Obtaining H4 dependent visa for a new born

[DharmaOptimist]

Subject: Obtaining H4 dependent visa for a new born

Iam a H1b holder(H1-b valid till March '06) currently working in US. My wife is in India for delivery and she is due in May 2005.My family will be coming to US soon after the delivery.

Can any of you please clarify the following regarding obtaining dependent visa(H4) for my new child.

Do i need to wait till the baby is born to book the appointment? Because the passport number is required for booking an appointment online and i cannot have the passport of the baby before it is born, Can i use the mother's passport number in lieu of baby's passport number to book the appointment in advance? The wait times are long for getting an appointment at the chennai consulate, i was planning to book the appointment ahead of time so that i dont have to wait for 3 months(current wait time at chennai consulate) after the baby is born to get an appointment?

My other question is, assuming that my wife takes the baby for interview, can i (Father and H1-B holder)accompany my wife during the interview process or do i need to wait outside? I believe that nobody else is allowed for the interview apart from the applicant.I was only concerned about the well being of the baby during the interview process, in case the baby gets restless, somebody should be able to help my wife.

Please let me know if any of you have faced a similiar suitation. Any suggestions/solutions is most welcome.

Thanks for your help in advance.

Have a nice day,
dharma