Description should include

• recognizing characteristics and common responses of newborns
• bonding through touch, diapering, dressing, bathing, and feeding
• identifying safe sleep practices
• expressing care and love through massage and everyday interactions with the newborn
• responding to a crying infant
• demonstrating strategies to deal with colic
• preventing brain injuries (e.g., shaken baby syndrome)
• practicing safety precautions
• identifying healthcare providers, support services, medical tests, and procedures
• identifying the risks and prevention strategies for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
• maintaining the wellness of newborns, including neonatal checkups and immunizations.

Note: Demonstrations are encouraged through guest speakers, infant simulators, videos, etc.

Process/Skill Questions:

Thinking

• How should one expect an infant to behave when he or she is first born?
• How will the baby’s appearance and actions affect how the parent feels about the child?
• Why should parents be aware of the characteristics of newborns?
• Why is shaking a baby a very dangerous response to a crying baby?
• How does the newborn’s schedule alter the parent’s schedule?

Communication

• Why is bonding important to the parent-child relationship?
• What are the long-term effects of bonding on the baby? The mother and father? The family?
• What things can an adolescent mother do to encourage more participation by the father?

Leadership

• How can an adolescent parent be supported while some of the initial post-delivery procedures are being done?
• What community resources are available to parents dealing with a SIDS death?
• What resources are reliable regarding a child’s immunization schedule?
• What are the consequences of children receiving or not receiving immunizations?

Management

• What strategies can one practice to safely diaper, dress, bathe, and feed your baby?
• How can a baby that cries a lot or has colic affect the relationship between the parents?
• Where can one find reliable resources and support regarding infant care tasks? How does one determine if the resources are reliable?