| Congratulations! You have become proud
parents! After months of preparation, pregnancy, and then labor
and delivery, a moment’s relief in the hospital and now,
on the verge of discharge, reality and panic have set in! What
now?
As pediatricians and parents ourselves, we know what you
are feeling and we have prepared this pamphlet to help you
get started on the best possible footing with your newborn
baby.
Fortunately for us parents, babies come with a limited number
of needs. Although it will feel clumsy and can be incredibly
tiring, parenting does not have to be difficult. For most
of us, it is a labor of love. Babies need simply to be clothed,
fed, changed and cuddled. They communicate in just one way
— by crying — and it becomes our task to figure
out what they mean by trial and error. They give us instant
feedback when we guess right. Dr. Spock’s advice to
parents a generation ago still holds today — use your
good common sense and you will do well. If you are worried
about something the baby is doing, or about what you are doing,
and this pamphlet does not address it, please call the office
(during office hours except for emergencies, please). |
