Congratulations on your new little one! Welcome to the parenthood club. This is a wonderful time in your life, which is likely mixed in with some nervousness and anxiety that only new parenthood can bring — we understand, believe us! As a result, this beautiful yet tiring experience can make for some interesting first visits to the pediatrician as you begin to navigate the sometimes choppy waters of being a new parent. Take a deep breath and have no fear, as there is no question or concern that is too over the top or unimportant when it comes to your baby.

Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, here are some perfectly appropriate questions that many new parents should ask their pediatrician (in fact, you may want to jot down questions as you think of them prior to the visit; pregnancy and new mama brain is REAL):

Feeding

If you are breastfeeding, discuss any problems or concerns you may have. What do you do if you are not producing enough milk? Is it okay to supplement with breast milk? What techniques should you use to help support your baby latching onto your breast and feeding well? How long should you breastfed on each breast? What do I do if my nipples are sore? Is it okay to pump and how often?

If formula, ask what formula your baby should be using? In general, feeding questions surround whether baby is eating enough and how often.

Digestive

As baby begins milk or formula, the digestive questions will begin! Should her stool look like that? How many diapers should I be changing? Is my baby pooping/peeing enough? What would you consider spitting up? What should I do if I think my baby is constipated? Is it okay if my baby has stools after each feeding?

Sleep (a crucial topic for everyone!)

So many good, important questions on this one… How many hours should my baby be sleeping? How many naps does my baby need to have? Should I wake my baby to feed?Where should my baby sleep? How can I prevent SIDS while my baby sleeps? What should be in my baby’s crib or bassinet? Should a newborn have a bedtime routine and what should it be? What should I do if my baby will not sleep?

General Care

And now to the fun part; the every day. What kinds of things can my baby do as a newborn? What should I expect at this age? What toys should I have for my baby? How often should I bathe Baby? What’s an emergency for my Baby? What should I expect at this age?

The future

What should I expect from Baby in the next few days/weeks/months? When should I start reading to my baby? What can I do with my baby to help her development?When/how often will I be seeing you next, Doctor?

And perhaps our most fun question of all: When does my baby smile at me?

Good luck, parents, you got this!