All newborns need some amount of health care when they’re born. Even when babies are born healthy, they need to be monitored by healthcare providers to make sure they are in good physical condition and well. The well-baby nursery evaluates and cares for babies who are born on time (at about 37 weeks) and who are stable (e.g they can breathe on their own and can maintain their body temperature) until they are discharged from the hospital.

Well-baby care is family-oriented, in order to promote bonding, parenting skills, and successful breastfeeding between new mothers and their babies.