The Ultimate Newborn Care Guide: Everything You Need to Know for the First 8 Weeks

Those first weeks with a newborn can feel like navigating uncharted waters without a map. This guide gives you the practical, judgment-free information you need to care for your baby and yourself during this intense, beautiful, overwhelming time.

Before We Begin: The Most Important Thing

You are enough. Your baby doesn't need a perfect parent. They need you, learning alongside them, responding to their cues, and doing your best. Everything in this guide is meant to support you, not add pressure.

Feeding Your Newborn

How Often?

Newborns eat frequently because their stomachs are tiny. In the first few days, a newborn's stomach is about the size of a marble. By week two, it's closer to a ping pong ball.

Expect to feed:

• Days 1 to 3: 8 to 12 times per 24 hours (every 2 to 3 hours)
• Weeks 1 to 2: 8 to 12 times per 24 hours
• Weeks 3 to 8: 7 to 9 times per 24 hours (some babies cluster feed)

Signs Your Baby Is Hungry

Crying is actually a late hunger cue. Earlier signs include:

• Rooting (turning head and opening mouth)
• Bringing hands to mouth
• Smacking or licking lips
• Squirming or fidgeting
• Making sucking motions

Signs Your Baby Is Getting Enough

• Wet diapers: 6 or more per day by day 5
• Dirty diapers: 3 to 4 per day (may decrease after week 6)
• Weight gain: Regains birth weight by 2 weeks, gains 5 to 7 ounces per week after
• Satisfied after feeds: Releases breast or bottle on their own, seems content

Breastfeeding Basics

A good latch is everything. Signs of a proper latch:

• Wide open mouth covering most of the areola
• Lips flanged outward (like fish lips)
• Chin touching breast
• Audible swallowing (after milk comes in)
• No clicking sounds
• No pain after initial latch (first 30 seconds may be uncomfortable)

If breastfeeding hurts beyond the first few days, please reach out to a lactation consultant. Pain is not normal and usually indicates something that can be fixed.

Bottle Feeding Tips

• Hold baby at a 45-degree angle (not flat)
• Keep the bottle horizontal to control flow
• Allow baby to draw nipple in rather than pushing it into their mouth
• Pause every few minutes to burp
• Watch for cues that baby is full (turning away, pushing bottle out, falling asleep)

Sleep: What to Actually Expect

Normal Newborn Sleep

Newborns sleep 16 to 17 hours per day, but never for long stretches. Their longest sleep period is typically 2 to 4 hours.

Why? Their stomachs are small and need frequent filling. Their circadian rhythms haven't developed yet. This is biologically normal, even though it's exhausting for you.

Safe Sleep Guidelines

Every sleep, every time:

• Back to sleep: Always place baby on their back
• Firm, flat surface: No soft mattresses, pillows, or cushions
• Nothing in the crib: No blankets, stuffed animals, bumpers, or positioners
• Room sharing: Baby sleeps in your room (but on their own surface) for at least 6 months
• No overheating: One more layer than you're wearing is enough

Establishing Day and Night

Around 2 to 3 weeks, you can start helping baby distinguish day from night:

Daytime:

• Keep lights bright
• Go about normal household noise
• Engage and play during awake times
• Don't stress about nap environment

Nighttime:

• Dim lights after sunset
• Keep interactions quiet and boring
• No playtime during night feeds
• Use lowest light possible for diaper changes

Diapering 101

How Often to Change

Change after every poop and every 2 to 3 hours for wet diapers. Newborns go through 10 to 12 diapers per day in the early weeks.

Umbilical Cord Care

• Keep it dry (fold diaper below it)
• Don't pull on it; let it fall off naturally (usually 1 to 3 weeks)
• Call your pediatrician if you notice redness, swelling, pus, or foul odor

Dealing with Diaper Rash

Most diaper rash responds to:

• More frequent changes
• Air time (let baby go diaper-free on a waterproof mat)
• Barrier cream with zinc oxide
• Pat dry instead of wiping

Call your doctor if the rash has blisters, pus, or doesn't improve in a few days.

Bathing Your Newborn

Until the Cord Falls Off

Stick to sponge baths. You'll need:

• Warm room
• Soft washcloth
• Warm water in a bowl
• Clean towel
• Fresh diaper and clothes ready

Wash face first (plain water), then body, then diaper area last.

After the Cord Falls Off

You can do tub baths, but you don't need to do them daily. Two to three times per week is plenty. Too much bathing can dry out newborn skin.

Tips:

• Water temperature should be warm but not hot (test with your elbow)
• Support baby's head and neck at all times
• Have everything within arm's reach before starting
• Keep baths short (5 to 10 minutes)

Soothing a Crying Baby

Crying is your baby's only way to communicate. It doesn't mean you're doing something wrong.

The 5 S's (Dr. Harvey Karp's Method)

• Swaddle: Snug wrap with arms at sides (stop when baby shows signs of rolling)
• Side or Stomach: Hold baby on their side or stomach (for soothing only, not sleep)
• Shush: Loud shushing sound near baby's ear (louder than you think)
• Swing: Gentle rhythmic motion (support head)
• Suck: Pacifier, clean finger, or breast for comfort

Other Soothing Strategies

• Skin-to-skin contact
• Warm bath
• Going outside or changing environment
• White noise or vacuum cleaner sound
• Car ride or stroller walk
• Singing or humming
• Wearing baby in a carrier

When Crying Might Mean Something More

Contact your pediatrician if crying is accompanied by:

• Fever over 100.4°F
• Vomiting or refusing to eat
• Unusual lethargy or difficulty waking
• Rash or skin color changes
• Crying for more than 3 hours straight

What Your Baby Can Do: Weeks 1 Through 8

Week 1 to 2

• Focuses on objects 8 to 12 inches away (about the distance to your face when feeding)
• Recognizes your voice
• Reflexive grasping
• Startles at loud sounds

Week 3 to 4

• May start tracking objects with eyes
• More alert periods
• Beginning to lift head briefly during tummy time
• Different cries for different needs

Week 5 to 6

• First social smiles (not just gas!)
• Cooing sounds
• Better head control
• More interested in faces

Week 7 to 8

• Responds to your smile
• Opens and closes hands
• Brings hands together
• Smoother movements

Tummy Time

Start from day one, even if it's just for a minute or two.

Why it matters:

• Strengthens neck, shoulder, and core muscles
• Prevents flat spots on head
• Builds skills needed for rolling, crawling, sitting

How to do it:

• Start with baby on your chest (this counts!)
• Use a rolled towel under chest for support
• Get down at baby's level and talk to them
• Aim for 15 to 30 minutes total per day by 8 weeks (broken into short sessions)

Some babies hate tummy time. That's normal. Keep sessions short and try different positions.

Taking Care of Yourself

This guide would be incomplete without this: You matter too.

Physical Recovery

• Rest when possible (not just "sleep when baby sleeps," but actual rest)
• Stay hydrated, especially if breastfeeding
• Eat nourishing food (it doesn't have to be fancy)
• Accept help with everything except feeding (if you want to be the sole feeder)
• Attend your postpartum checkups

Emotional Wellbeing

Baby blues (mood swings, crying, anxiety) are common in the first two weeks. If these feelings persist beyond two weeks or feel severe, please reach out to your provider. Postpartum depression and anxiety are treatable.

Warning Signs to Call Your Doctor

• Fever over 100.4°F
• Heavy bleeding (soaking more than one pad per hour)
• Severe headache that doesn't improve
• Thoughts of harming yourself or your baby
• Chest pain or difficulty breathing
• Calf pain or swelling
• Foul-smelling discharge

You've Got This

The first eight weeks are a marathon, not a sprint. There will be moments of pure magic and moments where you wonder what you've gotten yourself into. Both are normal.

Trust yourself. Trust your baby. And remember that every hard phase is also a temporary phase. You're exactly the parent your baby needs.