New Parents Guide

in Lawrenceville, NJ

Smiling mom and baby

New Parents Guide

in Lawrenceville, NJ

A helpful guide for newborn, infant, and toddler care

Your baby’s first two years are full of growth, change, milestones, and questions. From the first newborn visit to the 24-month checkup, Delaware Valley Pediatric Associates is here to help parents feel informed and supported at every stage.

This guide gives families a simple overview of what to expect from birth through age two, including common concerns, helpful reminders, and when routine pediatric visits typically happen.

DVPA provides newborn, infant, and toddler care for families in Lawrenceville, Princeton, Hamilton, Mercer County, and nearby Bucks County communities.

To-Do List for New Parents

  • Prenatal Visits: Keep up with regular prenatal appointments to monitor the baby’s and your health.
  • Birth Plan: Create a birth plan outlining preferences for delivery, pain management, and postpartum care, and share it with your healthcare provider.
  • Hospital Registration: Pre-register at the hospital or birthing center to save time during labor.
  • Choose a Pediatrician: Research and select a pediatrician for your baby’s first checkup.
  • Prenatal Classes: Consider attending childbirth, breastfeeding, and newborn care classes.

  • Baby’s Nursery: Set up the baby’s room or sleeping space, including the crib or bassinet, changing station, and storage for baby clothes and supplies.
  • Car Seat Installation: Install the baby’s car seat in your vehicle (many hospitals require this before discharge).
  • Stock Up on Essentials: Make sure you have newborn clothes, diapers, wipes, bottles, formula (if formula feeding), and other essentials.
  • Prepare a Safe Sleep Area: Follow safe sleep guidelines (e.g., firm mattress, no soft toys or blankets).
  • Baby-Proofing: Start baby-proofing your home to eliminate potential hazards (sharp objects, outlets, furniture that may topple over).

  • Pack a Hospital Bag: Pack essentials like comfortable clothes, toiletries, baby’s first outfit, and important documents for labor and delivery.
  • Maternity Leave: Arrange maternity leave with your employer and ensure you understand your benefits.
  • Plan for Help: Organize a support system with family and friends who can help after the baby arrives (for meals, household chores, etc.).
  • Prepare Siblings/Pets: If you have other children or pets, help them adjust by discussing the new baby and what to expect.

  • Insurance and Paperwork: Ensure your health insurance is ready to cover delivery and the baby’s medical expenses by adding your baby to your policy.
  • Budget for Baby Expenses: Adjust your budget to account for diapers, formula, clothes, and healthcare.
  • Start a College Fund or Savings: Consider setting up a savings account or college fund for your child’s future.

  • Postpartum Supplies: Stock up on postpartum essentials like sanitary pads, comfortable clothing, and nursing bras.
  • Mental Health Support: Prepare mentally for postpartum recovery and consider talking to a counselor if you have concerns about postpartum depression or anxiety.
  • Plan for Self-Care: Set up ways to take breaks and rest, and create a plan for how you’ll care for yourself once the baby is born.

  • Birth Certificate: Familiarize yourself with how to obtain a birth certificate and Social Security number for your baby.
  • Life Insurance and Will: Update or create life insurance policies and a will to protect your family.

  • Meal Prep: Prepare and freeze meals ahead of time to avoid cooking in the first few weeks after birth.
  • Organize Household Tasks: Arrange for help with household chores or get ahead by doing deep cleaning and organizing.

Ages and Stages (birth to 24 months)

Newborn Stage:
Birth Through 1 Month

The newborn stage is a time of adjustment for both baby and parents. In the first days and weeks, pediatric care often focuses on feeding, weight gain, jaundice, sleep, diaper output, umbilical cord care, and making sure your baby is transitioning well after birth.

What to Expect

Newborns sleep often, feed frequently, and may have irregular patterns at first. Parents may notice sneezing, hiccups, peeling skin, startle reflexes, frequent spit-up, and changes in stool color or diaper habits. Many of these things can be normal, but it is always appropriate to ask your pediatrician when you are unsure.

Common Concerns

Common newborn concerns include latch difficulty, breastfeeding questions, bottle-feeding amounts, slow weight gain, jaundice, diaper rash, umbilical cord care, safe sleep, crying, and knowing when to call the pediatrician.

2 Months Old

By 2 months, many babies are becoming more alert and interactive. This is an important well-child visit for checking growth, feeding, sleep, development, and early vaccines.

What to Expect

Your baby may begin smiling socially, turning toward sounds, watching faces, and holding their head up for short periods during tummy time. Feeding and sleep patterns may still vary, but many families start to see more predictable routines.

Common Concerns

Parents often ask about sleep stretches, feeding amounts, reflux or spit-up, gas, fussiness, tummy time, vaccines, and how to know whether their baby is developing as expected.

4 Months Old

At 4 months, babies are usually becoming more expressive and physically active. This stage often brings new sounds, more head control, reaching, rolling attempts, and more interest in the world around them.

What to Expect

Your baby may laugh, coo, bring hands to the mouth, reach for toys, and enjoy more interaction. Many babies are working on rolling, pushing up during tummy time, and tracking people or objects with their eyes.

Common Concerns

Common questions at this age include sleep changes, feeding schedules, teething signs, spit-up, tummy time, rolling safety, vaccines, and whether a baby is ready for solids.

6 Months Old

Around 6 months, many babies are more active, social, and curious. This is a stage when families often talk with their pediatrician about starting solid foods, sitting support, sleep routines, and safety as the baby becomes more mobile.

What to Expect

Your baby may sit with support, roll in both directions, reach for objects, respond to familiar voices, and show interest in food. Some babies begin babbling more and expressing excitement or frustration more clearly.

Common Concerns

Parents often ask about starting solids, food allergies, constipation, sleep, teething, vaccines, tummy time, rolling, and how to make the home safer as mobility increases.

9 Months Old

By 9 months, babies are often more mobile and more expressive. Many are sitting well, crawling or trying to crawl, pulling toward objects, babbling, and showing stronger preferences for people and toys.

What to Expect

Your baby may respond to their name, copy sounds, play simple games, explore objects, and show more awareness of familiar people. Separation anxiety may begin or become more noticeable.

Common Concerns

Common concerns include crawling, standing, feeding textures, choking safety, sleep regression, stranger anxiety, constipation, and whether your baby is meeting developmental milestones.

12 Months Old

The first birthday is a major milestone. At this stage, your child may be standing, cruising, taking first steps, saying early words, pointing, clapping, and showing more personality.

What to Expect

Your pediatrician may discuss growth, development, feeding transitions, whole milk or milk alternatives when appropriate, cup use, dental care, sleep, safety, vaccines, and toddler behavior.

Common Concerns

Parents often ask about walking, speech, picky eating, bottle weaning, sleep, tantrums, separation anxiety, vaccines, and transitioning from baby routines to toddler routines.

15 Months Old

At 15 months, toddlers are often busy, curious, and eager to explore. This is a stage when mobility, communication, independence, and behavior can change quickly.

What to Expect

Your toddler may be walking or becoming more steady, using a few words, pointing to show interest, following simple directions, and exploring everything within reach.

Common Concerns

Common questions include tantrums, picky eating, sleep routines, walking, speech, biting, hitting, safety, vaccines, and how to support development through play and reading.

18 Months Old

At 18 months, toddlers are gaining independence, communication skills, and stronger opinions. This can be a fun stage, but it can also bring frustration as toddlers want to do more than they can explain.

What to Expect

Your child may use more words, point to body parts, follow simple directions, imitate adults, walk well, climb, and show strong preferences. Your pediatrician may also ask about language, social interaction, behavior, sleep, and development.

Common Concerns

Parents often ask about speech delay, tantrums, picky eating, sleep struggles, biting, toilet training readiness, separation anxiety, and developmental screening.

24 Months Old

By 24 months, many children are becoming more verbal, more social, and more independent. This stage brings rapid growth in language, play, movement, and personality.

What to Expect

Your child may use short phrases, follow two-step directions, run, climb, pretend play, show interest in other children, and express a wider range of emotions. The 2-year visit often includes conversations about speech, behavior, nutrition, sleep, dental care, toilet training, safety, and development.

Common Concerns

Common concerns include speech development, tantrums, picky eating, sleep, toilet training, social interaction, screen time, behavior, and whether your child is ready for preschool or group settings.

When to Call Your Pediatrician

Every baby develops at their own pace, but parents should never feel like they have to guess alone. Contact your pediatrician if you are worried about your child’s feeding, breathing, fever, weight gain, hydration, sleep, development, behavior, injury, or overall health.

You should seek urgent medical care right away if your child has trouble breathing, signs of dehydration, a serious injury, unusual lethargy, a seizure, blue lips or face, or any symptom that feels like an emergency.

FAQs for Baby’s First 2 Years

How often should my baby see the pediatrician in the first two years?

Babies and toddlers are seen frequently during the first two years to monitor growth, development, feeding, vaccines, and overall health. Your pediatrician will help you stay on track with the recommended visit schedule.

What should I bring to my baby’s well-child visits?

Bring your child’s insurance card, vaccine record if your child is new to the practice, any forms needed for daycare, a list of medications, and any questions or concerns you want to discuss.

When should I call the pediatrician about feeding concerns?

Call your pediatrician if your baby is not feeding well, has fewer wet diapers than expected, is difficult to wake for feeds, is not gaining weight as expected, or if feeding feels painful, stressful, or confusing.

When should I worry about developmental milestones?

Every child develops at their own pace, but you should talk with your pediatrician if your child is missing milestones, losing skills they previously had, or if you have concerns about movement, speech, social interaction, behavior, or hearing.

What vaccines does my baby need in the first two years?

Your baby’s vaccine schedule depends on age, health history, and current guidance. Your pediatrician will review recommended vaccines at each well-child visit and answer parent questions.

Is it normal for babies and toddlers to have sleep changes?

Yes. Sleep patterns often change during the first two years. Growth, development, feeding changes, illness, teething, and separation anxiety can all affect sleep. Your pediatrician can help if sleep concerns are persistent or affecting your family.

Can DVPA help with toddler behavior concerns?

Yes. DVPA can help families with common toddler behavior concerns, including tantrums, sleep struggles, picky eating, biting, hitting, separation anxiety, and developmental questions.

Does DVPA provide care for newborns and toddlers?

Yes. Delaware Valley Pediatric Associates provides care for newborns, infants, toddlers, children, teens, and young adults in Lawrenceville, NJ and surrounding communities.