Newborn Care 101: A Beginner's Guide for First-Time Parents

For first-time parents, having a newborn can be a daunting experience. What do you need to do to take care of your newborn? Your pediatrician can answer this question, and safeguard the health of your newborn. Dr. Nicola Cherry at The Children’s Clinic of Klamath in Klamath Falls, OR, offers a wide range of medical care for children of all ages, including newborn care.

What You Need To Know About Newborn Care

The pediatrician will visit your newborn within 2 to 5 days of birth, providing a physical examination, the first doses of some vaccines, and addressing any concerns you have about newborn care. It's helpful to keep a few guidelines in mind about newborn care. Consider:

• When you are feeding your newborn, your baby will want to feed every 2 to 3 hours if you are breastfeeding, and every 3 to 4 hours if you are feeding your newborn formula
• When you are putting your baby down for sleep, your newborn will sleep at least 16 hours each day for the first few weeks, and remember to always place your baby on their back when sleeping, to make breathing easier
• When you are changing your newborn, your baby’s first bowel movements will be black and tarry, changing to dark green and then to yellow
• When you are bathing your newborn, don’t bathe your baby too often because it can dry your baby’s skin, and only use mild soap and lukewarm water

After the initial visit, additional visits to the pediatrician should take place at 1,2,4,6,9,15, 18, and 24 months. During these visits, your pediatrician will continue to measure and record your baby’s growth and development, assess your baby’s overall health, administer vaccines, and continue to partner with you to safeguard your baby’s health.

Want To Know More About Newborn Care?

To discover more about newborn care, talk with an expert. Call Dr. Nicola Cherry at The Children’s Clinic of Klamath in Klamath Falls, OR. You can reach her in the office by calling (541) 884-1224, so call today.