What to Expect With Your Newborn Baby: A Whole New World

Welcoming a newborn into your family is an incredible experience filled with joy, wonder and, let’s be honest, a fair amount of uncertainty. The first few weeks with your new baby can feel like navigating uncharted territory, especially for first-time parents. This guide aims to provide you with practical information about what to expect during those initial weeks, with particular attention to feeding schedules and other essential aspects of newborn care.

The First Days: Adjusting to Life Outside the Womb

Physical Appearance

When you first meet your baby, you might be surprised by their appearance. Newborns often have slightly misshapen heads from the birth process, especially if they were delivered vaginally. Try not to worry about this as it is completely normal and will usually resolve itself within a week or two.

Your newborn baby’s skin might appear blotchy, dry or peeling. They may have a fine layer of hair called lanugo on their shoulders, back, and ears. Their hands and feet might look slightly blue until their circulation improves. These characteristics are all typical and temporary.

Sleep Patterns

In the first few days, your newborn baby will likely sleep for 16-20 hours per day, but in short bursts of 2-4 hours at a time. This irregular pattern occurs because newborns haven’t developed their circadian rhythm yet. They don’t distinguish between day and night, which means sleep can happen at any time, and wakefulness too – including during those early morning hours when you’d rather be sleeping!

It’s worth noting that newborns often sleep more during the day than at night initially. This can be challenging, but rest assured that their sleep patterns will gradually become more organised over the first few months.

Crying

Crying is your baby’s primary means of communication. In the first weeks, you’ll begin to recognise different cries for different needs, such as hunger, discomfort, tiredness or simply wanting to be held.

Some babies cry more than others and many have a fussy period during the day, commonly in the late afternoon or evening. This is often called the “witching hour” and can last for several hours. Holding, gentle rocking, swaying or soft white noise can help soothe your baby during these times.

Feeding Your Newborn

Whether you choose to breastfeed, formula feed or use a combination of both, feeding will occupy a significant portion of your day with a newborn. Here’s an idea of what to expect with each method.

Breastfeeding Schedule

Breastfed newborns generally need to feed more frequently than formula-fed babies because breast milk is digested more quickly. Here’s what a typical breastfeeding schedule might look like:

• Frequency: 8-12 feedings per 24 hours
• Timing: Every 2-3 hours, with some cluster feeding periods
• Duration: 10-30 minutes per feeding session (often shorter as babies become more efficient)

It’s important to feed your baby on demand rather than by a strict clock schedule, especially in the early weeks. Look for hunger cues such as:

• Rooting (turning head and opening mouth when you touch their cheek)
• Putting hands to mouth
• Lip smacking or making sucking motions
• Increasing alertness or restlessness
• Fussiness

Early hunger cues are the best time to begin a feed. Crying is actually a late sign of hunger, and a crying baby may need to be calmed before they can effectively latch.

Formula Feeding Schedule

Formula takes longer to digest than breast milk, so formula-fed babies typically eat less frequently:

• Frequency: 6-8 feedings per 24 hours
• Timing: Every 3-4 hours
• Amount: Starting with 45-60 ml per feeding in the first week, gradually increasing to 60-90 ml in weeks 2-4

As with breastfeeding, responding to your baby’s hunger cues rather than rigidly following a schedule is important. Your baby’s appetite may vary day to day, and they’ll naturally increase their intake as they grow.

Combination Feeding

Some parents choose to both breastfeed and formula feed, which is perfectly valid. In this case, your feeding schedule might be somewhere between the two patterns described above.

If you’re expressing breast milk, your newborn baby might have a similar schedule to formula-fed babies when taking expressed milk from a bottle.

Signs Your Baby is Getting Enough to Eat

Regardless of feeding method, here are indicators that your baby is receiving adequate nutrition:

• 5-6+ wet nappies per day after day 5
• 2+ soft, yellow stools per day (breastfed babies) or at least 1 stool every 1-2 days (formula-fed babies)
• Steady weight gain after the first week (most babies lose up to 10% of birth weight initially, then begin gaining)
• Seeming satisfied after feeds
• Alert periods between feedings

If you’re concerned about your baby’s feeding or weight gain, don’t hesitate to contact your health visitor or GP. And remember that there is no hard and fast newborn feeding schedule as every baby is different and what works for your baby one day may well not work the next. Do your best to go with the flow and remain flexible as you and your newborn adjust to life together.

Nappy Changes

Prepare for frequent nappy changes in the newborn period – anywhere from 8-12 per day is normal. Here’s what to expect:

Urine Output

Your newborn baby’s first wee might contain urates – a pinkish or orange-coloured substance that can look alarming but is completely normal. After the first few days, expect 5-6 wet nappies daily as a sign of good hydration.

Bowel Movements

Your baby’s first bowel movements will be meconium – a sticky, greenish-black substance that gradually transitions to more normal stools over the first week.

Breastfed babies typically have soft, mustard-yellow stools that can be quite loose and sometimes explosive. They may have a bowel movement after nearly every feed in the early weeks, though this often decreases with time.

Formula-fed babies usually have firmer, darker yellow or brown stools that occur less frequently, perhaps once daily or every other day.

Umbilical Cord Care

Until your baby’s umbilical stump falls off (typically within 1-3 weeks), you’ll need to keep the area clean and dry:

• Clean gently around the base with plain water if needed
• Allow the area to air-dry after baths
• Fold nappies down below the stump to prevent irritation
• Dress your baby in loose clothing that won’t rub against the area

Contact your health visitor or GP if you notice redness extending from the stump, foul-smelling discharge or bleeding.

Bathing Your Newborn

Until the umbilical cord stump falls off, stick to sponge baths every few days. Even after the stump falls off, bathing 2-3 times weekly is typically sufficient, as frequent bathing can dry out your newborn baby’s sensitive skin.

When bathing your newborn:

• Gather all supplies before starting
• Ensure the room is warm (around 24°C)
• Use plain water or very mild baby-specific cleanser
• Never leave your baby unattended, even for a second
• Keep baths brief (5-10 minutes) to prevent chilling

Many babies find bath time soothing once they get used to it, while others protest vigorously. Either reaction is normal.

Skin-to-Skin Contact

Skin-to-skin contact, where your baby is placed directly on your chest without clothing in between, offers numerous benefits:

• Helps regulate baby’s temperature, heart rate and breathing
• Promotes bonding and reduces stress for both parent and baby
• Supports successful breastfeeding
• May improve sleep patterns

Try to incorporate skin-to-skin time regularly, especially in the first weeks. It’s not just for mums – partners can benefit from this bonding experience too.

Baby’s Senses and Development

Newborns have surprisingly well-developed senses, though they continue to mature rapidly after birth:

Vision

Newborns can see best at distances of 20-30 centimetres – approximately the distance between your face and your baby’s when feeding. They prefer high-contrast patterns and human faces to other visual stimuli. Their vision is still developing so they may appear cross-eyed at times, which is normal in the first months.

Hearing

Your newborn baby can hear quite well at birth and will recognise familiar voices, particularly yours. They may startle at loud noises or become calm when hearing gentle, rhythmic sounds.

Touch

Touch is highly developed at birth. Your baby will respond to skin-to-skin contact, stroking and holding. Gentle massage can be soothing for many newborns.

Movement and Reflexes

Newborns display various reflexes, including:

• Rooting: turning toward a touch on the cheek, searching for food
• Sucking: instinctively sucking when something touches the roof of their mouth
• Startle (Moro) reflex: throwing arms outward, then bringing them back in when startled
• Grasp reflex: curling fingers around anything placed in their palm

These primitive reflexes gradually fade over the first few months as voluntary movements develop.

Managing Your Wellbeing

The newborn period isn’t just about baby care – it’s crucial to attend to your own needs as well, such as:

Recovery from Birth

Whether you had a vaginal delivery or caesarean section, your body needs time to heal. Rest when possible, accept help with household tasks and be gentle with yourself about physical changes and limitations.

For vaginal births, soreness, discharge (lochia) and possibly perineal stitches require care. For caesarean births, incision care and avoiding lifting heavy objects are important. Either way, check with your midwife or health visitor about when to resume various activities.

Sleep Deprivation

Perhaps the most challenging aspect of newborn care is the sleep disruption. While you can’t avoid it entirely, these strategies may help:

• Sleep when your baby sleeps when possible
• Share night duties with a partner if possible
• Accept offers of help so you can rest
• Keep night feedings and changes low-key (minimal light, quiet voices)
• Consider side-lying feeding positions that allow you to rest

Remember that this intense period is temporary, though it certainly doesn’t feel that way when you’re in the midst of it.

Emotional Adjustments

Having a newborn brings significant emotional changes. Many new parents experience:

• Overwhelming love and protectiveness
• Anxiety about baby’s wellbeing
• Moments of frustration or feeling overwhelmed
• Identity shifts as they navigate their new role

It’s normal to have mixed emotions. About 80% of new mothers experience “baby blues” – temporary mood swings, tearfulness and feeling overwhelmed in the first two weeks after birth.

However, if low mood persists beyond two weeks or interferes with your ability to care for yourself or your baby, it could be postnatal depression, which affects about 1 in 10 new mothers. Speak with your GP or health visitor if you’re concerned.

When to Seek Medical Advice

While most newborn behaviours and characteristics are normal variations, contact your GP or health visitor promptly if your baby:

• Develops a fever (temperature above 38°C)
• Shows signs of dehydration (fewer wet nappies, sunken fontanelle, lethargy)
• Has difficulty breathing or unusual breathing patterns
• Becomes excessively yellow (jaundice) or the yellowing spreads to limbs
• Refuses multiple feedings
• Has persistent crying that’s unusual for your baby
• Develops a rash or for any other concerns

Trust your instincts – you know your baby best so if something seems wrong, get it checked out.

Establishing Routines

In the early weeks, rigid schedules are neither practical nor beneficial. However, you can begin establishing loose patterns:

• Create simple bedtime rituals (such as a quiet feed, gentle rocking and soft singing)
• Begin distinguishing between day and night (keep lights low and stimulation minimal during night feedings)
• Look for patterns in your baby’s natural rhythms

Many experts suggest following the “EASY” routine as a flexible framework:

• E: Eat (feed your baby)
• A: Activity (brief awake time for interaction)
• S: Sleep (help baby sleep)
• Y: You (take time for yourself while baby sleeps)

Remember that this is a guideline, not a strict schedule, and should adapt to your baby’s needs.

Building Your Support Network

The saying “it takes a village to raise a child” holds considerable truth. Consider these sources of support:

• Health visitors and midwives for professional guidance
• Family members and friends for practical help
• Parent and baby groups to connect with others in the same stage
• Online communities for 24/7 support and information

Don’t hesitate to ask for specific help when needed, whether it’s bringing a meal, holding the baby while you shower or assisting with household tasks.

Your Newborn Baby: A Whole New Experience

The newborn period, with its intensity and adjustments, passes remarkably quickly. Despite the challenges, try to savour the special moments – the way your baby’s tiny hand curls around your finger, their peaceful expression while sleeping and those first responsive smiles (even if they’re “just gas” in the beginning).

Remember that there is no single “right way” to care for a newborn. Don’t panic or allow yourself to feel inadequate if a technique that works for others does not suit you or your baby. Trust your instincts, seek help when needed and know that with each passing day both you and your baby are learning and growing together.

The sleepless nights and endless feeding sessions won’t last forever, though they certainly feel eternal in the moment. Soon enough, you’ll look back on this fleeting, precious time with your tiny newborn and wonder where it went.