Newborn baby check (Newborn and Infant Physical Examination (NIPE))

What is the newborn baby check?

The newborn baby check is a physical examination of your baby in the first few days of life. It is offered to every baby across the UK and is carried out by a specially trained midwife, nurse or doctor. In England the screening programme is called the Newborn and Infant Physical Examination (NIPE) and the examination is usually done within 72 hours of birth. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland run their own equivalent newborn examination, so the exact programme name, the timing, the referral standards and the way you are invited can differ depending on where you live and your local maternity or child-health service.

As well as a top-to-toe look (including the mouth, chest, tummy, bottom and limbs), it includes four specific screening checks: the eyes (for problems such as cataracts), the heart (for congenital heart conditions), the hips (for developmental dysplasia), and, in boys, the testes (to check they have descended).

It is a screening check, which means it is designed to spot signs of certain conditions early, not to find or rule out everything. Some conditions cannot be detected this early or develop later, which is why the check is repeated at 6 to 8 weeks.

The check is recommended for all babies, but it is your choice. Most babies are found to be well. If something needs a closer look, the team will explain it and arrange any further tests, such as a hip scan or heart review.

Types, options & approaches

There may be different ways to do this. The right approach depends on the clinical question and your circumstances.

Options at a glance

These are the main approaches described in this guide. The right option depends on the diagnosis, your goals and what your clinician thinks is safe.

Preparing for your test

• There is no special preparation; your baby does not need to fast or have anything done beforehand.
• It helps to have your baby calm and, ideally, recently fed for the heart and hip checks.
• A parent or carer should be present; you can ask questions throughout.
• Mention any family history of hip problems, heart conditions, eye conditions or hearing loss.
• Mention the pregnancy and birth, including if your baby was breech, as this affects hip screening.
• Have your baby's red book (personal child health record) to hand if you have it.

What happens

A trained midwife, nurse or doctor examines your baby, usually on the postnatal ward, at home or in a clinic, with you present. They undress your baby for the examination and keep them warm.

They look your baby over from head to toe, then carry out the four specific checks: shining a light into the eyes, listening to the heart and feeling the pulses, gently moving the hips, and (in boys) checking the testes. The whole examination usually takes only a few minutes and should not hurt your baby, though some babies dislike being handled or having the hip check.

Most babies are found to be well. If the examiner finds or suspects something, they explain it to you and arrange any next steps, such as a hip ultrasound, a repeat heart check or a referral to a specialist.

Is this test right for me?

A good consultation should explore whether it's the right choice for you now — including reasons to wait or consider something else.

Before you decide

Use this as a shared-decision checklist. The aim is not just “can this be done?”, but whether it is right for you, now, with the risks and alternatives clearly understood.

The main limitation is that this is a screening check, not a guarantee. A normal examination does not rule out every problem, and some conditions appear later, so it is repeated at 6 to 8 weeks. Whatever the result, trust your instincts: if your baby seems unwell between checks, seek help rather than waiting for the next appointment.

Published figures to discuss

This is a low-risk examination for the baby, so the meaningful 'rates' are about how well screening detects conditions. Detection is not perfect: some conditions are missed at this stage or develop later, which is why the examination is repeated at 6 to 8 weeks. We avoid quoting detection percentages, which vary by condition and programme.

These are literature figures, not a personalised prediction. Your own risks and likely benefits depend on your circumstances, your health, and how your care is carried out and followed up.

What happens afterwards

There is no recovery for your baby from the examination itself. 'Afterwards' is mainly about understanding the result and knowing what to watch for at home.

• Your baby being unsettled briefly during or after the hip check
• Most babies being found completely well
• Some normal newborn features being explained and needing no treatment
• A short wait for a follow-up scan if one is arranged

Aftercare

• Make sure you understand what was checked and the result.
• If a follow-up scan or review is arranged, note the date and keep the appointment.
• Learn the newborn red flags so you know when to seek urgent help.
• Keep up with feeding and watch your baby's colour, breathing and alertness.
• Record the check in your baby's red book if you have one.
• Remember the 6 to 8 week check, as some conditions appear later.

• Family history of hip, heart, eye or hearing conditions noted
• Pregnancy and birth details (including breech) shared
• Baby's red book to hand
• Any follow-up scan or review date recorded
• Newborn red flags understood
• 6 to 8 week check noted in the calendar

⚠ Get urgent help if…

• Trouble breathing — fast breathing, grunting, pauses in breathing, or sucking in under the ribs
• Poor feeding or refusing feeds, far fewer wet nappies, or being hard to wake for feeds
• Yellow skin or eyes (jaundice) in the first 24 hours of life — this needs urgent assessment
• Being very sleepy, floppy, or unusually difficult to wake
• A high or low temperature, or your baby feeling cold and looking pale, blue or mottled
• A rash of small purple/red spots that does not fade when pressed (use the glass test) — call 999
• Any time you feel your baby is seriously unwell — if it is life-threatening, call 999 or go to A&E; for urgent advice, use NHS 111 in England, Scotland or Wales, or in Northern Ireland contact your GP out-of-hours or your HSC Trust's Phone First service

Who to contact: your clinician, clinic or test provider first (keep their number to hand). For urgent advice when you can't reach them, call NHS 111. In an emergency, call 999.

General guidance — it doesn't replace the specific advice your specialist gives you.

Results & realistic expectations

A normal newborn check is reassuring: it means the specific conditions screened for were not found at this stage. It does not mean your baby has a clean bill of health for everything, because the check is brief and some conditions appear later. That is why a second examination is done at 6 to 8 weeks.

If something is found or suspected, it does not always mean a serious problem; many findings turn out to be minor or normal after a follow-up scan or review. The team will explain what was found, what it might mean, and what happens next.

This examination is a snapshot of the first few days. Because babies change quickly and some conditions develop later, the check is repeated at 6 to 8 weeks, and your baby continues to have routine health and development reviews after that. A normal check now does not remove the need for those later reviews or for seeking help if you are worried.

Related tests, treatments or support

The newborn check is part of a wider set of newborn screening offered around the same time, including the newborn hearing screen and the newborn blood spot ('heel prick') test. These look for different conditions, so being offered all of them gives a fuller picture than the physical examination alone.

Follow-up & long-term care

Most babies need no follow-up after a normal check. If a hip ultrasound, heart review or specialist referral is arranged, you should be told when and where, and given a contact if you have questions. The examination is then repeated at 6 to 8 weeks, usually by a GP, alongside a wider development review.

• Attend the 6 to 8 week check and later routine development reviews.
• Keep your baby's red book up to date.
• Attend any arranged follow-up scans or specialist appointments.

Repeat, follow-on and what comes next

• The examination is repeated at 6 to 8 weeks because some conditions appear later.
• Uncertain findings often lead to a follow-up scan or review that turns out normal.
• A suspected problem may need referral and further specialist tests.

Ask what happens if the result is unclear or needs repeating, and what is included if further tests or follow-up are needed.

What good aftercare looks like

• A clear explanation of what was checked and the result, recorded in the red book.
• Prompt arrangement and clear timing of any follow-up scan or referral.
• Clear, written newborn red-flag advice for between checks.
• A reminder about the 6 to 8 week review and the separate hearing and blood spot tests.
• A contact route if you have concerns before the next appointment.

What affects the cost

Costs vary a great deal between people and providers, and we don't publish prices. What matters is understanding what drives the cost and making sure your quote is complete. The main things that affect it:

• Whether the check is part of NHS care (it is offered free) or a private newborn service
• Whether it is combined with other newborn screening (hearing, blood spot)
• Who performs it and where
• Whether any follow-up scans or specialist reviews are needed
• Whether a written report is provided

• Whether the four screening checks (eyes, heart, hips, testes) are all included
• Who performs the examination and their training
• Whether hearing screening and the blood spot test are included or arranged separately
• What happens, and what it costs, if a follow-up scan or referral is needed
• Whether the result is recorded in the baby's red book
• How urgent concerns are handled outside the appointment

On the NHS? The newborn physical examination is offered free to every baby on the NHS, usually in the first few days of birth (in England, ideally within 72 hours). The exact programme name, timing and referral standards vary across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Private newborn checks exist but should follow the relevant NHS screening standards.

You're entitled to your total cost in writing — including reports, follow-up and what happens if the result is inconclusive — before you decide.

Consent traps and marketing red flags

These are not small details. They are often where patients lose choice, time to reflect, or realistic expectations.

Choosing a specialist safely

• Check the specialist is on the GMC Specialist Register for this area.
• Make sure they work at a CQC-registered service, and look for membership of the relevant Royal College or professional body.
• You're entitled to time to consider and to have your questions answered before you agree — the specialist who looks after you should explain it, not a salesperson.
• Be wary of pressure: time-limited offers or deposits taken before you've had time to think are red flags, not bargains.
• You're entitled to your total cost in writing — including any follow-up — before you decide.

How Vuemedics verifies every consultant →

Take this to your consultation. A good specialist will welcome every one of these.

• What exactly did you check, and were the eyes, heart, hips and (for boys) testes all normal?
• Does my baby need a hip ultrasound, for example because of breech position or family history?
• Were there any findings you want to follow up, and how?
• What newborn red flags should make me seek urgent help?
• When is the next check, and what will it cover?
• How do I get the hearing screen and blood spot test if they have not been done yet?
• Are you on the GMC Specialist Register for this area, and which Royal College or professional body are you a member of?
• Will you be the specialist who carries out my test, and who looks after me afterwards?
• What are the risks for someone like me, and how often do your own patients have a problem or need it repeated or redone?
• What does a realistic result look like — and what can this test not achieve?
• What are my options, including waiting, doing nothing for now, or choosing a different approach?
• Can I have written information, results and aftercare instructions in a format I can use, including any accessibility or communication support I need?
• What is the total cost in writing, including any follow-ups, and how much time do I have to decide?

Find a verified specialist for newborn baby check

Every consultant is GMC-checked and independently reviewed. Search by postcode and distance, or switch to a map. Ordered by rating, relevance and recency — never by who pays.

How we made this page

Medically reviewed by a GMC-registered consultant. Written in plain English, checked against NHS, NICE, GMC and relevant Royal College / specialist-society guidance, and kept under review. No clinic paid to appear on this page, and we publish no pricing. This is general information to help you prepare — it is not a substitute for advice from your own clinician. How we review our guides →

Source hierarchy: UK regulator and NHS/NICE guidance first, then relevant Royal College or specialist-society guidance, then peer-reviewed evidence for procedure-specific figures where available.

Sources & standards: NHS — Newborn physical examination GOV.UK — Newborn and infant physical examination (NIPE) screening programme handbook NHS — Newborn screening (overview) NHS — Is your baby or toddler seriously ill? NHS — Newborn jaundice nidirect — Urgent and emergency care services (Northern Ireland) nidirect — GP out-of-hours service (Northern Ireland)

Reviews reflect patients' experience of care, not clinical outcomes. For procedure volumes and outcome data see PHIN.

Last medically reviewed 2026-09-21. Spotted something wrong or out of date? Report an error in this guide.