Newborn and Postpartum Medical Terms Every Parent Should Know
Newborn and Postpartum Medical Terms Every Parent Should Know
A calm, plain-language guide to the hospital words you’ll hear in the first hours and days after birth—so you can feel prepared and participate in your baby’s care.
Your baby’s arrival doesn’t mean the new words stop. In the hours and days after birth, you may hear terms like Apgar score, jaundice, or NICU. Knowing what these mean helps you feel calm, prepared, and able to participate in your baby’s care.
Still pregnant? Start with Pregnancy Medical Terms Every Parent Should Know and Labor & Delivery Terminology Every Parent Should Know.
Common Newborn Terms
Apgar Score
A quick test of baby’s breathing, heart rate, reflexes, muscle tone, and color at 1 and 5 minutes after birth. Most healthy babies score between 7–9.
Jaundice
A yellow tint to the skin or eyes caused by extra bilirubin in the blood. Very common, usually mild, and often resolves with feeding and monitoring; sometimes phototherapy is used.
Meconium
Baby’s first stool—thick, greenish, and sticky. If meconium appears in the amniotic fluid before birth, your team will monitor baby closely.
Colostrum
The first milk your body produces, rich in nutrients and antibodies. It’s often thick and yellow before mature milk comes in.
Pregnancy Timing Terms
Preterm
Babies born before 37 weeks. They may need extra support for breathing, feeding, and growth.
Post-term
Pregnancies beyond 42 weeks. Extra monitoring helps ensure baby’s health.
Complications & Specialized Care
Fetal Distress
Signals that a baby may not be getting enough oxygen. Continuous monitoring during labor helps providers respond quickly.
Posterior Position
When baby is face-up during labor instead of face-down. Labor can be longer, but vaginal delivery is often possible.
NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit)
A specialized unit for babies born early, small, or needing extra medical support. Teams here are experts in newborn critical care.
Making the Most of Your Appointments
- Ask specific questions: “How is my cervical effacement progressing?” “What’s baby’s current position?”
- Understand results: Apgar scores, GD screening, fetal monitoring—know what they mean for you and baby.
- Join decisions: If induction or cesarean is discussed, you’ll understand options and tradeoffs.
- Spot what’s urgent: Terms like ruptured membranes or signs of preterm labor help you know when to call.
What You’ll Gain from Parent Education
- Confidence in medical settings — you’ll speak the same language as your team.
- Better birth planning — terminology becomes tools for informed choices.
- Improved communication — clearer questions, clearer answers.
- Reduced anxiety — understanding lowers fear.
- Partner involvement — both of you can advocate effectively.
Continue learning with our full Pregnancy & Childbirth Course, where every term is explained in context.
Read Next
- Pregnancy Medical Terms Every Parent Should Know → get oriented before the third trimester.
- Labor & Delivery Terminology Every Parent Should Know → what you’ll hear on birth day.