Taking care of a newborn is a big responsibility. It can often feel overwhelming, especially for first-time or single parents. Once you bring your baby home, you will have many questions about newborn care and how to keep them safe and healthy.
The pediatric specialists at UPMC Magee-Womens are a phone call away. Your team of experts is ready to provide advice and support to help you navigate the first few weeks with your newborn.
The newborn stage lasts four weeks or until your baby is 28 days old. These first four weeks are hectic and exhausting for new parents. Preparing ahead of time will ease the transition from the hospital to home.
Make sure you have these essentials in place a few weeks before your due date:
Your baby's health and development are as important to us as they are to you. Your pediatrician will examine your baby several times during their first year to ensure your baby is healthy and growing well. The first exam visit happens when your baby is about five days old, and the following appointments are at one and two months.
Your baby will also receive routine immunizations during well-baby visits to prevent serious childhood illnesses. During the exams, you can ask your baby's doctor any questions.
Newborns have tiny stomachs and can only eat small amounts — about one or two ounces at a time. Therefore, they get hungry every few hours. Whether they drink breast milk or formula, newborns eat eight to 12 times in 24 hours, as often as every two to three hours.
Newborns signal that they are hungry by:
Aim to feed your baby every two to three hours or sooner if they show hunger signs. Measure the time between feeds from the start of one feed to the beginning of the next. It may feel like sometimes you're just feeding your baby constantly if they tend to eat slowly, fall asleep feeding, or suckle for comfort.
Newborns may also cluster feed to increase their milk supply by sometimes wanting to eat every hour or more! Cluster feeding is normal and important for establishing a milk supply while breastfeeding.
Most newborns wake up to feed, but some are very sleepy. If it has been more than three hours since their last feeding, wake your baby to see if they are hungry — even overnight. Ask your pediatrician when you no longer need to wake the baby to feed them.
Your baby will not have a set sleep schedule during the first few weeks. A good option for planning your days is to follow an eat-sleep-play routine. Cycle between feeding your baby, napping, and playing, then repeat.
Newborns sleep at least 16 hours a day, often for three to four hours at a time. It may seem like they spend all their time either eating or sleeping. In the early days, playing may be a quick cuddle or face time when changing their diaper.
It is also very common for newborns to confuse their days and nights. They may wake often during the night or sleep a lot during the day. Keep them in a light and noisy room during the day to encourage them to sleep more at night.
Babies will begin sleeping longer stretches through the night when they are about three months old or weigh 12 to 13 pounds. Ensuring they get regular, good daytime feeds can help nighttime sleep.
Newborns have as many as eight bowel movements and wet diapers a day. It is normal for them to strain and turn red during a normal bowel movement. It may seem like they have some poop every time you change their diaper — this is normal.
Formula-fed babies often have yellowish-tan stools, while breastfed babies have runny, mustard-colored stools that are seedy in consistency. Over time, they may experience changes in stool frequency, color, and consistency.
If your baby has diarrhea, it will have frequent, watery stools. Call your pediatrician if diarrhea persists for over a day or if the stools have blood.
Constipation is rare, but signs include small, firm, pebble-like stools or difficulty passing stool. Ask your doctor if you can give the baby one or two ounces of apple or pear juice to alleviate constipation.
The best treatment for diaper rash is prevention. Change your baby's diaper as soon as possible after a wet diaper or bowel movement. Wash the baby's bottom with warm water, dry the skin, and apply diaper rash cream or petroleum jelly.
Contact the doctor if a diaper rash seems painful or has tiny red dots around the outside of the rash.
Your newborn may also experience rashes or other harmless skin conditions.
Normal baby skin issues include:
In most cases, these will resolve on their own in a few days or weeks. If you have any concerns or symptoms do not improve, contact your baby's physician.
Because newborns' skin is delicate, you should only bathe them two or three times a week. Apply baby lotion or petroleum jelly to their skin and scalp to moisten dry skin. Comb out any cradle cap flakes with a baby comb.
When your baby is born, the delivery team will clamp their umbilical cord and cut it, leaving a stump with a clamp in it. Before you go, they'll remove the clamp, leaving a dry cord stump. Your baby's umbilical cord will fall off by itself in one to four weeks.
However, keeping the cord stump dry and exposed to air can help speed healing. Stick to sponge baths until the cord stump falls off. As it heals, the cord stump will look like a scab, but do not pick at it, cut it, or pull it off.
Clear or slightly blood-tinged discharge can sometimes occur after the cord stump falls off.
Call your pediatrician if:
Newborns lose between five and eight percent of their weight during the first few days after birth. Most infants regain their birth weight by ten days of age. They will double it by six months and triple it by one year of age.
All newborns cry and get fussy — sometimes for long periods of time.
Your baby may cry if he:
Usually, a baby stops crying once you attend to their needs. If they don't, check for a fever. Call your doctor if the baby's temperature is over 100.4ºF.
Babies also cry if they have colic, which can start when they are two to five weeks old. It often peaks around six weeks and ends when they are three to four months old.
Babies with colic may cry three or more hours a day, several days a week. Doctors aren't sure what causes colic, and there is no cure. Your baby will outgrow it over time.
These tips may calm a crying baby:
Taking care of a newborn baby alone is especially challenging, especially if you're also recovering from childbirth. These tips can help.
DO — Cuddle and bond with your newborn as much as possible — you won't spoil him. Providing comfort, attention, and care during the newborn stage is vital for your baby to develop and thrive.
DO — Get lactation support for any breastfeeding challenges. Breast milk is the perfect food for your baby, but many new mothers stop breastfeeding early because of challenges. UPMC's lactation consultants are available by phone 24/7 for questions, or you can schedule an in-person appointment for additional support.
DO — Help your baby establish a schedule by feeding at night in a dark, quiet room or using a white noise machine to signal sleep time.
DON'T — Drive in a car with your baby unless they are secured in a rear-facing car seat.
DON'T — Ever shake your baby because it can cause a serious or fatal brain injury. If you feel angry, overwhelmed, or have thoughts of hurting your newborn, call a friend, family member, or your ob-gyn or pediatrician for emotional support.
DON'T — Feel obligated to have visitors. Many people will want to visit your newborn at home, but it's OK to say no and delay their visit if you aren't feeling up to it.
DON'T — Forget to take plenty of photos and videos and cherish the first few weeks with your newborn. They may feel like an eternity, but soon, you'll both get into a routine and you'll realize they really do grow up too fast.
Last reviewed by a UPMC medical professional on 2024-09-05.
