1. Home
  2. Stages

The Baby’s First Test website makes it easier to navigate the newborn stage

By

Having a newborn is nothing easy. Luckily, there are a trove of online resources that are designed to make the newborn stage at least a little bit easier on new parents. One of these is the Baby’s First Test website. This helpful hub of information helps new parents learn about newborn screening, what to expect during the newborn screening process and what steps to take depending on what that screening process reveals. And if you thought you didn’t need to worry about newborn screening until after you had the baby, think again. This is something you should consider before the baby is born, as it usually impacts your baby during the first few days of life. 

Here’s everything you need to know, and what the Baby’s First Test website can do for you. 

Image used with permission by copyright holder

What is newborn screening?

First things first — what is newborn screening? If you’ve yet to learn about this state-ran public health service, it’s essentially a testing process that begins while your baby is still in the hospital. Using a small blood sample and typically a hearing test, the screening process looks for certain diseases and conditions that are identifiable in newborns, to give your baby the best chance at the healthiest life possible. Newborn screening differs from state to state, but most states screen for more than 30 different conditions, and screening occurs automatically in United States hospitals when you give birth unless you choose to opt-out of the process for religious reasons. 

Recommended Videos

The Baby’s First Test website breaks down the entire screening process for you, so you know exactly what to expect and what will happen to your baby during the process, as well as what happens to the procured samples. 

What happens after a screening?

After a screening, your baby’s results will only be reported back to you if there’s something abnormal about the results. So, if you don’t hear anything back, don’t worry. Your baby showed no signs of any of the tested-for conditions. If you do receive a positive or out-of-range test result, it means that your baby is at high risk for having one of the tested-for conditions. It’s not a 100% positive guarantee that he does have that condition, however, and so follow-up testing is necessary. 

In the event that your baby is diagnosed with a health condition based on her newborn screening, the Baby’s First Test website can provide you with resources for living with certain conditions, finding advocacy and support, talking to health care providers, finding specialists, planning for the future, and working with your insurance provider as needed.

How else can the Baby’s First Test website help me?

Beyond walking you through the newborn screening process, from knowing about the process ahead of time to knowing what to do after the screening process, the Baby’s First Test website can help you in other ways, too. 

If you have a question about newborn screening, for example, that’s not covered through the website’s various resources, you can use the handy Ask an Expert feature to send a question their way. 

You can also use the state search feature to see what your individual state offers during its screening process. For example, a quick look at New York’s newborn screening policies shows that the state currently screens for 60 conditions, ranging from maple syrup urine disease to hemoglobin disorders, endocrine disorders to cystic fibrosis, and hearing loss. Searching for your state also allows you to learn what exactly your state does with the procured blood samples. 

The website likewise offers more resources for parents who may want to pursue additional newborn screening services to supplement the state-provided screening service. 

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Newborn screening is the first step toward your baby’s best, healthy life

Newborn screening is required in all 50 states for an excellent reason — it can help make sure your baby lives their best life, and help you to take the right steps, soonest, to keep your baby healthy. Learning everything you can about the process and being equipped with the right resources you need, in the event your screening comes back with an abnormal result, can further ensure you’re prepared for your baby’s first test. 

Need more information about protecting your newborn’s health? Check out our articles on the best wraps to keep newborns safe and how to safely introduce your newborn to the family pup.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Holly Riddle
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Holly Riddle is a freelance food, travel and lifestyle journalist, who also dabbles in copywriting, ghostwriting and fiction…
The top cowboy and Western baby names that are riding high
Here’s some inspiration when naming baby if you’re a fan of all things Western

There's so much to be excited about when it comes to having a baby, but parents-to-be often spend quite a bit of time agonizing over the perfect name. There is a lot of pressure to choose the ideal name for your little one, which may be why Western baby names are riding back to the forefront.

Namerology creator Lauren Wattenberg is all about names and predicts cowboy baby names will definitely be something to climb in the saddle for in the coming years. Wattenberg feels shows like the popular Western drama Yellowstone have brought cowboy names in from the range. Of course, Western baby names have never really ridden into the sunset. Dakota is a gender-neutral Western baby name that became prevalent in the 90s.

Read more
These foods that fight nausea during pregnancy are lifesavers
Try these foods to help you combat that sick feeling

Morning sickness is a common symptom many pregnant women experience. The name implies that the overwhelming feeling of nausea only happens in the morning, which isn't necessarily true. Morning sickness can happen at any time throughout the day or night. Sometimes, it's also accompanied by vomiting. That nauseous feeling typically starts around the nine-week mark and lasts for the first three months.

For some women, morning sickness begins to wane at the back end of the first trimester. For others, though, it can last much longer, with many moms-to-be dealing with nausea and vomiting throughout the whole pregnancy. Of course, that horrible nauseousness can keep women from doing the things they want and need to do during the day. Thankfully, there are foods that fight nausea during pregnancy that can help keep morning sickness on the back burner. If you're combatting morning sickness, give these foods a try.
Foods that fight nausea during pregnancy

Read more
Is it common to have pregnancy second trimester headaches?
How to tell if this common ailment is safe during pregnancy

Pregnancy can be amazing and frustrating. It’s the critical time that mom forms the bond between herself and her baby. However, symptoms and side effects of growing a human being can cause a fair amount of discomfort. Whether the cause is stress, injury, surging hormones, or slight dehydration, expecting moms are bound to experience at least one or two headaches throughout their pregnancy, leaving many to wonder if it's common to have pregnancy second-trimester headaches.

Triggered headaches are common in pregnancy, especially during the first trimester when pregnancy hormones double and triple. But what about later-trimester headaches? Could they just be a passing issue due to stress or hormone imbalance? Or could they be a sign of something more serious? Let’s look at what the experts say to ease the minds of troubled moms looking for aid.
What is a headache, anyway?

Read more