Newborn care

Apnea of Prematurity: Monitoring and Going Home

Apnea of prematurity means breathing pauses related to immature breathing control in a baby born early.

Newborn Blocked Tear Duct: Tearing and Eye Discharge

A blocked tear duct in a newborn can cause persistent tearing or crusting as tears fail to drain normally.

Bottle nipple flow rate: matching your baby’s feeding

Bottle nipple flow rate affects how quickly milk reaches a baby’s mouth, and age or level labels are not standardized across brands.

Breastfeeding in the NICU: Milk and Feeding Plans

Breastfeeding in the NICU can begin with expressing milk even when a baby is not ready to feed directly at the breast.

Baby Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia: Care and Follow-Up

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia in a baby is a chronic lung condition that can follow very premature birth and an extended need for breathing support.

Burping a newborn: gentle technique and feeding pauses

Burping a newborn can be a gentle pause during or after feeding, but every baby does not burp every time.

Baby Cradle Cap: Gentle Care and When to Call

Cradle cap in a baby usually appears as greasy or crusty scalp scales and is not caused by poor hygiene.

Cup feeding a newborn: technique and safety limits

Cup feeding can provide expressed breast milk or appropriate infant formula when direct nursing is not possible, but technique matters.

Newborn Diaper Rash: Skin Care and Warning Signs

Diaper rash in a newborn deserves pediatric advice, especially during the first six weeks or when skin is blistered, bleeding, painful, or spreading.

First Newborn Doctor Visit: Timing and What to Bring

The first newborn doctor visit usually occurs in the first few days after birth, with timing adjusted to discharge, feeding, weight, and bilirubin findings.

Goat milk infant formula: labels and allergy limits

Commercial goat milk infant formula is different from plain goat milk and homemade mixtures.

Baby-proofing checklist for when your baby starts crawling

Home safety when baby starts crawling means baby-proofing the spaces your baby can now reach: securing stairs with gates.

How long should your baby room-share with you?

Room-sharing duration for babies is at least 6 months by NICHD and CDC guidance, which can cut SIDS risk by as much as half when baby sleeps in your room.

How sick is too sick for daycare?

How sick is too sick for daycare comes down to specific, repeatable signs rather than a gut feeling: CDC guidance for child care programs flags fever.

Infant choking first aid: what to do step by step

Infant choking first aid is needed when a baby under 1 year cannot cough, cry, or breathe effectively.

Infant CPR basics every parent should know

Infant CPR is emergency care for a baby under 1 year who is unresponsive and not breathing normally, including gasping.

Infant formula recall check: what to do with your can

To check an infant formula recall, match the exact product, lot code, size, and use-by date against the current official notice.

Newborn Intraventricular Hemorrhage: Results and Follow-Up

Intraventricular hemorrhage in a newborn is bleeding involving the brain's fluid-filled spaces, most often in babies born very early.

How to safely introduce pets to a new baby

Introducing pets to a new baby safely means close supervision for every interaction, never leaving a dog or cat alone with an infant.

Late Preterm Baby Feeding: Intake and Follow-Up

Late preterm baby feeding needs extra attention because babies born at 34 through 36 completed weeks may look ready to feed.

Newborn NEC: Symptoms, Hospital Care, and Follow-Up

Necrotizing enterocolitis in a newborn is a serious intestinal condition seen mainly in premature or ill babies.

Newborn Bath Safety: Water, Warmth, and Supervision

Newborn bath safety starts with constant hands-on supervision, warm water, and supplies placed within reach before bathing begins.

Newborn blood-spot screening: the heel-prick test

Newborn blood-spot screening collects a few drops of blood from a heel prick, usually twenty-four to forty-eight hours after birth.

Newborn Circumcision Care: What to Watch Afterward

Newborn circumcision care depends on the procedure and the instructions from the clinician who performed it.

Newborn Eye Ointment: Purpose and Limits

Newborn eye ointment is usually erythromycin applied soon after birth to lower the risk of serious gonococcal eye infection.

Newborn Fever: When to Seek Immediate Medical Care

Newborn fever with a rectal temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher needs immediate medical evaluation, even if the baby otherwise looks well.

Newborn Head Molding: Shape Changes After Birth

Newborn head molding is a change in skull shape caused by pressure during birth. Flexible skull bones.

Newborn hearing screening: results and next steps

Newborn hearing screening should happen before hospital discharge when possible and no later than one month of age.

Newborn Jaundice After Discharge: Checks and Follow-Up

Newborn jaundice after discharge needs a clear bilirubin and feeding follow-up plan, even when the hospital examination was reassuring.

Newborn Nail Care: Filing, Trimming, and Scratches

Newborn nail care uses gentle filing or careful trimming to smooth sharp edges that can scratch the baby's skin.

Newborn pulse oximetry: what the heart screen checks

Newborn pulse oximetry screening estimates blood oxygen using sensors on the skin to help identify some critical congenital heart defects.

Newborn Umbilical Cord Care: Cleaning and Warning Signs

Newborn umbilical cord care usually means keeping the stump clean and dry and allowing it to detach on its own. Do not pull it off.

The newborn vitamin K shot: timing and common questions

The newborn vitamin K shot supplies a vitamin needed for normal blood clotting because babies begin life with very low stores.

Newborn Weight Loss: How Feeding and Follow-Up Fit

Newborn weight loss is common in the first days, but the amount and the baby's overall condition need assessment.

Newborn Wet Diapers: What the Count Can Tell You

Newborn wet diapers help track intake, but the expected pattern changes over the first days and does not replace a feeding and weight assessment.

NICU Discharge Checklist: Preparing to Go Home

A NICU discharge checklist should turn your baby's hospital plan into care you can confidently provide at home.

Newborn Oral Thrush: Mouth Patches and Feeding

Oral thrush in a newborn can cause persistent white patches and a sore mouth, sometimes making feeding difficult.

Retinopathy of Prematurity: Eye Exams and Follow-Up

Retinopathy of prematurity is abnormal retinal blood-vessel development in some babies born early.

Screen Time for Babies: What the Guidelines Recommend

Screen time for babies under 18 months is not recommended by AAP and CDC guidance, apart from video chatting with family.

Soy infant formula: choosing it for the right reason

Soy infant formula is a regulated formula category for selected infant feeding situations, not the same as soy milk sold as a beverage.

Switching infant formula: a practical safety check

Switching infant formula starts with identifying why a change is needed and whether the baby uses a routine or medical specialty product.