A practical newborn caregiver handoff checklist

A good newborn handoff answers five questions: when she last ate, when she last slept, when her last diaper was, whether any medicine is due, and what comes next. Add where things are and who to call, and the next caregiver can start without guessing. Our caregiver handoffs page shows how a shared log does most of it for you.

Why handoffs go wrong

A newborn passes through a lot of hands. A partner takes the evening, a grandparent takes the afternoon, a nanny starts on Monday. Every switch is a moment where something can fall through: a feed counted twice, a nap missed, a dose given again because nobody was sure it had been given.

Most handoff mistakes are not about skill. They happen because the facts lived in one person's head, and that person has just walked out the door.

The checklist

Use this when you hand over, or print it and leave it on the fridge for the person taking over.

The last few hours

• Last feed. The time, breast or bottle, and how much or which side.
• Last sleep. When she went down, when she woke, and where she slept.
• Last diaper. The time, and whether it was wet, dirty or both.
• Her mood. Settled, fussy, or not quite herself.

What comes next

• Next feed. Roughly when you expect it, and what to give.
• Hunger cues. Babies often show they are hungry before they cry, for example by licking their lips, rooting or putting a hand to their mouth. Crying is a late sign. [1]
• Next nap. How she usually settles, and anything that helps.
• Plans. A visit, a walk, or a time you will be back.

Medicine

Only include this if your pediatrician has prescribed something, or told you what to give and when.

• What, how much and when. The name, the dose and the time of the last dose.
• Who gives it. Agree on this out loud. Giving the wrong dose by mistake is a common medicine error, so do not give two doses at the same time or extra doses without speaking with your doctor. [2]
• The right tool. Use the syringe, dropper or dosing cup that comes with the medicine, never a kitchen spoon. [3]
• Written instructions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to write down the instructions, and leave them with the medicine. [2]
• Storage. Remind grandparents and other visitors to keep bags with medicines in them out of a child's reach. [2]

Sleep

• Back to sleep, every time. Every caregiver places her on her back for all sleep, naps and nights, on a firm, flat surface. [4]
• Nothing soft in the sleep space. No blankets, pillows, bumpers or soft toys. [4]

The practical stuff

• Where the bottles, formula or stored milk, diapers and spare clothes are.
• How the car seat, stroller or carrier works, if they will be out.
• Your phone number, a backup number and your pediatrician's number.
• What to do if they are worried: call you, then the pediatrician. In an emergency, call your local emergency number.

Make the checklist the log

A checklist on paper is a good start, but it goes stale the minute the next feed happens. The easier way is to keep the first three sections in a log that everyone can open. Then a handoff stops being a speech. The person coming in reads the last feed, sleep and diaper for themselves, and you only need to talk about plans and anything unusual.

A few habits make it work:

• Everyone logs into the same place, including the grandparents and the nanny.
• Log as you go, not at the end of the shift.
• Each entry should show who logged it, so nobody has to ask "did you give that?"

How Our Little Two helps

Every caregiver on her Care Team logs into the same record. A grandparent can say "Wet diaper." or "She's down." and you see it, with their name on it. When you take her back, ask "When did she last eat?" and get the answer from the log, not from memory. Medicines go in with the name, dose and unit. You can add a Parent, a Caregiver or a Provider to the Care Team. See the Shared tracker page for how sharing works.

Before you walk out the door

1. Check the last feed, sleep and diaper are logged.
2. Say when the next feed is likely due.
3. Point to any medicine and its written instructions.
4. Leave your number and the pediatrician's.
5. Go. They have what they need.

For what tends to happen in the first weeks, see the newborn weeks.