Newborn Care Class in Berkeley: Building Confidence Before Baby Arrives

Bringing a newborn home is a huge shift, and a lot of the anxiety around it comes from simply never having done it before. Millie's Newborn Care Class is built to close that gap, covering both the practical skills of caring for a baby and the planning that makes the transition into postpartum feel more manageable.

The class blends postpartum planning with hands-on baby care practice, so you leave with real skills, not just information. Registration includes attendance for both the birthing person and one support person, so whoever will be helping with newborn care in those early weeks gets the same instruction.

What the class covers

Creating your postpartum plan. Before your baby arrives is the time to think through what support you'll need afterward, so this section helps you start building that plan while you still have the bandwidth to do it.

Typical newborn behavior. You'll learn what's actually normal for a newborn, from sleep patterns to fussiness, so the early weeks feel less unpredictable.

Feeding and hunger cues. Newborns typically feed 8 to 12 times in a 24-hour period, and you may need to wake your baby to feed in the early days. The class covers paced bottle feeding, which benefits both body-fed and bottle-fed babies, and walks through hunger cues in order, from early signs like lip smacking and rooting to late signs like crying, so you can respond before your baby gets to the most upset stage. Cluster feeding during the early days or during a growth spurt is normal too. You'll also learn the signs of a well-fed, growing baby: weight loss stopping by day 3 to 5, steady weight gain afterward, light-colored urine, and regular bowel movements after day 5.

Relieving gas. Simple, practical burping techniques, including firm and gentle pressure, rhythmic patting, and reading your baby's body language to know when they're done.

Diapering and output. You'll learn what normal output looks like in the first week, since the number of wet and dirty diapers steadily increases day by day as your milk comes in, along with practical diapering tips like wiping front to back and caring for the umbilical cord area until it falls off.

Bathing. The class covers both sponge bathing, used until the umbilical stump falls off, and immersion bathing once your baby is ready, including safe water temperature and how to keep your baby calm and comfortable.

Infant sleep and swaddling. You'll get hands-on practice swaddling, along with the must-haves for safe sleep: babies in the room with you, on their backs, on a firm mattress, with nothing extra in the crib. You'll also learn to recognize sleepy cues like yawning and glassy eyes so you can get your baby down before they become overtired.

Soothing. A rundown of go-to soothing techniques that tend to work again and again in the newborn period.

When to call your pediatrician. You'll learn the signs that warrant a call, like fever, unusual skin color, or inadequate output, so you can trust your judgment sooner and know when it's time to reach out.

Real hands-on practice

A meaningful part of the class is spent practicing the physical skills themselves, feeding techniques, diapering, swaddling, and babywearing, under the guidance of an instructor. One recent parent shared that this hands-on practice, done with support close by, was the most valuable part of the class.

Getting started

We recommend taking this class between 28 and 36 weeks, early enough to feel prepared, late enough that the material feels immediately relevant.

The class is offered in person at Millie's Berkeley clinic. If a session is full, email frontdesk@millieclinic.com to be added to the waitlist.

Sign up for the Newborn Care Class in Berkeley or reach out to frontdesk@millieclinic.com to learn more.