Newborn Care

Taking Care of Your Baby: What to Expect During the First Few Months

Welcoming a new baby is exciting and full of changes. It may feel hard sometimes, and that’s normal. These tips and resources can guide you in caring for your baby and taking care of yourself.

 

  • It takes time to recover after giving birth. Take care of yourself so you can better care for your baby.
  • Make time for sleep. Try to sleep or rest when your baby sleeps.
  • Limit the number of visitors or let them know the best time to come so you can focus on healing, sleeping and bonding with your baby.
  • Don’t be afraid to ask for help and accept support when it’s offered.
  • Support from others lets you focus on rest and feeding your baby.
  • Find practical tips and support for coping with parenting stress.

Visit Preparing for Parenthood for more information on Postpartum recovery.

  • It’s normal to feel sad, anxious or to cry after your baby is born.
  • If you would like a Public Health Nurse to contact you for emotional support after having a baby, please complete the service request form.
  • Learn more by visiting our Postpartum Depression and Anxiety page.
  • How you feed your baby is one of the most important decisions you’ll make.
  • Babies need to feed a lot in the early days. Your baby should feed at least 8 or more times in 24 hours.
  • Follow your baby’s lead and watch for cues that your baby is hungry:

Learn more about breastfeeding.

  • Your baby will need regular health check-ups, starting within the first few days after birth.
  • During these early visits, your health care provider will check your baby’s weight and growth, look at how the umbilical cord is healing, and assess for signs of newborn jaundice.
  • Don’t have a family doctor for your baby? Find a Doctor or Nurse Practitioner through Ontario’s Health Care Connect program.
  • Jaundice is a condition that causes a newborn baby’s skin and the whites of their eyes to turn yellow.
  • It happens when a substance called bilirubin builds up in their blood.
  • Some babies with jaundice can be very tired and not feed well.
  • Take your baby to the doctor if:
    • The yellow colour seems to be getting worse
    • They are not feeding well
    • They are very sleepy and hard to wake
    • They have lost more than 10% of their birth weight
    • They show signs of dehydration, such as:
      • very few wet diapers
      • urine is dark in colour
      • dry mouth or lips

Learn more from our Signs of Breastfeeding Well page

Video: Here Comes Baby – Jaundice in the Newborn (09:05). Reproduced with permission from Ottawa Public Health.

To learn more, visit Jaundice in Newborns – Canadian Paediatric Society (Caring for Kids). Jaundice in Newborns – The Hospital for Sick Children (AboutKidsHealth)

  • It’s normal for newborns to sleep a lot, but only for short periods.
  • When your baby comes home, it’s important to create a safe sleep space. Learn more by visiting our Safer Sleep page.
  • For more information on infant sleep, visit:
  • It’s normal for babies to cry.
  • It’s their way of communicating their needs.
  • Visit our Crying page to learn about why babies cry, what you can do to soothe them, and how to prevent shaken baby syndrome.
  • The proper use of infant car seats is required by law.
  • Choosing the right car seat and making sure it’s installed and used correctly helps keep your baby safe.
  • Visit our Car Seats page to learn more about car seat safety and installation.
  • Choosing the right products for your baby can be confusing.
  • Visit our Child Safety page to learn how to prevent injuries and keep your baby safe.
  • Learn more by visiting: