23 topics

Baby Basics

The newborn things that land on the mother: sleep, diapers, jaundice, crying, fevers.

• Newborn sleep and safe sleepNewborns sleep in short stretches around the clock. Safe sleep means on the back, on a firm flat surface, in their own space, in your room.
• Days and nights mixed upDay-night confusion is when a newborn sleeps all day and is awake all night. It is normal in the first weeks and sorts itself out.
• Newborn jaundiceJaundice is yellow skin from bilirubin, and most newborns get some. It peaks around day three to five and usually clears on its own.
• Umbilical cord careThe cord stump dries, darkens, and falls off in one to three weeks. Keep it dry and clean. Redness spreading on the belly is a call.
• Circumcision care (if you chose it)A circumcision is healed in about 7 to 10 days. Expect redness and yellow crust. Bleeding bigger than a quarter or no pee in 8 hours is a call.
• Diaper counts and what newborn poop looks likeIn the first week, wet diapers go up one a day until day five, then six or more a day. Poop turns from black to green to mustard yellow.
• Newborn weight: the early drop and regainingNewborns lose up to 7 to 10 percent of birth weight in the first days, then regain it by about two weeks. After that, steady gain is the goal.
• Crying, colic, and the witching hourCrying peaks around six to eight weeks and often clusters in the evening. Colic is a lot of crying in a healthy baby. It passes, and you need breaks.
• Soothing a newbornNewborns settle with the things the womb did: tight, moving, noisy, sucking. The 5 S's are one way to remember them. Some days nothing works.
• Swaddling: how and when to stopSwaddling calms many newborns and is safe when the hips are loose and the baby is on her back. Stop at the first sign of rolling.
• Bathing a newbornNewborns need a bath two or three times a week, not every day. Sponge baths until the cord falls off, then a few inches of warm water.
• Tummy timeTummy time is awake time on the belly, from the first week home. A few minutes, a few times a day, builds neck strength and lowers flat spots.
• Fever in a newborn is an emergencyA rectal temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher in a baby under 3 months means go to the emergency room now. Do not wait to see.
• Baby acne, cradle cap, and rashesBaby acne, cradle cap, and heat rash clear on their own. Diaper rash and eczema need some care. A rash with fever is a call.
• Hiccups, sneezes, grunting, and other normal weird thingsHiccups, sneezes, grunts, startles, and odd breathing are normal newborn things. The ones that are not: pauses over 20 seconds, blue lips, or ribs pulling in.
• Vaccines: the baby's schedule and who around the babyTdap, flu, and RSV shots in pregnancy protect the baby before her own shots start at two months. Everyone around her should be up to date too.
• Pediatrician visits in the first weeksThe first visit is three to five days after birth, then two weeks, one month, and two months. Bring your diaper tally and your questions.
• Car seat safety day to dayStraps snug with the pinch test, chest clip at the armpits, no puffy coats, and out of the seat after about two hours. Rear-facing until at least two.
• Fussy weeks and developmental changesFussy weeks are real and often land with growth spurts and new skills. The exact calendar in leap apps is not proven. The four-month sleep change is.
• BabywearingBabywearing frees your hands and often calms the baby. Keep her tight, in view, close enough to kiss, chin off chest, back supported.
• PacifiersA pacifier at sleep is linked to lower SIDS risk. If you breastfeed, many groups suggest waiting until it is going well, around three to four weeks.
• When to call the pediatrician (and when to go in)Fever under three months, trouble breathing, blue color, or a baby who will not wake: go in now. Most other worries are a same-day call. Nobody minds the call.
• Newborn breathing, congestion, and the noseNewborns breathe fast, pause, and sound stuffy because their noses are tiny. Saline and a snot sucker help. Working to breathe is a go-in-now.