Expecting Your First Baby? You’re Not Alone.
Utah Valley Pediatrics is here to answer your questions, ease your worries, and help you to feel confident caring for your newborn—before and after the baby arrives.
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Free Newborn Care Class Led by an Expert Pediatrician.
Preparing Your Home for Your Baby
Let’s start with the essentials:
Focus on the basics: a safe place to sleep, diapers, wipes, a few outfits, and feeding supplies. Everything else can come later.
Not yet. Focus on cleanliness, smoke detectors, safe sleep spaces, and keeping pets managed.
In a crib or bassinet, on their back, and in the same room as you for six months. Sharing a bed is not safe for newborns, even for short periods.
Choose a sturdy, waist-high surface and keep all diapers, wipes, and ointments within arm’s reach so you never have to leave your baby unattended.
Keep the room between 68°F and 72°F to ensure your baby is comfortable and to prevent the risk of overheating.
Introduce baby scents and sounds before the birth, and maintain your pet’s exercise and feeding routines to help them feel secure once the baby arrives.
Involve them with small helper tasks and set aside dedicated one-on-one time to reassure them of their important role in the family.
Have more questions?
Preparing for the Hospital (and What Comes After)
A little preparation goes a long way as you get ready for labor and delivery. Preparing ahead of time helps eliminate the stress of last-minute fire drills.
Let us help you with mom’s hospital checklist:
Bring comfortable clothes, toiletries, phone chargers, your favorite snacks, and anything that helps you relax. The hospital provides most baby essentials.
Yes—bring a simple outfit for going home. Hospitals typically provide everything your baby needs during your stay, so one easy outfit is usually enough.
Yes—your baby will need a rear-facing infant car seat that’s properly installed before leaving the hospital. Be sure to install your car seat in advance—you don’t want to worry about it after your delivery.
A birth plan is a flexible outline of your labor and delivery preferences; while not required, it helps communicate your wishes to the medical team.
Most hospitals allow a partner and one or two support persons, but you should check with your specific delivery center for current guest policies.
Vaginal deliveries typically require a 24 to 48-hour stay, while C-sections usually involve two to four days of recovery.
Expect immediate skin-to-skin contact and APGAR score assessments at one and five minutes to evaluate your baby’s transition. The APGAR score is a quick clinical assessment that helps determine if a baby needs immediate medical or emergency care.
You will complete forms for the birth certificate and Social Security number. You’ll also be asked about the name of your pediatrician.
Many insurances require a birth certificate and Social Security number to add your baby onto your insurance or the baby’s own insurance (like Medicaid).
Schedule an office tour and receive a free car seat cover.
Bringing Baby Home
The first days at home with your newborn can feel exciting, emotional, and exhausting—all at once. That’s completely normal.
Here are some common questions about what to expect when you get home from the hospital:
No—and that’s okay. Newborns typically wake up to eat every 2–3 hours for the first 6–8 weeks.
Yes. Hormones, sleep deprivation, and a huge life change can all play a role. Feeling emotional, uncertain, or overwhelmed is very common, and it doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong.
You can always call us with questions. We are always there for you.
Focus on feeding your baby regularly, resting when you can, and accepting help.
Call your pediatrician if your newborn displays any of the following symptoms:
-A fever or feels unusually cold
-Trouble feeding or very few wet diapers
-Fast or labored breathing
-Extreme sleepiness or difficulty waking
-Yellowing of the skin or eyes
-Persistent vomiting or diarrhea
Keep it clean and dry; it will naturally shrivel and fall off within one to three weeks without intervention.
Use a warm cloth and mild soap on the face and diaper area, avoiding submersion until the umbilical cord has fully healed.
Jaundice is a common yellowing of the skin; contact us if the yellowing spreads to the abdomen or if your baby is difficult to feed.
This is a period of late-day fussiness; cope by using soothing techniques like swaddling, white noise, or gentle rocking.
Visitors can come when you feel ready, provided they are healthy and wash their hands; it is perfectly okay to limit the length of visits to protect your rest.
Be sure visitors are up to date on their vaccines. If they are not vaccinated, maybe they should wait until the baby is older.
Babies receive a hearing screen, a blood spot test for metabolic disorders, and a pulse oximetry test for heart health.
Have more questions?
Life with a Newborn
Life with your new child will introduce big changes, both expected and unexpected. Preparing emotionally is just as important as preparing physically.
Here are some things to expect—and how to prepare for the early weeks of motherhood:
Your days will revolve around your baby’s needs—frequent feedings, short sleep stretches, and lots of hands-on care. Even though routines may feel unpredictable at first, it’s all completely normal.
You don’t need to do everything. Focusing on a few basics—like easy meals, a diaper-changing area, and a cozy feeding spot—can help you feel more prepared when your baby arrives.
Anytime you’re unsure or concerned. Whether it’s a feeding question, sleep concern, or something that just doesn’t feel right, your pediatrician is there to help. No question is too small—especially in those early weeks.
Schedule your first visit for two to three days after discharge; we will check weight, screen for jaundice, and address feeding and any other questions you have.
Watch for your baby to focus on faces, respond to sounds, and briefly lift their head during tummy time.
Yes, newborns can sometimes lose 7% to 10% of their birth weight in the days following their birth, but should regain it by two weeks of age.
Download our free Newborn Guide
Common Newborn Care Questions
From those sleepless nights to your baby’s very first bath, becoming a mom comes with a lot of “Is this normal?” moments. Our pediatricians help first-time moms understand what to expect and what truly matters.
Here are some questions you’ll likely have in the first few weeks of life with a newborn:
Newborns sleep a lot—usually 14–17 hours a day, in short stretches. Waking often is normal.
Some newborns poop after every feeding, while others may only poop once a day—or even less often. What matters most is that stools are soft and your baby seems comfortable. Call your pediatrician if stools are very hard, watery for several days, or bloody.
- Call your pediatrician right away. Fevers in newborns should always be checked.
You can go outside right away. Fresh air is great—just dress your baby for the weather and avoid crowds at first.
Keep the area clean and dry, change diapers often, and use a barrier cream. If it doesn’t improve, we’re here to help.
Have more questions?
Feeding A Newborn
A lot of new moms are anxious about feeding and making sure their babies are getting the nutrition then need to grow and develop.
Here are some common questions about feeding a newborn:
Both provide essential nutrition; breast milk offers antibodies while formula is a healthy, reliable alternative that ensures your baby is well-fed.
Most newborns eat every 2–3 hours. Feeding on demand helps your baby grow and thrive. Call your pediatrician if your baby isn’t feeding well.
A well-fed baby will be relaxed after feedings and produce at least six to eight wet diapers daily by the end of the first week.
Cluster feeding is when a baby feeds very frequently over a few hours; it is a normal way to stimulate milk production during growth spurts.
Ensure a proper latch and apply expressed breast milk or purified lanolin to the area after feedings to promote healing.
Hold the baby upright against your chest or sitting on your lap while gently patting their back until they release air.
If breastfeeding, wait until nursing is well-established, typically around three to four weeks, to avoid nipple confusion.
Have more questions?
Mental Health and Parental Wellbeing
Life with your new child will introduce big changes, both expected and unexpected. Preparing emotionally is just as important as preparing physically.
Here are some things to expect—and how to prepare for the early weeks of motherhood:
Signs include intense sadness, anxiety, or feeling disconnected; this can affect both parents and requires professional support.
Baby blues resolve within two weeks, while postpartum depression is more severe, lasts longer, and requires medical attention.
Seek help if symptoms interfere with daily life, last more than two weeks, or include thoughts of self-harm.
Partners can manage chores, handle diaper changes, and ensure the mother has adequate time to sleep and eat.
Prioritize short periods of daily connection and practice patience as you both navigate the stress of new parenthood.
Download our free Newborn Guide
Practical Logistics
You’ll have a million questions when it comes to caring for your new baby. You’ll also have some more practical ones.
Here are a few things you might need to know:
Research local providers ask for recommendations from friends or family. Make sure your desired pediatrician accepts your insurance.
Utah Valley Pediatrics has a location near you and many providers from which to choose.
This is a meeting to discuss office policies and newborn care, allowing you to establish a relationship with your doctor before the birth.
Most plans have a 30-day window to add a newborn. Contact your provider or HR department immediately after birth to ensure coverage.
You can usually drive once you are off prescription pain meds and can comfortably perform an emergency brake, typically two weeks after a C-section.
Have more questions?
Supporting Safe, Informed Decisions
We understand that deciding how to protect your baby can feel overwhelming, especially with so much conflicting information on social media and online. At Utah Valley Pediatrics, our recommendations are guided by decades of robust scientific research and the collective experience of pediatricians who care for children every day.
The evidence is clear: Childhood vaccinations are one of the safest and most effective ways to protect infants and children from serious, preventable diseases. Our role is to provide clear, honest information, answer your questions, and help you make informed decisions with confidence.
We respect every family’s perspective and believe the best decisions are made through open, thoughtful conversations—together.
