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Newborn baby basics become more manageable when you turn a long list of advice into a few questions you can actually use. Before the first night at home, focus on the instructions that belong to your baby and the practical tasks your household will share.
This page keeps the original video and adds five checks: discharge notes, feeding questions, the ride home, sleep space and caregiver support. You will leave with a simple first-day plan and a short list of questions for your care team.
Watch the newborn baby basics video
Watch the original video on YouTube. The written checks below are separate iBabyMama editorial context. They are not a transcript or a claim that the video discusses every point.
1. Put your discharge instructions in one place
Keep the notes you receive from the hospital or birth setting together. Identify the follow-up appointment, the phone number for questions and any instructions specific to your baby. Ask about anything you cannot explain back in your own words.
Use a short note rather than trying to remember everything: next appointment, next task and whom to call. If another adult will help, show them where that note lives. Keep personal records private when sharing general questions online.
The AAP recommends arranging the baby’s first follow-up visit before discharge and discussing your sleep setup with hospital staff. Follow the appointment timing your own team gives you.
2. Write down feeding and diaper questions
Ask your care team what feeding and diaper changes they want you to report. Your newborn’s instructions should reflect their actual needs, not a volume or timetable copied from another family’s routine.
Choose a simple way to remember the last feed and the question it raised. For example, a brief note might say that a feed was difficult and describe what happened. Bring that description to a feeding-support conversation rather than making several equipment changes at once.
If you use bottles, keep the relevant preparation and cleaning instructions accessible. Make sure a helper knows whether they are handling formula or expressed milk so they can find the appropriate guidance.
3. Check the ride home before you need it
AAP guidance advises a rear-facing seat for infants and following both the car seat and vehicle manuals. A certified child passenger safety technician can help with installation. The useful question is whether the actual seat fits your baby and vehicle and is used correctly.
Write down where the manual is kept and who has practiced the installation. If you share transport between caregivers, repeat the check for each setup. Do not assume that a familiar brand means every model installs the same way.
A car seat option to compare: Graco SnugFit Gotham
The current observed listing specifies rear-facing use from 4 to 30 lb and up to 32 inches. Follow the exact seat label and manual, including head-clearance limits. Check expiration and current recalls. Confirm installation with your vehicle instructions and seek qualified help when needed. This listing is not a guarantee that the seat fits every newborn or vehicle.
View Graco SnugRide SnugFit Infant Car Seat, Gotham on Amazon
4. Review the sleep space with a fresh eye
Use a separate, firm, flat infant sleep surface that meets applicable safety standards. Place your baby on their back, with no loose blankets or other soft items. AAP guidance supports room sharing without bed sharing.
Check the setup rather than the appearance of the room. Put instructions for the crib, bassinet or playard within reach and use only the components allowed by the manufacturer. If you cannot arrange a suitable surface, ask your care team about local assistance.
Our newborn sleep schedule guide offers related context. A schedule does not override feeding instructions or safe sleep practices.
5. Make a first-day caregiver plan
Agree on the next ordinary task and who will do it. A useful handoff says what happened last, what needs to happen next and what remains uncertain. It does not need to score how well someone is parenting.
If you are caring for your baby alone, identify a person you can ask for specific practical help. A prepared meal, a supply pickup or company during an appointment may be easier to request than a vague offer to help.
Keep your care team’s contact details easy to find. If your baby seems unwell, seek medical advice promptly instead of waiting to finish an online checklist. Our Baby Health 101 guide explains related concerns to discuss.
Questions about newborn baby basics
Should I buy everything before coming home?
Start by checking the suitable supplies you already have and the tasks your household needs to do. A complete shopping list does not replace learning how to use the items safely.
What if the video differs from my discharge advice?
Ask your own care team to clarify. Keep general learning separate from instructions tailored to your baby. Do not change a medical plan based on a video alone.
Your newborn baby basics plan for today
Find the discharge note, confirm the next appointment, check the transport and sleep setups, and agree on one handoff. Save one unresolved question for your care team. You can keep learning without trying to master every routine in a single day.
An everyday clothing option: Carter’s cotton footies
The observed Newborn two-pack has front zip closures, not a verified two-way zip design. Check the current size chart and actual fit. Choose layers for the room conditions and avoid overheating. A spare outfit may help organize changes, but it does not guarantee better sleep.
View Simple Joys by Carter’s Baby Neutral Cotton Footed Sleep and Play, 2 Pack, Newborn on Amazon
Sources checked October 8, 2026: AAP bringing baby home guidance and AAP car seat information. This page has not received an individual clinician review.
38 comments
My baby is 13 months 😢❤
My baby is 1 month old and she hasn’t poop for 4 days but peeing a lot should i be concerned?
Do you have to warm a bottle?If you're formula feeding or is room temperature fine
Thank you both so much for taking the time to make this video, I really appreciate it ❤
Im really worried about my baby. She is almost 1 month. She has had poop once a day. But peeing is ok. Im breastfeeding her. Is that normal? Can anyone tell me?
Thank you so much for this amazing video! My wife is has just gone 20 weeks pregnant and this video has really brought a lot of clarity to this first period of the baby's life!
Do you have the vaccine? Lol.. gtfo
If you want to see something amazing (A Doctor's Guide to Perfect Baby Skin Care in 2025) you can watch this, I hope you will be impressed.,,….
Just adopted a 1977 troll baby from Denmark for fifty bucks, thanks for the help
Love this!!! Thank you for this
This is one of my first videos of being a pregnant mommy ❤thank you
Or just don't do circumcision.
I’m 36 weeks can’t wait to see him
Thanks for your video. What kind of bottle I can use for newborn baby if I did not have milk. Which brand? Plastic or glass or silicon? Thanks
I’m having my second after 7 years. This is so helpful cause I am scarred on how difficult it was how to figure out how to take care of a baby the first time around 😢
I'm glad I saved this video. It really helped. I'm currently 24 weeks pregnant x every once in a while I think abt when it'll be time for my baby to arrive, x sometimes I get scared bc this is my first; x I have NO CLUE on what I'm gonna do. Sometimes I'll have little thoughts of how I'm gonna take care of my baby, especially with my pregnancy being unexpected; x now I'm worried bc Ik I'm not prepared x Ik I'm gonna make mistakes wit this being my first child. But, I'm wondering how I'm gonna get through this mentally x make this a relaxing experience for me x biscuit. And no, that's just his nickname. If anybody wants to send me tips or more videos on how to prepare for my baby x for delivery as well. Cuz I am EXTREMELY terrified for that process as well, plz don't hesistate. You can also dm me on my IG as well @queenofatl20 x plz feel free to Subscribe to my YT channel @QueenOfDaA. Rd to 1.9k Subscribers! Plz x Thank-you. Thank-you @The Doctors Bjorkman for this video, it really helped me understand the basics of how I'm gonna take care of my baby x I'm hoping everything goes well. Stay blessed x have a wonderful evening.
Good content but circumcising babies is child abuse 😠
Hello, I recently heard from a midwife that Babys can also sleep on their side, in fact could be beneficial so they dont get chocked by their saliva while sleeping on their backs.
Can some one help me understand the reason why babies should sleep on their back and why sleeping in any other position (belly down or on the side) is not recommended?
Class 101.
Circumcision (genital mutilation) is child abuse.
A baby cannot consent to permanent body change.
Imagine living in the 21st century and taking a knife to a new born baby to cut a perfectly healthy part of their body… barbaric
Pregnancy can be overwhelming, but reading The Secret Wisdom from Morvalis made everything feel manageable. Highly recommend it to first-time moms!
As I'm going to be a first time father in about to week this very helpful. Know almost nothing about taking care of a child but hoping your guys video will help make the transition into father hood a little easier. 🙂👍
"babies feed 8 to 12 times a day" "every 3 hours"?! How?
24/8=3
24/12=2
!
If you guys have like a sister who’s a child psychologist that is going to be the healthiest child on planet earth
Very informative video! I am currently 23 weeks and wondering if you recommend circumcision for baby boys?
I'm a young mom to be (plz don't judge)
thank you for this important information!!! so
helpful 👍🏽
Very good advice thank u
Just finished reading ‘Raising Warriors: Preparing Your Children For a Godly Life’ and it really opened my eyes to some new ways of guiding my kids in their faith. Highly recommend it if you’re looking to strenghten your family’s spiritual life
The woman doctor added zero helpful insights, and just kept interjecting with her annoying comments. She seems annoyed that her patients send her pictures of their baby’s poop since parents are concerned, and just told parents to refer back to this video. She seems like one of those pediatricians that just asks you to google your questions instead of bothering her lol
My baby is one month old and I am OBGYN resident and still learning new things everyday 😊I really appreciate the way you shared your experience ❤ it’s very informative thank you
To mothers what made you want a baby. I might get a sperm donor
I will never force my family to take a vaccine to be around my baby. That's not okay. They could wear an n95 mask and if they feel sick they can stay home, but I'm never going to force my family to inject themselves just to see my kid. That kind of pressure worked on my dad and just a little bit after taking that shot and those boosters he died from heart complications. Nope. Not on my conscience. If you are worried about germs this much just isolate in the beginning months.
always wanted my own family! 😢
Very informative, but his use of "um" is highly distracting.
ok Ty for the tips because my mom is pregnant with a boy (I think because we had an ultrasound appointment and it looked like she’s having a Boy but she made an another appointment for double checking) but still it’s prob a boy because I saw a pen-is so Ty for the tips ❤ (btw I’m 10 and the due date for the baby is 2025 February 17th)
It's not realistic that everyone in the family will have the tdap vaccine so what do we do in that case?