Newborn Care Class: A New Parent Essential

You admit that you’ve never been a “baby person” or maybe this new little human scares the heck out of you, and now, after 24-48 hours in the hospital or birth center with your squirming new baby, you’re going home.  You had around the clock support with a click of a button and now you’re on your own. Now what?!

You’ve read the books, prepared for this day, and have all the latest greatest baby supplies. You know how to do this. You know all kinds of things. You have a college degree for goodness sake. How hard could caring for a baby be anyway?

 You’ve been home a week; you may still be recovering from childbirth (or from the shock of being handed your new baby) and now you have all the questions:

·         Why is my baby making that grunting sound?

·         What’s all that dry skin on my baby?

·         What does THAT cry mean?

·         My baby’s diapers keep leaking, do we need to go up a size?

·         This baby is already slippery, and I’m supposed to bathe them?

·         Why do I need to swaddle?

·         Is my baby eating enough?

·         What color should my baby’s poop be?

·         Is it ok to lay my baby down?

·         Can I use this cool baby item I got at my shower?

·         Can I take a shower?

·         Will I ever sleep?

·         When will my baby sleep through the night?

While you are adjusting to having a new baby, your new baby is learning how to live life on the outside, figuring out feeding, how to tell you they are hungry/sleepy/wet. Every day brings something new.

You begin to realize that you have forgotten all that you have learned during the classes you took BEFORE your baby arrived.  You start your Google search: how to care for my baby, how do I (insert anything baby related), why is my baby (insert anything baby related), and so on.

You land on the mother lode: A Postpartum & Infant Care Doula, like the team at Family Tree Doula Services, who will provide a private Newborn Care Class in your own home while you stay in your stretchy pants and rock your messy bun.

You’ve booked a Newborn Care Class and are excited for your doula to arrive to give you a crash course on newborn baby care. We, as your doula, are the “manual” you’ve been looking for to guide you through caring for your new baby.  Practical, real life, information and skills taught in the privacy of your own home with YOUR baby!

What will you learn about during your private Newborn Care Class? Everything baby!

Let’s start with diapering. Seems simple, but diapering a squirming baby is a far cry from diapering a doll. We’ll talk supplies, what a diaper rash looks like, how to properly put on a diaper to avoid blowouts and leaks, and how to remain calm even when your baby does not like having a diaper change.

And what’s even more important than pooping? Feeding your baby. The most common worry among new parents: “Is my baby getting enough to eat?” We help you decipher your baby’s cues and answer your feeding questions like: “My baby is sucking their hand and I just fed them. Are they hungry again?” or “My baby cries a lot. Are they starving?” or “How much should my baby be eating?”  We will provide the support you need however you choose to feed your baby. We’ll even show you ALL the ways to burp your baby and get those pesky gas bubbles out.

During baby’s first week, most babies don’t get a bath, but giving them a nice, calm and relaxing “sponge” or “spa” bath can be a sweet time for bonding with your baby. We can show you how to do that. If you’re ready to use a baby bathtub for your baby’s first bath, we provide the instruction, tips and tricks, and basic tools to help you build your confidence. Soon, this may be your favorite time with your baby.

So, your baby is fed, bathed, burped and has a clean diaper, now it’s time to figure out how to get your baby to sleep….and not in your arms. Your Newborn Care Class helps you navigate your baby’s sleep cues: rubbing eyes, yawning, crying. We’ve heard all the questions, so nothing surprises us. We hear things like: “How long should my baby sleep?” or “Is my baby too little to sleep in the crib?” These questions are stressful and puzzling. We’ve got answers and all sorts of tools to get you through those bleary first months.

Last, but surely not least, your Postpartum & Infant Care Doula guides you through all the steps to calm your crying baby. Sometimes nothing works and we guide YOU through remaining calm. By providing you knowledge that leads to a better understanding of your baby’s needs, your stress is reduced. When your stress is reduced, you can remain in a calmer state. When the parents feel calmer, the baby is more likely to feel calm, too.

Who wouldn’t want their own private baby tutor? It makes sense to learn all these new skills with YOUR baby, the one that you’ve been left with to figure out. A private Newborn Care Class could be just the ticket to catapult your confidence during those first few weeks with your newborn.

Google Newborn Care Class to see if you have doulas in your area, like Family Tree Doula Services, who offer this service.

You’re well educated in your professional and personal life. A Newborn Care Class brings the education to you and prepares you for life with your sweet baby!

Family Tree Doula Services is a postpartum doula agency serving Portland, Oregon and the surrounding area. Our team of professional postpartum doulas provides in-home, daytime and overnight care for babies and parents. We provide care to birthing, adoptive and intended parents alike. Our postpartum doulas offer families unbiased, non-judgmentalI emotional, physical and educational support from the time a baby is born through their first year. Owner and Certified Postpartum Doula, Sheryl Cooksley, takes pride in providing exceptional customer service and a warm, friendly, “outside-of-the-box” approach to caring for Portland area families.