How Your Baby Can Benefit from Newborn Care in Mount Pleasant and Serving Winnsboro & New Boston, TX
Newborns need special care. A newborn’s immune system is not as strong as an older child's, so newborns are more susceptible to infections and illnesses. Your pediatrician provides the expertise your baby needs and can identify potential concerns early. Timely treatment can help your baby stay healthy.
What to Expect at the First Newborn Visit
Your child’s first newborn visit should occur within 2 to 5 days of birth. During this first newborn visit, your pediatrician will:
- Complete a comprehensive physical examination of your newborn, checking for medical concerns
- Record your newborn’s size, including length and weight, and record other information to use as a baseline to check your newborn’s growth and development as your baby grows
- Answer any questions and address any concerns you have about feeding, bathing, changing, sleeping, and newborn care
- Administer the first doses of immunizations your baby needs to help prevent illnesses and diseases
What You Need to Do to Care for Your Newborn at Home
You may be unsure of what to do to care for your newborn at home, especially if you are a new mom. These are some general guidelines about newborn care:
- Feed your newborn every 2 to 3 hours if you are breastfeeding, or every 3 to 4 hours if you are feeding your newborn formula
- Allow your newborn to sleep at least 16 hours a day in the beginning, and always place your newborn on his or her back to sleep, to help your baby breathe more easily
- Change your baby’s diaper regularly, and remember that your newborn’s stool will be black at first, changing to dark green, and then to yellow
- Bathe your baby with only mild soap and lukewarm water, and gently clean the folds of skin
