Six-week baby review (6 to 8 week infant physical examination and review)
A physical examination and development review of your baby at around 6 to 8 weeks, repeating the eye, heart, hip and (in boys) testes checks and discussing feeding, growth and how you are coping.
✓ Medically reviewed by a GMC-registered consultant · last reviewed September 2026 · next review September 2027 · how we review
In short
- At around 6 to 8 weeks the eye, heart, hip and (in boys) testes checks are repeated, plus growth measurements and a development review.
- Some conditions only show up after the newborn period, which is why this second check matters.
- It is a good time to discuss feeding, sleep, vaccinations (usually starting at 8 weeks) and how you are coping.
- It is screening, not a guarantee; know the red flags and seek help if your baby seems unwell between checks.
A plain-English summary. The detail — including risks and recovery — is below.
At a glance
A general guide. Your specialist will give you advice for your situation.
Repeats key checks to catch conditions that appear after the newborn period
This is a screening review, not a diagnostic test; it cannot find or rule out every condition.
The GP explains the physical checks, growth and development, and answers your questions.
A clear explanation of the checks, growth and development, recorded in the red book.
The GP explains the physical checks, growth and development, and answers your questions.
You will be told what is being checked and how, for example a hip scan or specialist referral, and when.
The first routine vaccinations are usually offered; further ones follow at 12 and 16 weeks and beyond.
Health visitor support and routine development reviews continue as your baby grows.
What is the six-week baby review?
The six-week baby review (usually done between 6 and 8 weeks) is the second routine physical examination of your baby, normally carried out by a GP. It repeats the four screening checks from the newborn examination, the eyes, heart, hips and (in boys) testes, because some conditions develop or become detectable only after the first few days.
As well as the physical checks, your baby's weight, length and head size are measured, and the GP looks at movement, alertness and early development. It is also a chance to talk about feeding, sleep, vaccinations (the first ones are usually offered at 8 weeks) and any worries you have.
Around the same time, you should be offered your own 6 to 8 week postnatal check, focused on your physical and emotional recovery after birth. The two are sometimes done together but cover different things.
Like the newborn check, this is a screening review. Most babies are found to be well, but it cannot detect every problem. It is also not a substitute for seeking help if your baby seems unwell between checks.
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.
Repeat eye check
The eyes and red reflex are checked again, as some problems such as cataracts can show up later than the newborn examination.
Repeat heart check
The heart is listened to and pulses felt again, because some congenital heart conditions become detectable only after the first weeks.
Repeat hip check
The hips are examined again for developmental dysplasia, which can be picked up at this stage even if the newborn check was normal.
Repeat testes check (in boys)
A check that both testes are in the scrotum; undescended testes noted earlier are reviewed.
Preparing for your test
- There is no special preparation; your baby does not need to fast.
- It helps if your baby is recently fed and reasonably settled for the heart and hip checks.
- Bring your baby's red book (personal child health record).
- Note any concerns about feeding, weight, movement, hearing, vision or sleep.
- Mention any family history of hip, heart, eye or hearing conditions if not already known.
- Write down questions, including about the vaccinations offered at 8 weeks.
- Think about how you are feeling too; the review is also a chance to raise your own wellbeing.
What happens
The review is usually done by a GP at the surgery, with you present. The GP examines your baby from head to toe and repeats the four screening checks: the eyes (with a light), the heart (listening and feeling pulses), the hips (gently moving them) and, in boys, the testes.
Your baby is weighed and measured, and the measurements are plotted in the red book to track growth. The GP looks at your baby's movement, tone and early development, such as beginning to smile or follow with the eyes.
There is also time to talk about feeding, sleep, the vaccinations usually offered at 8 weeks, and any worries you have. You should be asked how you are coping, as low mood after birth is common and support is available. Most babies are found to be developing well; if something needs a closer look, the GP explains it and arranges follow-up.
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.
May not be suitable if…
- This is a screening review, not a diagnostic test; it cannot find or rule out every condition.
- It does not replace urgent assessment if your baby is unwell now.
- A single growth measurement should not be over-interpreted on its own.
- It is not a substitute for ongoing development reviews as your baby grows.
Delay or rearrange if…
- Your baby is acutely unwell and needs urgent assessment first.
- Your baby is very unsettled or has just fed and is too upset for the hip check (the GP may settle them first).
- Key information (such as family history) has not yet been shared.
- A private review is being considered before the routine NHS review has been offered.
Alternatives to discuss
- The routine NHS 6 to 8 week review, offered to every baby.
- Urgent paediatric assessment if your baby is unwell rather than an elective review.
- Health visitor support for feeding, development and parental wellbeing.
- Watchful care at home with clear red-flag advice between checks.
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.
What matters most to me?
Think about symptoms, daily life, work, caring responsibilities, sport, fertility, travel, appearance and anxiety — the right choice depends on your priorities, not just the medical facts.
What are all my options?
Ask about waiting, monitoring, medicines, rehabilitation, a smaller or larger procedure, a different test, NHS referral, or a second opinion where that would help.
What would make me pause?
Active infection, pregnancy, unstable medical problems, smoking, medicines that increase bleeding, poor support at home, or feeling pressured are all reasons to slow down and get tailored advice.
What happens if I do nothing today?
For some problems, waiting is safe; for others, delay can make treatment harder. A good consultation should explain the trade-off in plain English.
Benefits
- Repeats key checks to catch conditions that appear after the newborn period
- Tracks your baby's growth and early development
- Gives reassurance when your baby is developing well
- Provides time to discuss feeding, sleep and vaccinations
- Is a chance to raise your own physical and emotional recovery
Risks & complications
- Your baby may be unsettled during the hip or other checks
- The review is brief and cannot detect every condition
- A single growth measurement can be hard to interpret without the overall pattern
- Some findings need a follow-up scan or review, which can cause worry
- A condition is suspected and referral is needed
- An uncertain finding leads to extra tests that turn out normal
- A serious condition is identified that needs urgent specialist care
As with the newborn check, this is screening rather than a guarantee, and one set of measurements is best read alongside the overall growth pattern. A normal review is reassuring but does not rule out every problem. Keep watching for red flags and seek help if your baby seems unwell between checks, regardless of when the next appointment is.
Published figures to discuss
This is a low-risk review, so the meaningful 'rates' relate to how well screening detects conditions, which is not perfect. Some conditions are still missed at this stage or appear later, and growth is interpreted from the overall pattern rather than one measurement. We avoid quoting detection percentages, which vary by condition.
| Figure | Reported range | How to interpret it | Source / confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physical harm from the review | Very low | The review is examination and discussion; any immunisations have their own separate consent points. | Guide sourcesClinical context |
| Hip, heart or eye problem missed | Recognised screening limitation | A normal review is reassuring but not perfect. New symptoms or concerns should still be assessed. | Guide sourcesClinical context |
| Maternal mental-health concern missed | Clinically important | Postnatal depression, anxiety, intrusive thoughts or not coping should be actively asked about and supported. | Guide sourcesClinical context |
| Feeding or weight concern | Common | Weight trend, nappies, feeding comfort and reflux symptoms should be considered together. | Guide sourcesClinical context |
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 review itself. 'Afterwards' is about understanding the result, the development discussion, and knowing what to watch for and when vaccinations are due.
- Your baby being briefly unsettled during the hip check
- Most babies being found to be developing well
- Variation in feeding, sleep and weight gain being normal
- A short wait for a follow-up scan if one is arranged
Aftercare
- Make sure you understand the result of the physical checks and growth review.
- If a follow-up scan or referral is arranged, note the date and keep the appointment.
- Book or attend the 8-week vaccinations.
- Keep your baby's red book up to date with measurements and findings.
- Learn the red flags so you know when to seek urgent help.
- Raise your own wellbeing with the GP or health visitor if you are struggling.
- Baby's red book brought and updated
- Concerns about feeding, growth, movement, vision or hearing noted
- Family history shared if relevant
- Any follow-up scan or referral date recorded
- 8-week vaccinations booked
- Red flags understood
- Your own wellbeing considered and raised if needed
⚠ Get urgent help if…
- Trouble breathing — fast breathing, grunting, pauses, or sucking in under the ribs
- Poor feeding, far fewer wet nappies, or being hard to wake for feeds
- Being very sleepy, floppy, or unusually difficult to wake
- A high temperature (in a baby under 3 months, even with no other symptoms, seek advice straight away), or feeling cold, pale, blue or mottled
- A rash of small purple/red spots that does not fade when pressed (glass test) — call 999
- Not gaining weight as expected, persistent vomiting, or you feel something is wrong
- Any time you feel your baby is seriously unwell — in an emergency call 999 or go to A&E. For urgent advice that is not life-threatening, use NHS 111 in England, Scotland or Wales; in Northern Ireland contact your GP out-of-hours service 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 six-week review is reassuring: the conditions screened for were not found at this stage and your baby is growing and developing as expected. Because it is a brief, screening review, it cannot rule out every problem, and development is followed over time rather than judged on one visit.
If something is found or queried, it does not always mean a serious problem; many findings are minor or normal after a follow-up. The GP will explain what was found, what it might mean, and what happens next.
This review is one point in a series of routine health and development checks. Babies and children continue to have reviews as they grow, and growth is tracked over time using the red book rather than from a single measurement. A normal review now does not remove the need for later checks or for seeking help if you are worried.
Related tests, treatments or support
The six-week baby review is often arranged around the same time as your own 6 to 8 week postnatal check and just before the first vaccinations at 8 weeks. These cover different things: your baby's examination, your recovery, and immunisation. Health visitor support also continues alongside.
Follow-up & long-term care
Most babies need no follow-up after a normal review. If a hip scan, heart review or specialist referral is needed, you should be told when and where and given a contact for questions. Vaccinations are usually offered from 8 weeks, and routine development reviews continue as your baby grows.
- Attend routine vaccinations (from 8 weeks) and later development reviews.
- Keep the red book updated with growth and findings.
- Attend any arranged follow-up scans or specialist appointments.
Repeat, follow-on and what comes next
- Development is reviewed again at later routine checks, not judged on one visit.
- 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 the checks, growth and development, recorded in the red book.
- Prompt arrangement and clear timing of any follow-up scan or referral.
- Clear, written red-flag advice for between checks.
- Information about vaccinations and later development reviews.
- A chance to raise parental wellbeing and a route to support if needed.
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 review is part of NHS care (offered free) or a private service
- Whether growth charts and development assessment are included
- Who performs it and where
- Whether vaccinations are arranged separately
- 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
- Whether growth measurement and a development review are included
- Who performs the review and their training
- Whether vaccinations 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
On the NHS? The 6 to 8 week baby review is offered free to every baby on the NHS, usually by a GP; private reviews exist but should follow the same 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.
Consent traps
- Presenting a normal review as proof the baby is completely healthy.
- Over-interpreting a single growth measurement without the overall pattern.
- Not giving clear red-flag advice for between checks.
- Not explaining what happens if a follow-up scan or referral is needed.
- Not making space to ask how the parent is coping.
Marketing red flags
- Private baby checks marketed as 'complete' or as ruling out all problems.
- Implying a private review removes the need for NHS reviews or vaccinations.
- Selling extra scans or tests without a clear reason.
- Reassurance without clear advice on when to seek urgent help.
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.
Questions to ask your medical professional
Take this to your consultation. A good specialist will welcome every one of these.
- Were the eyes, heart, hips and (for boys) testes all normal today?
- Is my baby's growth and development on track, and how is this being tracked?
- Is there anything you want to follow up, such as a hip scan or referral?
- When are the first vaccinations, and what do they cover?
- What red flags should make me seek urgent help before the next check?
- Can we also talk about how I am coping after the birth?
- 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?
Frequently asked questions
Why is my baby checked again at six to eight weeks?
Who does the six-week check?
Does a normal check mean there is nothing to worry about?
Are vaccinations done at this check?
Is the six-week check for me as well?
What should I watch for between checks?
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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 — Your baby's health and development reviews NHS — Newborn physical examination NHS — Your 6-week postnatal check GOV.UK — NIPE screening programme handbook NHS — Is your baby or toddler seriously ill? nidirect — Urgent and emergency care services (NI) nidirect — GP out-of-hours service (NI)
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.
Related guides: Newborn baby check · Assessing a suddenly unwell or injured child · Childhood developmental assessment · Faints, fits and funny turns in children · Faltering growth and weight concerns in children