From the Guidelines
Caring for a newborn baby requires attention to several essential needs, including feeding every 2-3 hours, keeping the umbilical cord stump clean and dry, bathing with mild soap 2-3 times weekly, and ensuring the baby sleeps on their back on a firm mattress without pillows or blankets to reduce SIDS risk, as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics 1. To ensure the best possible care for your newborn, consider the following key points:
- Feed your baby every 2-3 hours, whether breastfeeding or using formula, watching for 6-8 wet diapers daily as a sign of adequate nutrition, and documenting successful feedings, especially if breastfeeding, to ensure proper latch, swallowing, and infant satiety 1.
- Keep the umbilical cord stump clean and dry until it falls off naturally in 1-2 weeks, and bathe your baby with mild soap 2-3 times weekly, always supporting their head and neck due to undeveloped neck muscles.
- Change diapers frequently to prevent rash, cleaning the area thoroughly and applying petroleum jelly or zinc oxide cream if irritation appears, and monitor your baby's temperature, keeping the environment around 68-72°F (20-22°C).
- Ensure your baby sleeps on their back on a firm mattress without pillows or blankets to reduce SIDS risk, and room-share with the infant on a separate sleep surface, as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics 1.
- Watch for signs of illness including fever above 100.4°F (38°C), poor feeding, unusual fussiness, or lethargy, which warrant immediate medical attention, and have a physician-directed source of continuing health care (medical home) for the mother and infant, with instructions to follow in the event of a complication or emergency 1.
- Additionally, consider the importance of breastfeeding, which is recommended for its benefits to both mother and infant, and be aware of the signs of illness and common infant problems, particularly jaundice, as well as infant safety measures, such as use of an appropriate car safety seat and supine positioning for sleeping 1.
From the Research
Essential Care Instructions for a Newborn Baby
- Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended for about 6 months and should be continued as long as mutually desired by mother and child 2
- Breastfeeding has several health benefits for the infant, including the prevention of infections, and effects on neurodevelopmental outcome, obesity, allergy, and celiac disease 2
- When prescribing medications for a breastfeeding patient, those with the lowest risk to the infant should be selected, and dosing should be before the infant's longest sleep interval 3
- Mothers should be instructed to take their medication after breastfeeding, at the lowest effective dose and for the shortest duration 4
- Keeping mothers and babies together is a safe and healthy birth practice, and evidence supports immediate, uninterrupted skin-to-skin care after vaginal birth and during and after cesarean surgery for all stable mothers and babies, regardless of feeding preference 5
Medication Safety During Breastfeeding
- Most antidepressants are compatible with breastfeeding 3
- Stimulant medications may decrease milk supply 3
- Insulin, metformin, and second-generation sulfonylureas are generally preferred to treat diabetes mellitus during breastfeeding 3
- Acetaminophen and ibuprofen are preferred analgesics during lactation 3, 4
- Codeine is considered compatible with breastfeeding by the AAP, and would be an acceptable choice for short-term use as a cough suppressant 4
Pain Management During Vaccinations
- Breastfeeding has an analgesic effect during vaccination procedures in early infancy, and this effect is extended also to children up to 1 year of age 6
- Formula feeding also has an analgesic effect during vaccination procedures 6
- Embracing the child may help to reassure mothers during vaccination procedures 6