Who are usually the appropriate surrogate decision makers for a newborn?

The appropriate surrogate decision makers for a newborn are typically the newborn's parents. This is primarily because parents have legal and moral authority over their child's welfare. They are typically the individuals who are most invested in the child's future and health, as well as being the most familiar with the newborn's circumstances and any relevant medical history.

Parents are recognized by law to have the responsibility to make decisions that they believe are in the best interest of their child. Their roles include making choices about medical care, routines, education, and other aspects of the child's upbringing, and this authority is generally assumed unless there are specific legal circumstances that place the child in another guardian’s care.

While grandparents can play supportive roles and may have the authority to make decisions if the parents are unavailable, and legal guardians have a defined role as well, they do not have the same automatic authority as parents when it comes to immediate medical decisions. The attending physician is responsible for medical care but does not have decision-making authority when it comes to the child's guardianship or overall welfare preferences, and instead acts based on guidance from the parents or legal guardians.