Here are a few quick things to remember when baby comes home

  • Make sure to bring your baby to the doctor for a checkup at 2 weeks.

Sleeping

  • Babies sleep a lot in the first few weeks of life.
  • Newborns sleep a lot, up to 14-17 hours a day.
  • The safest way for baby to sleep is on his/her back on a firm mattress in a crib without any extra blankets, pillows, or toys.
  • New babies will often have their days and nights confused, so this means baby may be awake more at night time.

Belly Button

  • Keep it clean and dry until the stump falls off (usually between days 10-14).

Bathing

  • Make sure to ALWAYS stay with your baby when bathing him/her.
  • Only give baby sponge baths until the belly button stump falls off.
  • If you put your wrist in the bathwater, the water should feel the same temperature as your skin, so to your body, it won’t feel hot or cold.

Feeding

  • At this young age, it is important to breast or bottle-feed your baby whenever they show signs of hunger.
  • These signs can include: crying, rooting (trying to suck on things), and moving the hands to the mouth.

Formula

  • If you are formula feeding, your baby should get about 2.5 oz. of formula for every pound of body weight. If you’re unsure, speak to your provider.
  • Make sure to read the label on the can of formula for directions on how to prepare a bottle.
  • Make sure to properly clean and sanitize bottles after every feeding.
  • For more information on formula feeding safety click here.

Breastfeeding

  • For the first few days, you will produce a small amount yellow colored milk (also known as “liquid gold”). This is called colostrum and is the best thing for baby.
  • If you are breastfeeding and unsure if the baby is getting enough milk, call your provider.
  • Nursing is the best way to feed your baby, but it doesn’t produce enough vitamin D. Ask your doctor for vitamin D drops and make sure you give them to your baby every day!

Other Feeding Information

At this young age, baby’s stomach is very small. Baby will only drink a small amount of breastmilk or formula but will feed about every 1-2 hours. Pay attention to the feeding cues so you know when baby is hungry.

Burp baby about halfway through baby’s feeding session, this helps baby release any air bubbles in his/her tummy and will decrease spit up after an eating.  There are a few good ways to hold baby to burp. You can:

  • Hold the baby up to your shoulder and gently pat baby’s back.
  • Sit baby on your lap, support the front of baby’s chin and chest with one hand and gently pat baby’s back with your other hand.
  • Lay baby tummy down across your legs, support his/her chin and gently pat baby’s back. Always keep a burp rag or towel handy as baby may spit up a bit during burping sessions.

Diaper Changes

  • Babies poop and potty often.
  • Make sure to change baby’s diaper any time it is wet or dirty to prevent a diaper rash.

For Boys: Circumcision Care

  • If your son was circumcised, it will take about 7-10 days for his penis to heal.
  • The most important step of circumcision care is to carefully and gently wipe away any bits of poop or urine with each diaper change.
  • Wash the penis each day with mild soap and water.