The Top 10 Most Important Things to Know

Well, the total is more than 10, but there are 10 topics.

We know there is a lot of information to learn in the first few days after your baby arrives. We don’t want you to miss the most important things to know, so we have listed them here all together. More information about each item can be found in other articles.

Newborn appearance and behavior

These are most common questions (these and poop)!

The following things are normal (and common): sneezing, sounding congested, hiccuping, hands and feet turning blue, chin, hands, and feet quivering, red spot in the eye, swollen and misshapen head. Learn more about newborn appearance and behavior.

Feeding

  • Your baby is supposed to lose weight (but not too much) and not be back to birth weight until 10-14 days old.
  • Breast milk is the recommended feeding for babies for the first 6 months.
  • Never feed your baby water or anything else except breast milk or baby formula.
  • Breast milk is all most babies need for the first few days. If you plan to use both breast milk and formula, the formula can be added in a few days, and bottles can be introduced later.
  • If your newborn needs supplements or you want to supplement, use a syringe, medicine cup or spoon to feed expressed colostrum/breast milk or formula, not a bottle at first.
  • Many newborns are not very interested in feeding the first day or two; this is normal. If you are breastfeeding, express your colostrum at least every 2-3 hours if the baby is not nursing. You can feed it to your baby in a spoon or syringe or discard it.
  • Babies have small stomachs, only 1-2 teaspoons! That’s all the food they need the first few days.
  • Get help with lactation from a lactation professional or someone with experience as soon as any problems arise.

Learn more.

Safety

  • Your baby needs to ride in a car seat every single time.
  • Your baby should sleep on his or her back every single time, on a flat surface with no pillows, crib bumpers, blankets, stuffed animals, or other anything else in the sleep area. Learn more

Sleep

  • Your baby will not be in a regular sleep pattern for the first few weeks. Get some sleep whenever you can.
  • The most important thing about newborn and baby sleep is to be sure your baby is sleeping in a safe way in order to prevent sudden infant death (SIDS). Remember the ABCs:
  • ALWAYS sleep
  • On his or her BACK.
  • Keep the sleep area CLEAR of anything soft: no crib bumpers, pillows, or anything else in the sleep area with the baby.
  • No exposure to tobacco SMOKE.
  • Never sleep on sofa.
  • If you plan to let your baby sleep in your bed, be sure to follow the bed-sharing safety guidelines.

Learn more about your baby’s sleep and preventing SIDS.

Development

  • Your baby is already growing and learning! Right now, your baby likes to hear your voice, see your face up close, smell and touch you.
  • Cuddle, hold, sing, talk, do skin-to-skin while you are awake.
  • This is a bonding time, and a time when your baby wants to feel safe and secure. Your baby needs to know that you will take care of him or her when he or she needs something. Security and love are one of the foundations of strength and hope that help lead towards a lifetime of health and well-being. We believe, and research shows, that it starts now!
  • At Covenant Care Pediatrics, one of our goals is to help parents build a solid foundation for their child to have lifelong well-being.

Learn more about newborn development.

Jaundice & illness

  • Before you leave, the nurses will measure your baby’s risk of getting jaundice. Take this information with you to your follow-up visit (on your baby’s discharge paperwork).
  • Jaundice peaks about day 4; it is important to go to your follow-up visit 1-3 days after you go home. If your baby starts to look very yellow, seek medical care.
  • The most serious signs of illness you should watch for are: green vomit, chest and face turning blue, won’t wake up to eat, struggling to breathe.
  • Less serious but still concerning symptoms include black, sticky poops on day 4-5 or your baby stops pooping, poor feeding, decreased wet diapers, or if your baby seems very sleepy and won’t feed very well.

The scoop on newborn poop and diapers

Day by day you should expect at least:

  • Day 1: one wet diaper, and one poop, black and sticky (meconium)
  • Day 2: two wet and 1-2 poop, black and sticky (meconium)
  • Day 3: 2-4 wet, 3-4 poops, black-green-yellowish, not as sticky
  • Day 4: 4-5+ wet, 4+ mostly yellow, watery, soft poops
  • If your baby still has black stools and not very many by day 4, see your baby’s doctor, and perhaps a lactation consultant if you are breastfeeding.

Routine care of girls and boys

The newborn “girl talk”:

  • Most newborn girls have thick, white vaginal discharge the first week.
  • Some will also have a mini-period, with blood-tinged discharge or spot of blood in diaper.
  • The vernix on the skin at birth is still in the labia, which looks like cheesy white stuff. Don’t try to scrub it off. It will come off on its own.

Uncircumcised boys:

  • Clean the outside of the penis; do not try to pull the foreskin back.

Circumcised boys:

  • Follow the directions you were given: use Vaseline and gauze, and watch for bleeding.

Follow-up

  • Your baby will need to see his or her doctor 1-3 days after you are discharged from the hospital. This is one of the most important visits your child will have, because some very serious conditions do not have symptoms until your baby is 3-4 days old. If your baby is at higher risk of jaundice, infection, too much weight loss, or other issues, then this visit is even more important.
  • Be sure to bring your baby’s hospital paperwork with you to the first visit. If your doctor did not see your baby in the hospital, he or she may not have the information needed unless you provide it. You may also have to tell your baby’s doctor other important information, such as your pregnancy history or things the baby’s doctor mentioned in the hospital that need to be followed up.
  • You should see a lactation consultant if you are having breast or nipple pain, latch problems, too much weight loss in baby or poor weight gain, or your milk has not come in by day 4. Also seek help if you have ANY other questions or concerns about breastfeeding.
  • We recommend all moms and babies who have any of the following see a lactation consultant: babies born small for age, late preterm infants (35-36 weeks), teen moms, first baby, first time breastfeeding, or a history of breast reduction or other breast surgery.

Family care

  • All caregivers should have received a Tdap vaccine at least once in life. If not, it is not too late now to get it. It will protect your baby from whooping cough (pertussis). A flu vaccine for everyone is also recommended.
  • The new guidelines for postpartum care are a more continuous model, with follow-up around 3 weeks after delivery by phone, telehealth, or in person, and a visit by 12 weeks of age. We support this model, but are not sure whether it is being practiced in our community.
  • If you (mom) have any medical conditions, especially high blood pressure, or preeclampsia or diabetes during pregnancy, be sure to follow-up with your doctor as instructed.
  • Watch for signs of severe postpartum illness and get help right away.
  • Watch for baby blues and postpartum depression. Help is available.