Babies for Beginners: Everything You Need to Know About Your Newborn

For the first two weeks of my daughter’s life, I didn’t change a single diaper. Granted I had the help of a baby nurse and my husband; but still, I focused on nursing and recovering while allowing them to clean my newborn’s bum. 

I had done my homework by taking an in-person course on newborn care that covered the topic of how to change a baby’s diaper. (We even practiced on baby dolls!) But when it came to doing the deed on a live, squirming human, I secretly felt pretty intimidated by the task.

Eventually, my angel of a baby nurse guided me through learning how to change a diaper, along with hacks to do it better. (Butter their bums, flare the sides of the diaper, and velcro it tightly!)

Looking back, it feels humorous that I was ever concerned about it—as I’ve now changed more diapers than I could possibly count. I’ve been through the new parent initiation of tackling poop blowouts, stinky solids, and wet pee-pee diapers that soak through pajamas. I’m a diaper-changing beast! But back then, it felt like a really big deal. 

If you’re a new or expecting parent, and you, too, feel nervous about basic newborn care, please know you’re not alone with those thoughts. Back then, I was scared to do everything from burping my little one to giving her a bath and even pushing the stroller solo for the first time around NYC. 

These fears and worries are common. And they often result in hours of Googling or watching YouTube videos. In this collection of content, we wanted to offer you a one-stop shop to find credible advice from pediatricians, dieticians, and other healthcare providers to answer your most pressing “how to” questions. This comprehensive guide covers what you really need to know in the first year of your baby’s life. 

Discover articles and videos around baby care (such as how to swaddle an infant), development milestones (how to teach a baby to roll over), and nutrition advice (how to introduce eggs to your little one). We even break down DIYs, including how to make your own baby wipes!

So keep reading. And for you visual learners, I advise you to press play, because you don’t want to miss these humorous, informative videos! Your new parent training begins now.

Sincerely,

Lauren Levinson, Editorial Director