Newborn Screenings and Tests in the Hospital in New York and Connecticut

The first two days go fast

In the hours after birth, people come and go from your room. Someone takes your baby’s blood from a heel, someone else checks hearing, and a nurse clips a small sensor to a hand or foot. You are tired and sore, and it is easy to lose track of what was done and what is still pending.

This guide explains the usual checks in plain words, using the New York and Connecticut state programs and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). It does not replace your baby’s care team. Ask them what each test is for, and ask for the results in writing if that helps you remember.

You can usually hold your baby during many of these checks. The AAP says you can hold your baby during the heel stick, and even feed or nurse to keep your baby comfortable.

Right after birth: vitamin K, eye ointment and vaccines

According to the AAP, after about an hour your baby is weighed, measured and examined, then given a dose of vitamin K to help with normal blood clotting. Babies also get an antibiotic eye ointment to prevent a serious eye infection from bacteria during birth. If these were not given in the delivery room, the AAP says they are given at the first exam.

The hepatitis B vaccine is where you may hear different advice. In December 2025 the CDC announced individual-based decision-making for babies whose mothers test negative for the virus. The AAP still strongly recommends that all babies get a first dose within 24 hours of birth. The AAP also notes that you sign a consent form for the vaccine. Talk with your pediatrician about it before your due date, so you are not deciding in a rush.

Depending on the season and whether you got an RSV vaccine during pregnancy, the AAP says your baby may be offered an RSV immunization before leaving the hospital or at the pediatrician’s office.

The heel-stick blood screen in New York and Connecticut

Each state runs its own newborn screening program, and each program covers babies born in that state. If you live in Greenwich and give birth in Westchester, or the other way around, the program of the state where your baby is born does the test.

In New York, the Wadsworth Center says a small blood sample is collected by pricking your newborn’s heel, usually 24 to 36 hours after birth, and used to screen for 50 different disorders. There is no charge to you. Screening is required for all newborns born in New York State unless the parents confirm, in writing, that they have a religious objection.

In Connecticut, the Department of Public Health says every baby born in the state gets a bloodspot test within 24 to 48 hours after birth, sent to the State Public Health Laboratory. The Connecticut panel can detect over 60 disorders.

Both programs say a screening result alone is not a diagnosis: more testing is needed to confirm whether a baby has a disorder. In Connecticut, the program reports the result to your baby’s doctor. The AAP says blood results are usually ready by the time your baby is 5 to 7 days old.

Hearing and heart screenings

New York law requires all maternity hospitals and birthing centers to run newborn hearing screening programs, according to the state health department. If a baby does not pass the first hearing screen, the baby should be screened again before discharge. If the baby does not pass that one, parents get a prescription for an outpatient screening and a list of qualified screeners. Connecticut’s program says it works so that all newborns get a hearing screening at birth, or by one month of age.

The heart check uses pulse oximetry, which the CDC describes as a test that estimates the amount of oxygen in a baby’s blood. It looks for critical congenital heart defects. The CDC says screening is done when a baby is at least 24 hours old, and that the test is painless and takes only a few minutes. A baby who passes can still have a heart defect, so tell your pediatrician if something seems off later.

The AAP notes that all states screen for hearing loss and for critical congenital heart defects. If you leave the hospital in less than 24 hours, or give birth at home or in a birth center, the AAP says your pediatrician can help you schedule these tests.

Questions to ask before you go home

Keep a note on your phone and fill it in before discharge. Your partner or a support person can ask while you rest.

• Which screenings are done, and which are still pending?
• Did my baby get vitamin K, eye ointment, the hepatitis B vaccine and, if offered, the RSV immunization? Can I have that in writing?
• Did my baby pass the hearing screen? If not, when and where is the rescreen?
• When do the bloodspot results come back, and who calls me if one is out of range?
• When should my baby’s first checkup be? The AAP recommends a checkup within 48 to 72 hours after your newborn leaves the hospital.
• Who do I call at night if I am worried before that visit?

Where a postpartum doula fits, and where she does not

A doula is not part of the medical team. She does not perform or read these tests, and she does not tell you what a result means. That is your pediatrician’s job, and in New York and Connecticut the state programs work with your baby’s doctor on any follow-up.

What a doula can do is practical. She can help you write down your questions before the pediatrician comes in, keep the discharge papers together, remind you about the first checkup, and give you time to sleep. Postpartum support from Northeast Doulas “can begin as soon as you get home with your new baby,” and your postpartum doula “will create a customized plan for your family.” You can read more on our postpartum doula page.

For the lighter side of the first weeks, see 10 things no one told you about newborns. If you are planning the ride home, read car seat rules in NY and CT, and if you are already home and struggling, see hiring a postpartum doula after your baby is born.