SAN ANTONIO – First-time parents have a lot of questions and anxiety about bringing home their baby from the hospital.
They’re not alone, a lot of parents have the same questions, said Dr. Jaclyn Levan of Baptist Health System.
“How often does my baby need to feed? How often do I need to change their diaper? What follow up is the baby going to need when they go home? What kind of milk does a baby need to go home on? Those sorts of things are the common things that we get asked,” Levan said.
The doctor said parents have a lot of support before and after babies are born. There are baby birthing and CPR classes. Parents are often sent home with books and pamphlets that often answer every question a first time parent has.
Levan tells parents the number one thing they need to make sure to have at home is a bassinet or crib.
“They need to have their dedicated space to sleep, either a crib or a bassinet, and it needs to be flat, so not inclined. And we want to make sure that they’re sleeping on their back on a firm surface without any blankets or stuffed animals or toys around the baby,” she said.
McKenzie Bartholomew is a first-time mom, having delivered twin girls two months ago. The twins are still in the NICU for a few more weeks.
“It’s definitely scary to think about going home with them. But they’ve done a really good job at kind of telling us like what to look out for,” Bartholomew said about the nurses.
Her babies are lucky, as they will also grandma for support.
“It’s terrifying sometimes, but it’s amazing what you can just know how to as a mom and trust your instincts. And it’s just amazing how quickly you learn what you need to learn,” Bartholomew said.
On KSAT Connect, first-time parents can share some photos and lessons they’ve learned along the way.