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KidsHealth / for Parents / A Guide for First-Time Parents A Guide for First-Time Parents Reviewed by: Elana Pearl Ben-Joseph, MD Larger text sizeLarge text sizeRegular text size Print

en español Guía para padres primerizos You've gone through pregnancy, labor, and delivery, and now you're ready to go home and begin life with your baby. Once home, though, you might feel like you have no idea what you're doing!

 

These tips can help even the most nervous first-time parents feel confident about caring for a newborn in no time. Getting Help After the Birth Consider getting help during this time, which can be very hectic and overwhelming. While in the hospital, talk to the experts around you. Many hospitals have feeding specialists or lactation consultants who can help you get started nursing or bottle-feeding. Nurses also are a great resource to show you how to hold, burp, change, and care for your baby.

 

 

For in-home help, you might want to hire a baby nurse, postpartum doula, or a responsible neighborhood teen to help you for a short time after the birth. Your doctor or the hospital can help you find information about in-home help, and might make a referral to home health agencies.

 

 

Relatives and friends often want to help too. Even if you disagree on certain things, don't dismiss their experience. But if you don't feel up to having guests or you have other concerns, don't feel guilty about placing restrictions on visitors.

 

 

Handling a Newborn If you haven't spent a lot of time around newborns, their fragility may be intimidating. Here are a few basics to remember:

 

 

 

Wash your hands (or use a hand sanitizer) before handling your baby. Newborns don't have a strong immune system yet, so they're at risk for infection. Make sure that everyone who handles your baby has

 clean hands.

Support your baby's head and neck. Cradle the head when carrying your baby and support the head when carrying the baby upright or when you lay your baby down.

   

 Never shake your newborn, whether in play or in frustration. Shaking can cause bleeding in the brain and even death. If you need to wake your infant, don't do it by shaking — instead, tickle your baby's feet or blow gently on a cheek.

   

 Make sure your baby is securely fastened into the carrier, stroller, or car seat. Limit any activity that could be too rough or bouncy. Remember that your newborn is not ready for rough play, such as being jiggled on the knee or thrown in the air.