Imagine Life with a Newborn Guide and Parent Community

It’s finally here—your baby’s first day home! Both you and your partner's excitement is through the roof. But as the door closes behind you, the questions start rushing in:Wait, how often do I feed them?
Is this rash normal?
What bottle should I use?
How long does pumped breastmilk stay fresh?
When is it safe to take my baby outside?But then—you remember. You signed up for theBabyMD Academy!You open the website and find quick, trustworthy answers in 1-minute videos, all led by a pediatrician and NICU doctor. You scroll through bottle recommendations, ask Dr.Manickam a question, and exhale. You have trusted answers at your fingertips.With expert guidance and a supportive community behind you, you feel reassured, informed, and ready to enjoy these early days with your baby. Life as a parent can now be a little less stressful :)

Why most other baby advice doesn't work

Let's be honest: Most baby advice comes from Google, ChatGPT, social media, or well-meaning relatives. It's hard to know what’s truly safe or right for your baby.Dr. Manickam—aka theBabyMD—is a pediatrician and NICU doctor who’s cared for hundreds of newborns and supported just as many first-time parents. This isn’t guesswork or outdated advice—it’s what we teach in hospitals, now made simple and accessible to you at home.Sometimes all you need is someone you trust to verify, "That makes sense" or to offer you a helpful suggestion—Dr. Manickam can be that person for you :)

Your Pediatrician & NICU Doctor

Dr. Surya Manickam, MD ScM—aka theBabyMD—is a board-certified pediatrician and rising NICU doctor. He went to the University of California, Berkeley for undergrad, Brown University for medical school, Columbia University for pediatric residency, and is now at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles as a fellow, to specialize in the NICU.For many families, having a baby is beautiful, but it can also be overwhelming and full of questions no one prepared you for. As a prior mental health counselor, Dr. Manickam's greatest joy is in helping parents find strength, clarity, and hope in these crazy moments and that’s why we've built this guide and community. He can't wait to support you in raising your baby and hopes we can make your experience being a parent even a little easier :)For the last year, Dr. Manickam has been making short, informative videos on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube under @thebabyMD with a combined 25,000 followers.He loves basketball, dancing, and podcasts, and lives with his wife and co-founder, Niki Agrawal.

Access a NICU doctor whenever you need support. Try it risk-free for 30 days.

If this newborn guide and community doesn’t meet what you're looking for, email us within 30 days and we'll give you a full refund. No questions asked :)

FAQs

How is this different from theBabyMD Instagram page?While theBabyMD Instagram page gives you access to most of our videos, it's often hard to find a specific topic and it is not organized by age. With theBabyMD Academy, you can search key terms and find the video you want with ease!theBabyMD Academy also gives you exclusive access to ask Dr. Manickam any questions you may have, via the community chat.Additionally, you will receive our up-to-date product recommendations and membership to a private parent community—all not available via the Instagram page.Can theBabyMD replace my pediatrician?Absolutely not! Since we don’t have access to your baby’s medical records and can’t examine your baby directly, we are simply an educational guide to support you :) We can’t give medical advice. Your pediatrician is essential in making medical evaluations and tailoring recommendations to fit your baby and your family’s needs, in addition to coordinating specialty visits and other aspects of your baby’s medical care.Can you answer specific questions about my baby?Similar to the above question, while you can ask specific questions via the community chat, we can only answer questions generally. It’ll be up to you to take the information, consider speaking to your pediatrician, and see what makes best medical sense for you and your baby’s health :)Do you take private baby consults?Not yet, but hopefully in the future. Stay tuned!How can I contact you for more questions?Please email [email protected].