General Information
- Other topics on NICHD's site that might be of particular interest to new parents and infant caregivers include:
- Adventures in Parenting (PDF - 929 KB)
(Available in Spanish as ¿Qué Significa Ser Padres? (PDF - 51 MB)
This 67-page booklet is a guide to parenting based on RPM3 (Responding, Preventing, Monitoring, Mentoring, and Modeling). The booklet briefly explains how these terms pertain to parenting. Then it is divided into age groups (0 to 3 years, 4 to 10 years, and 11 to 14 years) to show how these principles apply during each stage of a child's early life, using stories about children and their parents to illustrate. - Safe to Sleep® Campaign
This important educational effort, formerly known as the Back to Sleep campaign, focuses on actions parents and infant caregivers can take to help infants sleep safely and to reduce the risk of SIDS and other causes of infant death. - NIH Health Information: Infant and Newborn Care
- NIH Research Results for the Public: Infant Health
- National Library of Medicine MedLinePlus
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- March of Dimes: Baby Care 101
- American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
- American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP)
- Heat Stress from Enclosed Vehicles (journal article)
- National Safety Council: Surviving Hot Weather
- WHO Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding
Services, Resources, and Support
Car Safety
- The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
is a professional organization whose mission is "to attain optimal physical, mental, and social health and well-being for all infants, children, adolescents and young adults." Among the resources it offers parents is a listing of car seats and safety seat manufacturers
. Also, AAP provides some general instructions
on car seat installation.
- The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
provides a list of answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) on car safety.
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration provides a listing of inspection stations to help parents confirm that their infant's car seat is correctly installed. Find the inspection station nearest you.
Childhood Vaccinations
- The CDC has available a Parents' Guide to Childhood Immunizations.
- An online tool from the CDC allows parents to customize an immunization schedule for their child.
SIDS Risk Reduction
- The NICHD Safe to Sleep® Campaign summarizes the best ways to reduce an infant's risk for SIDS and other sleep-related causes of infant death.
- Child Care Provider Guidelines for Safe Sleep
is published by the AAP
. The guidelines were written especially with child care providers in mind.
Tips and Tools for Infant Care and Safety
- Safety Checklists
and more are available from the AAP
. This website offers downloadable growth charts, immunization records, and safety checklists.
- The AAP offers information about starting foods
and other nutrition topics
.
- NICHD: Tummy Time explains the importance of making sure infants get enough time on their tummies to help their physical development.
- The Consumer Product Safety Commission offers a booklet entitled The Safe Nursery (PDF - 603 KB). This booklet can help parents and caregivers prevent dangers from furniture and baby equipment.
- To check for recalls and safety advisories for car seats, strollers, and other baby equipment, consult this online resource provided by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
- The AAP maintains a listing of pediatric health care providers that can be accessed here: Find a Pediatrician.
- All About Sleep
, produced by the AAFP, is an article (also available as an audio recording) that helps parents and caregivers understand their child's need for sleep and the child's sleep patterns. It also offers tips to establish a bedtime routine that can help the whole family get a good night's sleep.
Please note: Links to organizations and information included on this page do not indicate endorsement from the NICHD, NIH, or HHS.