New parents: How to take care of your newborn

Feeding your baby

Your baby will probably eat frequently during the first week of life. A newborn’s stomach is tiny, around the size of a grape at birth, so you’ll need to feed them on demand. The sucking motion while they breastfeed or drink from a bottle helps relax and comfort them too. Remember, feeding is a new skill for you and your baby, and it might take time and practice for both of you to get it right.  

If you're breastfeeding, the thick breast milk that comes in during the first few days is called colostrum. Colostrum is rich in nutrients and has a viscous, thick consistency. Once your breast milk comes (usually 3 to 5 days after birth), it will have a thinner consistency and be closer to white.

You may notice your newborn motioning with their heads. This reflex is called rooting and kicks in when the corner of their mouth is touched or stimulated, causing your baby to search for a breast or bottle nipple. Rooting is also a sign that your baby is hungry.

Breastfeeding

Newborns must eat every 1.5 to 2 hours during a 24-hour period, which totals 10 to 12 feeds per day. As they grow, this changes to every 2 to 4 hours, with 8 to 10 nursing sessions each day, eventually transitioning to 4 to 6 sessions. Some babies can handle larger milk volumes less often, while others need smaller amounts more frequently. Newborns (birth to 1 month) should be fed on demand and typically don’t need to follow strict feeding schedules.

It’s impossible to measure exactly how much milk your baby gets during breastfeeding. If your pediatrician is concerned, they might weigh your baby before and after a nursing session or check how many ounces your baby drinks from a bottle of pumped breast milk. Generally, newborns will drink 1 to 2 ounces per feed. Over time, they’ll gradually increase to 2 to 4 ounces and then 4 to 6 ounces per feeding.

Bottle feeding with infant formula

Formula-fed babies should eat just as frequently as breastfed babies, and there are several types of formula available. Here are the options:

1. Standard formulas: These include intact proteins from cow’s milk or soy. The carbohydrate source can vary and includes lactose, brown rice syrup, or corn syrup.
2. Semi-elemental or partially hydrolyzed formulas: Proteins in these formulas are partially broken down for better tolerance and digestion. Dietary fats may also be modified for increased tolerance. Babies with poor reactions to standard formulas, such as feeding struggles, intolerances, diarrhea, blood in stools, vomiting, and poor weight gain, may benefit from partially hydrolyzed formulas.
3. Elemental or hypoallergenic formulas: These formulas have proteins that are completely broken down. These are specifically designed for babies with food intolerances or sensitivities who cannot tolerate other formulas.

If you have questions about breastfeeding or bottle-feeding, the Summer Health lactation experts can provide personalized guidance and support.

Driving with your newborn

When leaving the hospital, you must have a car seat installed correctly for the trip home to ensure your baby is safe, secure, and comfortable. The car seat must be rear-facing and installed correctly, and your baby should be dressed in minimal layers like a lightweight, snug onesie or bodysuit.

If possible, install the car seat a few weeks before your due date. The instructions can be confusing, and you’ll avoid the stress of scrambling with the product manual during discharge.  

If you need a blanket for the car ride home, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends placing the blanket over the car safety seat straps. Secure the blanket underneath your baby, as loose blankets can cause suffocation.

Safe baby sleep

Follow safe sleep practices with your baby. Practically, your newborn should sleep alone on a firm, flat mattress that fits snugly inside the crib or bassinet with no gaps between the mattress and the frame. Use only a fitted sheet on the mattress; no flat sheets or loose blankets.

Your baby’s sleep space should be free of any blankets, pillows, bedding, bumper pads, stuffed animals, or toys. Avoid attaching toys or pacifiers to the crib slats, as they can pose a suffocation or strangulation risk.

Instead of a blanket, wrap your baby in a swaddle or use a sleep sack and put them down to sleep on their back. Loose blankets are dangerous as they can increase the risk of suffocation and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), as does placing them on their belly or sides.

Never bed share. Your baby should always go to sleep in their crib or bassinet. Multiples should each have their own sleeping space. Even though you should avoid bedsharing, the AAP suggests sharing a room with your baby, ideally for the first six months, because it reduces the risk of SIDS. Placing your baby's crib or bassinet near your bed makes watching and hearing your baby during the night easier and makes middle-of-the-night feeds more manageable.

Bathing and diapering your newborn

The umbilical cord stump shouldn’t be fully submerged in water, so give your newborn a sponge bath until the stump falls off, usually around the two-week mark.

When it’s time to change your baby’s diaper, you may notice a black, sticky substance. This is called meconium, and it’s the poop your baby had in their intestines while in utero. After a few days and once your baby starts eating, their poop will become soft, seedy, or pasty and will turn various shades of yellow and brown.

During the first few days, your baby may only have a few wet diapers, depending on whether they are breastfed or formula-fed. Between the third and fifth day, your baby should have about six to eight wet diapers every 24 hours.

Newborn crying

Newborns cry a lot, and while it can be tough to hear, crying is how they communicate. When your baby is crying, they might be telling you they’re:

• Hungry
• Tired
• Uncomfortable
• In pain

Tips for soothing a crying baby

• Swaddling your newborns will make them feel comfortable and remind them of their time spent in the womb.
• Shushing sounds are a form of white noise that  are soothing to babies and help them fall asleep.
• Gently swinging your baby from side to side or rocking them back and forth can be relaxing and can soothe them to sleep.
• Babies have a sucking reflex and find sucking motions soothing. Whether they're nursing, drinking from a bottle, using a pacifier, or sucking on their fingers, this reflex helps them feel calm.

If you have questions about caring for your newborn, consult your local or Summer Health pediatrician.