Newborn Tips

Help me be healthy.

Before I go home from the hospital, I need:

• Blood tests. Blood tests will help us look for genetic/metabolic problems. The doctor or nurse will prick my heel and take a little blood. I will need another blood test before I’m two weeks old. My doctor will tell you where to go for the second test. If the tests show a possible problem, you and my doctor will talk about it together.
• A hepatitis B shot.
• A hearing test. If I need another hearing test after I leave the hospi­tal, my doctor will send us to an audiologist close by. Or we might go back to the hospital for a follow-up hearing test.

Find a doctor or nurse to see me for my regular checkups. I need a Medical Home. Bring this calendar to all my checkups. Ask questions, share any worries you have, and work closely with my doctor or nurse to plan all the care I need.

When I go for my first checkup, the doctor will:

• Weigh and measure me.
• Check me from head to toe by:
  • Looking in my eyes, ears. and nose;
  • Listening to my heart and lungs; and
  • Looking at my hips, abdomen, and umbilical cord.
• Check my vision and hearing.
• Answer any questions you have. Ask the doctor questions about my health. That is why you take me for my well-baby checkups.

Feed me whenever I am hungry.

Breast milk or iron-fortified formula is the only food I need. It will probably take us many weeks to get used to a feeding schedule. This is normal. If I am breastfeeding, I might eat every 2 to 3 hours.

I am getting enough to eat if I am:

• Gaining weight.
• Having at least six wet diapers a day.
• Having at least one stool a day.

Keep me safe.

Whenever we ride in the car, put me in a car seat with the straps on right.

• Texas law says that I have to be in a car seat when I am in a car.
• The car seat is the only safe place for me.
• Use the car seat even if I fuss. Fussing is my way of telling you that I know I’m in a different place.
• Place my car seat in the back seat so I look out the back window.
• If you have questions about my car seat. or want to be sure my car seat is in the car right, call Safe Riders toll-free at 1-800-252-8023.

Place me on my back to sleep. Keep my sleeping area clear of stuffed toys and soft, fluffy things.

Keep me safe from fire and smoke.

• Check the batteries in our smoke detector.
• Practice a fire escape. How would you help me get out if there was a fire?
• Keep me away from cigarette and cigar smoke. It makes it harder for me to breathe.

Pay attention to me. I talk by crying.

If I’m crying, it could mean that I:

• Am wet.
• Am too hot or too cold.
• Am sleepy.
• Am hungry.
• Want to change position.
• Want to be held.
• Need to be burped.
• Have colic.

Remember, most babies have a fussy time each day. To help me calm down, read “How to Help Your Crying Baby.” The Parents Action for Children website is also helpful.

If nothing seems to help me calm down, check with my doctor to see if something is wrong. Soon you will be able to tell the difference between the cry that says “Feed me” and the cry that says “Pick me up and hold me.”

Play with me. It helps me learn.

• Hold me, cuddle me, rock me and hug me. Let me look at your face.
• Change my position every once in a while.
• Talk to me, sing to me, read to me.
• Put a picture on the side of my bed. Hang a mobile over my crib. Put them on securely so they don’t fall on me.
• Listen to gentle music with me.

Watch how I grow.

Each child grows and changes at a different rate.
Watch the things that I do. If I was born early or have some special needs, it may take me a little longer to do some things. If you are worried about what I can and cannot do, talk to my doctor or nurse.

Watch for me to:

• Look to see who is talking.
• Move my eyes to follow something that moves in front of my face.
• Look at you, look away, and then look at you again when we are playing. I can see best when an object is about eight inches from my face.
• Sleep a lot. I don’t know when it is night, so I will wake up in the night and want to eat.
• Eat every few hours. When I’m not eat­ing, I may sleep most of the time.
• Be fussy and cry more than you would like me to cry. Don’t be afraid to hold me.
• Suck on my fingers or pacifier. I like to suck even when I’m not hungry.
• Be startled by loud noises.