sometimes incorrectly listed in Provider Directories for plans and networks in which we are no longer participating.
Many parents choose to visit with a pediatrician prior to their child’s birth. We will be happy to schedule a prepartum visit with Dr. Terwelp should you so choose. It is not a requirement to become a patient in our office and is optional. Your prepartum visit is scheduled at a time outside of our routine patient appointments so as to allow for relaxed time to answer questions you might have. There is a nominal charge for this prepartum visit not covered by your insurance that will be required at the time of your visit.
A new baby is both exciting and joyful time yet can also be stressful for everyone involved! Here are some helpful tips to help minimize this stress prior to your child’s birth:

• Know where your pediatrician’s office is located. Drive the route from your house to estimate the time needed for traveling.
• Make several copies of your insurance card both front and back. Keep copies in your car, both parents’ wallets, and the baby’s diaper bag! You’d be surprised how many times you need that card!
• Take your calendar to the hospital. You will need it to make your infant’s 1st and 2nd appointment with your pediatrician.
• Be prepared and understand your insurance benefits as they pertain to your newborn.
• Determine the parameters for adding your baby to your insurance policy.
We will be notified by the nurses from the hospital nursery that your child has arrived. If our office is closed, they will notify the physician on-call. They will apprise us of your infant’s status and well being. These nurses do a superb job in keeping us posted and up to date of any changes or concerns regarding your newborn’s well being.

Make your infant’s appointment with your pediatrician. Our office schedules newborns during the 11:00 am time slot. Although we have a separate waiting area for newborns and well children, this time slot allows us to see our sick children prior to your arrival with a new infant thus minimizing encounters with viruses. We also know that most parents have been up most of the night with their new baby and are moving at a slower pace! Additionally this time slot gives us the opportunity to send out and receive results from blood work prior to the day’s closing.

Add the baby to your insurance! Regardless of whether your child is covered under the mother's insurance for the first 30 days, the insurance company MUST STILL BE NOTIFIED THE CHILD HAS BEEN BORN! Notifying the insurance company that the baby is here and that you intend to add the baby to the policy makes it much easier to obtain any emergency referrals, procedures, or nursing services. It takes only a simple phone call to Member Services. Any paperwork through your employer should be done expediently. Many parents have failed to follow through and have been saddled with financial responsibility for denied claims, re-qualifying the child to their insurance plan, and in some cases forced to purchase an additional separate policy for their child…all because they failed to understand their plan’s requirements for newborn coverage.
• 1st Appointment: We see our newborns in the office at 3-5 days from the date of birth. We ask that you make this appointment prior to being discharged from the hospital. During your first appointment, we will be checking your infant’s weight, looking for jaundice, and reviewing any breastfeeding issues your may have.

• 2nd Appointment: This appointment is scheduled 2 weeks from date of birth. We ask that you also schedule this prior to discharge from the hospital.  Your child's 2nd newborn metabolic screen will be performed at this visit.

• Well Check Appointments: You’ve made it past the first two weeks! Now you will begin scheduling your well check appointments according to routine well check schedule advocated by the American Academy of Pediatrics (see our Wellness & Preventative Care section). Thus your next appointment will be scheduled at 2 months of age. Be sure to schedule that appointment prior to leaving our office at the two week visit.
St. David’s, Seton Central, North Austin Medical Center, and Brackenridge Children’s: Should your child be born at any of these hospitals, Dr. Terwelp or his call coverage partners will examine your infant soon after birth and discharge your infant home at the appropriate time.

Seton Northwest and other area hospitals: Should your child be born at any of these hospitals, a physician on staff will examine and discharge your infant to our follow-up care.