Newborn Classes and Parent Events
Expecting a baby is an exciting time for parents. But there's also a lot do to prepare for your baby's arrival. Cook Children's pediatricians are here to help you get ready. Our classes cover the basics before delivery, at the hospital and what to expect in those first few months. In addition, we help you prepare for the unexpected and we'll answer questions you have about newborns.
Virtual newborn classes
Newborn topics
What to do before the delivery
Parents should get the Tdap and flu vaccines before a new baby arrives. Our doctors will guide you through the essentials you need to do before your baby's birth.
What to expect at the hospital
We'll cover the procedures and tests your baby will get after delivery, such as a hearing test, newborn screen and Hepatitis B vaccine. Find out what else you can do to help you and your little one get off to a great start.
Safety and infant CPR
Emergencies can happen, but don't worry; our tips, resources and advice will guide you on ways to keep your family safe and healthy. If you do find yourself in an emergency, you'll learn to know when your infant needs CPR and get hands-on training on how to administer CPR effectively.
Choking and what to do
If you find yourself in a situation where a baby is choking, you'll need to be able to help them. Our doctors will show you how to remove foreign bodies from an infant's mouth and how to deliver back blows and chest thrusts to a baby.
Vaccines
Childhood should be simple, and whenever possible, free of illness and injury. Immunizations are the safest, easiest way to protect your kids from unnecessary, and sometimes fatal, childhood diseases. Find out what vaccines your baby needs and when and where to get them.
When to follow up with your pediatrician
As a new parent, you'll probably have a lot of questions about your baby's health. What's really an emergency? Is your baby's behavior normal? Don't worry! Our pediatricians are with you every inch of the way.
Other topics include:
- Basic newborn care and first aid
- Breastfeeding versus bottle feeding
- Infant bowel movements and urination
- Sleep patterns
- Normal newborn skin care and rashes
- Circumcision care
- Umbilical cord care
Choosing a pediatrician for your baby
What to do before the delivery
Looking for a pediatrician? We can help. The following information can help you choose the doctor who is focused on the one thing that matters most ... your child.
- How to choose a pediatrician
- How to choose a pediatric specialist
- Find a Cook Children's pediatrician
Promote safe sleep with newborns
The American Academy of Pediatrics has a policy statement addressing safe infant sleep. To keep your baby safe, follow these guidelines:
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- Babies age 0-12 months should sleep in a safety-approved crib, portable crib, play yards, or bassinet at night and during naps.
- Babies should sleep on firm surfaces with tightly fitted sheets.
- Babies should sleep in the same room as the parents, but not in the same bed (room-sharing without bed-sharing).
- Breastfeeding is recommended.
- After nursing, the mother should return the baby to their own bed before falling asleep.
- Always place your baby on his or her back for every sleep time.
- Offer a pacifier at nap time and bedtime.
- Usually, babies with reflux should sleep flat on their back.
- To keep your baby warm while sleeping, use a sleep sack or long-sleeved onesie.
- If you are using an infant carrier, make sure the infant's head is up and above the fabric, the face is visible, and that the nose and mouth are clear of obstructions.
- Infants should receive all recommended vaccinations.
- Supervised, awake tummy time is recommended daily to facilitate development and minimize the occurrence of positional plagiocephaly (flat heads).
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- Keep soft objects or loose bedding out of the crib. This includes pillows, blankets, stuffed toys, and bumper pads.
- Car seats, infant swings, and other sitting devices are not recommended for routine sleep.
- Avoid overheating the baby with blankets or swaddling,
- Side and stomach sleeping are not safe for infants who can't roll over.
- Wedges and positioners should not be used.
- Don't smoke during pregnancy or after birth.
- Avoid alcohol and drugs.
- Don't use home monitors or commercial devices marketed to reduce the risk of SIDS.
View and print our Safe Sleep poster
Download a health care notebook
At Cook Children's, we want you to have all the information you need at your fingertips. So, with the help of families, we created a health care notebook to help you keep your child's health information in one place and up to date. We encourage you to print this document and put it in a binder. Bring the binder to clinic appointments or hospital visits and share the information with any of your child's caregivers.
Using your health care notebook
- Your health care notebook is a tool that can help you organize important information about your child's care.
- Keep this binder handy and share it with family members and others who help take care of your child.
- Make it your own! Add tabs and information that you need to best manage your child's care. If you need extra pages, you can print them out using the links above.
- Not all of these forms and pages need to be used or filled out. Every child and family has different needs.
- Be sure to keep the information in this binder up-to-date.
- Bring this binder with you to doctor or clinic appointments and hospital admissions.
Helpful resources
Want to know if something is really an emergency? Need to get more information on your child's illness? Cook Children's Checkup health information gives you access to explanations, symptoms and tips, all in language that's easy to understand.
Health topics for parents
Common childhood aches, pains and illnesses, plus how to take care of your child's body from teeth to toes.
Below are some popular topics from our parenting section:
- General health
- Infections
- Emotions and behavior
- Growth and development
- Nutrition and fitness
- Pregnancy and newborns
- Medical problems
- Positive parenting
- First aid and safety