Bringing home a newborn is like stepping into a brand-new world—equal parts awe, exhaustion, and “wait…is this normal?” That’s exactly why I recorded this class: to give you a real, practical look at what’s coming, so you can spend less time Googling at 2am and more time soaking in your baby.
Here are the big takeaways from our newborn class (with timestamps if you want to rewatch a section).
1. The Golden Hour [00:01:20] 🌅
That first hour after birth is pure magic. Your baby comes out, pink and screaming (a good thing!), and—if all looks well—they’re handed right back to you. Skin-to-skin isn’t just sentimental; it actually helps regulate blood sugar, temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure.
And if you’re nursing, this is your baby’s way of saying, “Hi Mom, let’s get this milk thing started.” The golden hour isn’t just about cuddles—it’s about giving your baby the smoothest transition from womb to world.
2. The “Eyes and Thighs” [00:03:20] 👀🍑
Within the first few hours, nurses usually offer three things:
Vitamin K shot → helps blood clot (prevents scary bleeds).
Hepatitis B vaccine → long-term liver protection.
Antibiotic eye ointment → stops bacteria from causing eye infections.
If you’re only picking one, Vitamin K is the heavy hitter. Without it, babies are at risk for serious brain or gut bleeds in those first weeks.
3. The Heel Prick Test [00:03:40] 🦶
Around 24 hours old, your baby gets a quick heel poke. A few drops of blood are sent off to screen for dozens of rare conditions—things like thyroid issues or metabolic disorders. These are conditions you’d never know about until it’s too late, and early detection changes everything. It’s tiny drops of blood that can literally save a life.
4. Jaundice Watch [00:09:20] 🌞
Newborns often look like they’ve been sneaking spray tans—thanks to bilirubin buildup. This usually peaks around days 3–5. Most of the time, it’s mild. Sometimes, babies need a little “baby tanning bed” (phototherapy lights) to bring levels back down. Don’t be surprised if we talk about your baby’s color more than their hair or eye color those first few days.
5. RSV Protection [00:11:20] 🛡️
If your baby arrives during RSV season (October–March), you now have the option of Beyfortus, an antibody shot that reduces RSV hospitalizations by 80%. It’s not a vaccine—it’s like giving your baby’s immune system a shortcut, with protection that kicks in within hours. Since RSV is the #1 reason babies end up in the hospital, this is a big deal.
6. Feeding Expectations [00:13:00] 🍼
Let’s set the record straight:
Night 1 → Baby is wiped out. You’ll even have to wake them to feed.
Night 2 → Welcome to cluster feeding. Your baby suddenly “wakes up” and wants to nurse every 10–30 minutes. You’ll think, “What happened to my sleepy angel?” Don’t worry—it’s actually your baby turning on the “milk machine.”
By day 3–4 → Milk supply increases, baby starts looking less like a marathon runner and more like a hungry little human.
Cluster feeding feels relentless, but it’s biology working as designed.
7. Weight Loss Is Normal [00:14:50] ⚖️
Here’s something that shocks most first-time parents: babies lose weight right after birth. Up to 10% is totally expected. Usually they’re at their lowest by day 4 and back to birth weight by 2 weeks.
So if you hear a nurse say, “Baby’s down 8%,” don’t panic. It doesn’t mean you’re failing at feeding—it means your baby is right on schedule.
8. When Extra Help Is Needed [00:16:50] 🤝
If baby is especially sleepy or slow to gain, we sometimes recommend triple feeding:
Nurse every 2–3 hours.
Pump for 10–15 minutes.
Supplement with pumped milk, donor milk, or formula.
Yes, it’s tiring. But think of it like a short-term bootcamp that jump-starts your milk supply and keeps baby energized enough to keep feeding well.
9. Weird but Normal Baby Things [00:21:00] 🤷♂️
Babies come with a bag of tricks that can look alarming, but aren’t:
Hiccups & sneezes – their immature brains just can’t suppress them yet.
Spit up – sometimes a lot. Totally normal.
Newborn rash – red blotches with scary names (“erythema toxicum”) that mean nothing.
Periodic breathing – fast, then slow, then fast again.
Brick dust urine – reddish crystals in the diaper (not blood).
Baby girls’ discharge or tiny period – from mom’s hormones.
Umbilical cord care – just leave it alone; it’ll fall off in ~2 weeks.
So much of newborn life is learning what’s normal—spoiler: most of it is.
10. When to Worry (and When Not To) [00:26:00] 🚨
The big three signs your baby is doing well:
Feeds well
Breathes easily
Has a little “fight” when picked up
Red flags:
Fever ≥100.4°F rectally in the first month → ER trip, no exceptions.
Trouble breathing.
Too sleepy to wake and feed.
Limp or unusually weak.
Or simply: your gut says something isn’t right. (Parent instincts are powerful. Trust them.)
Bonus: Sleep & Day/Night Confusion [00:28:40] 😴
Babies don’t know night from day—yet. You can help train their body clocks in the first 10 days:
Daytime → bright room, background noise, wake for feeds.
Nighttime → quiet, dark, feed back to sleep.
Once they’re back at birth weight, you don’t need to set an alarm at night anymore. Baby becomes the alarm clock. (Don’t worry, they’re very reliable at this job.)
About Our Practice [00:30:20] 🏡
At Frontier Pediatric Care, we try to make those first weeks easier:
In-home newborn visits (yes, we come to you).
Two lactation consultants on team.
Unlimited text messaging with your pediatric team (yes, we get lots of poop pics 📸💩).
A small, tight-knit team that knows each family personally.
You can learn more here: Frontier Pediatric Care.
Final Thoughts 💛
You’re going to ask yourself “Is this normal?” about 87 times a day in those first weeks. Most of the time, the answer is yes. And when it’s not—you don’t have to figure it out alone.
