32 Life Changing Newborn Tips New Parents Should Know About

Hey girl, today let's chat about game-changing newborn tips every parent should know about.

Having a baby is so exciting but also comes with so many questions and if you are anything like me you are searching for all the answers you can find.

As a mom of 4 kiddos myself, I am going to let you in on all the newborn tips that helped me the most and what I wished someone would have told me before I had a baby.

You are going to learn about newborn tips like newborn tips for sleeping, newborn care immediately after birth, newborn breastfeeding tips, and more.

After learning about all of these newborn tips, you will be better prepared to bring your baby home and start your new normal.

Let's jump into the best newborn tips that every parent need to know.

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1. Bottom Line - You need to take care of you

If you aren’t the best you can be, it is going to be so hard to take care of a newborn.

So, take the time and take care of yourself!

2. Follow Doctor's Directions

• Use the squirt bottom to wash your bottom.  
• Take your baths if you have a tub.  
• Don't be intimate until you get the all-clear at your 4-6 week follow-up appointment.  

I know this may be hard for some of you to believe, but you aren't going to want to be intimate for that long either.  There is a lot of recovery happening down there!

• No tampons - only pads.  Pads are not my favorite but I wore them since tampons can cause infections while your bottom area is healing.

3. Take Naps

If you are able, try to take a nap every day for the first couple of weeks after you have your baby.

Oh my gosh, you will feel so much better if you do!

4. Shower and Get Dressed

Staying fresh and not being in your lounge pants all day every day will help keep you upbeat.  

I know most of you don't fit into your old clothes yet, I sure didn't, so keep rocking those comfy maternity clothes.  Get some more use out of them.

5. Exercise!

Get out for a walk with your baby every day that you can.  

Exercising will brighten your mood immensely!  All that fresh air will help you and your baby too.

6. Find a Routine

It could be a daily routine or a weekly one but find one.  

This will help make your days easier, and you won't get so overwhelmed with your newborn.

7. Ask for/Accept Help

I am a doer and have such an "I will take care of it" mentality that I was terrible at this.  But this isn’t the time to be proud.

Ask for help when you need it and you will feel less overwhelmed.

8. Feeling Sad? Talk to your Doctor!

If you think you are feeling sad, maybe be heading toward the baby blues, or postpartum depression please tell your doctor right away about it.

You don’t have to be embarrassed because it happens to way more new moms than you think.

1. Follow Your Doctor's Directions

I am sure your doctor and nurses gave you directions on how to care for your baby when you got home - follow them.

My guess is this isn’t the first baby your doctor/pediatrician has worked with.  They know what they are talking about.

And if you forget, don't worry.  Give them a call.

2. Baby Head Support

Remember to always support your baby's head when holding her.

Your baby does not have muscle strength in their neck to keep their head steady so help her out.

3. Newborn Belly Button Care

Keep your newborn's belly button clean and gently covered with clothes.

You don't want it to get infected or torn off.  Try to not be impatient either with it.  It will fall off on its own.

4. Wash Your Hands

Help keep your baby healthy by washing your hands regularly.

Remind everyone that comes to visit to wash their hands as well.

5. Keep Guests to a Minimum

Germs are everywhere and your newborn has immunity to none of them!

I know everyone wants to see your baby but you are the mom and have every right to say when you want guests around your baby.  This goes for grandparents too.

Don't feel 1 ounce of guilt about it either.

6. Snuggle That Baby

Take this time to bond with your newborn by getting all the snuggles you can.  

They are used to being inside you so this will not bother them at all!

1. Talk to a Lactation Consultant

If this is your first experience with breastfeeding, talk with a lactation consultant.

And I don’t just mean 1 time.  Go to them with as many questions, as many times as you have to.  

This is what they are getting paid for.

2. Get Comfy

3. Breastfeeding is Hard Work

You have to be dedicated to having your schedule run around feeding times.

Your body is working extremely hard to produce milk so you will be tired on top of everything else you are doing for your newborn that will make you tired.

4. There may be Struggles

Breastfeeding is not all rainbows for everyone.  

You may not produce enough milk, your milk may not have enough calories in it to help your baby grow, your milk may not have enough fat in it to help your baby poop correctly, and the list can go on.  

Yes, these are all struggles that I had to tackle with my 4 breastfeeding experiences.

5. Drink Water, Eat Healthy

6. Breastfeeding Products

Unfortunately, your nipples will be sore or even crack as you start on your breastfeeding journey.  

Don't you worry your pretty face though, there is a nipple cream to help you with that.  Buy it!

1. Start a Bedtime Routine

You will want to start a bedtime routine when your baby is about 2 weeks old.

It will take a while for her to get used to it but be consistent and it will come together.

2. Your Baby Should Have His Own Bed

You should be putting your newborn to sleep in his very own bed every single night.

This is a huge safety factor!

Also, do you want to have to break the habit of him sleeping with you when he is 3, 4, or even 5 years old?

Trust me on this.  He has his bed and you have yours and you will both sleep better for it.

3. Sleep in Her Own Room

I know there is huge debate over this but your baby should be sleeping in her own bed in her OWN ROOM.

You both will get better sleep and you can have a space that is just yours.

There are amazing baby monitors these days so you will have no problem keeping an eye and ear on your newborn.

4. Use a Swaddle

5. Have a Nightlight

If your newborn needs you in the night for feeding, changing, or anything else, a nightlight will give just enough light to help you help them.  

Turning on the top light will make your baby think it is morning and they will want to get up. 

1. Don't Over Buy

Oh, you guys, this is so easy to do.  There are so many cute clothes for babies. 

But be realistic about it. 

Your baby is going to grow so fast.  If you buy too many clothes, they will either wear something once or not at all.

And I am pretty sure you also have generous people in your life that want to shower your newborn with clothes as well.

Instead, save your money and invest in your own wardrobe as a treat to yourself for all the hard work you are putting into recovering and with your baby.

2. Clothes Don't Have to be Expensive

First of all, your baby isn't going to care one bit which name brand is on their clothes.  They are just going to be happy they have them on.  

Secondly, your baby is going to poop, drool, and spit up on them ALL THE TIME.

And third, your baby will be growing so fast that you will not get your money's use out of them.  There will be a time to buy better clothes down the road.

3. Have a "Too Small" Bin

Keep a "too small" bin in you baby's room somewhere.

That way when you know your baby has outgrown something you have a place to put it instead of back in their dresser or closet.  This will help free up so much space.

I still have these bins in my kids’ closets.  They are growing out of their clothes all the time.

1. Bath Every Few Days

Turns out, your newborn doesn't need a bath every single day.

Their skin will get very dried out and irritated.  One every few 3 – 4 days is fine.

Now if you have a day where your baby is spitting up a bunch or has a great poop explosion, don't be afraid to break your routine and get them clean!

Those poop explosions really happen no matter which kind of diaper you use.

2. Wash From Head to Toe

There is a certain way you should give your baby a bath and that is to wash him from head to toe, literally.  Start with the head and work down to the toes.

These instructions came from every nurse who helped with my babies' first bath.  And it makes sense, you don't want to put anything that was on your baby's butt up onto their face.

3. Bath in the Kitchen Sink

Your newborn is small enough that he will fit right in there.  And everything is at the perfect height for you to stand during this adventure.

Also, you are going to be quite sore around your belly.  You will be so glad to not have to bend over a tub to bathe your baby.

4. Shower With Your Baby

It is a great bonding experience, skin-to-skin and all.  

Just be sure the water isn’t too warm and put a washcloth or hand towel in between you and your baby.  They get slippery!

All of my babies loved to be in the shower.  They were so relaxed with the water coming down on their backs.  And alert, I could tell they were taking in their surroundings.