Going Home with Baby
Caring for Your Newborn

A newborn baby brings many joys as well as many questions. Along with the happiness parents feel with the birth of their child comes concerns about his or her health and how to properly care for him or her.

Today, babies have more opportunities than ever before to grow into healthy children, adolescents and adults. But there are some things that all parents should be aware of when bringing a new baby into the home.

“A new baby will bring enormous changes to any family, and these changes are often the most difficult for older brothers and sisters,” said Dayna Jornsay-Hester, MEd, Children’s Community Education coordinator at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. “It is important to remind these siblings that they will still receive your attention and love. If pets are part of the family, they also need time to adjust to a new baby in the house.”

Most hospitals offer a community education program, which is a good source of information, offering resources for parents from teaching a baby sign language to knowing when a child is ready to stay home alone.

In addition to on-line resources for parents, there are community-based events that can help even the savviest parent learn how to keep their child safe. Car seat checkpoints are offered monthly in local communities to educate parents on the importance of car seat safety. At the checks, trained technicians show parents how to properly install and use car seats.

While preparing themselves as well as other family members for the arrival of a newborn, new parents must remember to take care of themselves. A new mother needs plenty of rest, good nutrition and help during the first few weeks in order to provide the best care possible for her newborn.

Once the baby is home, attention must be placed on safety, nutrition and hygiene. Appropriate and healthy feeding during the first year of life is extremely important. For the first few months, breast milk or formula is all that is needed.

Keeping the baby safe at home is as easy as buying the proper furniture. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) offers recommendations for many of these household items. Bedding materials is of particular concern. Parents should keep overly soft bedding away from babies, as it poses a risk for suffocation and may be a contributor to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Bathing and skin care are other important factors in newborn care. Contrary to popular thought, most babies do not need a bath every day; most only need to be bathed two or three times a week. Sponge baths should be used at first. Bathing in a tub of water should wait until the baby’s umbilical cord falls off, and a baby boy’s circumcision heals, to prevent infection. Powders and lotions generally should be avoided.

Finally, choose a good pediatrician and ask him or her to recommend products suited to your newborn’s needs.

Editorial provided by Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC.