Newborn Care 101
What is normal, how to read your baby’s cues and the everyday care: feeding, sleep, soothing, bathing, diapering and swaddling. No childbirth lesson. No postpartum-recovery lesson. Just practical newborn care.
See the classFor families · Adoption and surrogacy
Learn the baby care.
Skip the birth lessons.
Welcoming a baby through adoption or surrogacy? Newborn Care 101 was made with families like yours in mind: practical baby care with no childbirth lesson and no postpartum-recovery lesson.
Newborn Care 101 is for you if you are
- Welcoming a baby through adoption or through surrogacy
- A single parent by choice, or an older first-time parent
- Busy with a career and want to learn newborn care on your own schedule
- Looking for baby care without the birth class or postpartum recovery
Why not Bringing Home Baby?
Bringing Home Baby teaches newborn care and postpartum recovery, so it is written for families who gave birth. Newborn Care 101 teaches the baby care only, so it fits families who did not.
Read the class questionsThe class made for you.
One focused, self-paced class, with a workbook, that you can take with your partner or support person.
What you will be able to do.
The class covers the day-to-day of caring for a newborn.
- Read what a cry or a cue means
- Know what is normal for newborn sleep and feeding
- Handle bathing, diapering and swaddling
- Use paced bottle feeding
- Tell normal newborn behavior from something to ask your provider about
- Build simple routines and make decisions with confidence
Hands-on help at home.
Optional, if you want support once your baby arrives.
Live-in newborn care
If you want hands-on help once your baby arrives, BBU’s team of postpartum doulas and Newborn Care Specialists provides live-in newborn care from two weeks to six months or longer.
See live-in newborn careFrom families who took BBU classes
Testimonials from families who took BBU classes.
“These classes were really helpful for my partner and I. We feel so much more confident about going into birth now. I had no idea what to expect before these classes. We also took the class to prepare for breastfeeding and caring for our new little cutie pie. 10 out of 10 recommend. You wouldn't believe how much you don't know about caring for a newborn before you take these classes.”
“As a first-time parent, I felt overwhelmed by all the information out there, but this course broke everything down into clear, supportive, and easy-to-understand lessons. They made me feel confident and empowered going into labor and early parenthood.”
“We absolutely loved these classes! So informative and we liked that we could pause for the day and resume when we had time. I highly recommend them to all expectant parents.”
“Birth and Baby University is so helpful. I was able to take so many great classes to help me prepare for birth.”
“They are amazing! 10/10 recommend!”
Questions
from families like yours.
Do we need a childbirth class if we are adopting?
That depends on your situation. Newborn Care 101 is the class written for adoption and surrogacy, with no childbirth or postpartum-recovery lessons. If you will be present at a birth, for example with a surrogate, Intro to Childbirth is open to anyone anticipating the birth of a baby. Bringing Home Baby includes postpartum recovery lessons, so it is written for families who gave birth.
We are adopting. Is Newborn Care 101 still for us?
Yes. The class covers newborn care and development, not childbirth or postpartum recovery, so it fits families welcoming a baby however they are.
We are working with a surrogate. Is it right for us?
Yes. It teaches baby care only, with no birth or postpartum-recovery lessons, and your partner or support person can take it with you.
Does Newborn Care 101 include postpartum recovery for the person who gave birth?
No. It has no childbirth lesson and no postpartum-recovery lesson. Bringing Home Baby is the class that covers newborn care together with postpartum recovery, for families who gave birth.
Can I take it before the baby arrives?
Yes. It is self-paced, so you can take it ahead of time and return to the lessons and workbook afterwards.
Does a class replace hands-on help?
No. If you want help at home as well, you can book a postpartum doula through Chicago Family Doulas, or ask about live-in newborn care.
Anna RodneyLeader in the maternal and infant health space
Birth & Postpartum Doula Trainer, Lamaze Childbirth Educator, Master’s in Education, Newborn Care Specialist, Lactation Educator and Newborn Sleep Consultant.
Anna brings more than a decade of special-education teaching to the way she explains birth and baby care. Her curriculum connects practical information with the questions families bring to class.
Read Anna’s full backgroundOther ways in
Ask about Newborn Care 101.
Contact BBU for current tuition, class details and enrollment.