Essential Health Tips for Your Baby's First Year

Your baby's first year comes with a steady stream of health questions. Is this temperature high? Should I call someone or wait? When is the next vaccination? What is normal, and what is not? It is a lot to hold in your head, especially on very little sleep.

This guide brings the essentials together in one calm place. It is not a substitute for medical advice. Your doctor, health visitor and local health service know your baby and your country's guidance, and they should always be your first port of call when you are worried.

What vaccinations does my baby need in the first year?

Most countries have a national immunisation schedule with several sets of vaccinations during the first year, usually starting in the first few months. The exact vaccines and timing vary by country, so follow the schedule from your doctor or local health service and ask them any questions you have.

Keep a record of each vaccination, including the date and any notes about how your baby was afterwards. Many health services give you a booklet for this; keeping a copy on your phone as well can help when you are away from home. If your baby misses a vaccination, contact your doctor to catch up rather than skipping it.

What is a fever in a baby, and when should I worry?

A fever is usually considered a temperature of 38°C (100.4°F) or higher. In a baby under three months, any fever needs medical advice straight away. In older babies, how they look and behave matters as much as the number: contact your doctor if you are worried, whatever the reading.

A few practical points:

• Use a thermometer suited to babies and follow its instructions.
• Note the time and the reading, so you can tell your doctor how things have changed.
• Keep offering feeds to help prevent dehydration.
• Only give fever medicine that your doctor or pharmacist has said is suitable for your baby's age and weight, at the dose they advise.

When should I call a doctor or seek urgent help?

Contact your doctor if your baby is feeding much less than usual, has far fewer wet nappies, is unusually sleepy or floppy, or you simply feel something is wrong. Call emergency services immediately for difficulty breathing, blue or grey lips, a seizure, a rash that does not fade when pressed, or if your baby is hard to wake.

Trust your instincts. You know your baby better than anyone, and health professionals would much rather hear from you early than late. Many countries also have a phone line for non-emergency medical advice; it is worth saving that number now, before you need it.

How do I know if my baby is getting enough milk?

Signs that your baby is generally getting enough milk include regular wet and dirty nappies, steady weight gain checked by your health visitor or doctor, and a baby who seems content after most feeds. If you are worried about feeding or nappies, ask your health visitor, midwife or doctor for support.

Keeping a simple log of feeds and nappies in the early weeks can make those conversations easier, because you can share real numbers rather than estimates. Our guide on how to track newborn feeding explains what is useful to record.

How can I care for my baby when they have a cold?

Colds are very common in babies. Keep offering feeds, keep your baby comfortable, and help them breathe more easily: saline drops for the nose can help, if your pharmacist says they are suitable. Do not give over-the-counter cough and cold medicines unless a doctor has advised them for your baby.

Watch for signs that a cold is becoming something more: difficulty breathing, feeding much less, a high temperature or a baby who seems increasingly unwell. If you notice any of these, contact your doctor. Most colds pass on their own, but your baby should always be checked when you are unsure.

What happens at my baby's routine check-ups?

Routine check-ups let your doctor or health visitor check your baby's growth and development, examine them, and give you space to ask questions. The number and timing of these appointments vary between countries. They are a good moment to bring up anything you have noticed, however small it seems.

It helps to arrive with a short list of questions and any notes you have, such as feeding patterns, sleep, milestones and measurements. If you are tracking milestones, our article on how to record and review milestones explains how to keep notes that are useful at these appointments.

How do I keep my baby safe while they sleep?

The key safe-sleep basics are to always place your baby on their back to sleep, on a firm, flat surface, with no pillows, bumpers or loose bedding in their sleep space during the first year. Keep the room at a comfortable temperature and keep your baby's environment smoke-free.

For more detail on bedding, sleep sacks and when blankets become appropriate, read when can a baby sleep with a blanket. For where your baby should sleep, see room sharing vs bed sharing.

What everyday habits help protect my baby's health?

Simple everyday habits make a real difference: washing your hands before feeds and after nappy changes, keeping your baby away from people who are unwell where possible, keeping bottles and feeding equipment clean, and making sure no one smokes around your baby. Looking after your own health matters too.

Other habits worth building early:

• Keep a basic first aid kit and a baby-suitable thermometer at home.
• Save your doctor's number and your local emergency and advice lines in your phone.
• Consider a baby first aid course; many local services run them.
• Keep a list of any medicines your baby has been given, with dates and doses.

Keeping everyone on the same page

When two parents, or a grandparent or nanny, are sharing care, health details can get lost in handovers. When was the last dose of medicine? What was the temperature this morning? Did she have her feed before the nap?

In Mina Bloom, medicines, temperatures, feeds and appointments logged by one person appear for everyone caring for your baby in real time, so nobody doubles a dose or forgets to mention a symptom. It is a practical record you can also show your doctor.

It can also help to keep a short note of anything unusual between appointments: a rash that came and went, a few days of poor feeding, a night with a high temperature. Patterns that seem small on their own can be more meaningful when a doctor sees them together, and writing them down means you are not relying on memory in a busy consulting room.

Above all, remember that you do not have to know everything. Asking a health professional is always the right call when something worries you.