How to Take Care of a Newborn: A Pediatrician's Guide for the First Weeks

How Do You Take Care of a Newborn in the First Few Weeks?

The first weeks are about a small list of basics: feed, sleep, diaper, soothe, and know when to call. Newborns eat around the clock, sleep in short stretches, fill many diapers, and cry to communicate. None of that means something is wrong.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends a first checkup within the first week of life. Babies discharged before 48 hours should be seen within about 2 days. That early visit is the place to ask the questions piling up at home.

A first-hand note from telehealth: the most common worry in our newborn visits is whether a sleepy baby is eating enough. We coach families to count wet diapers and watch how the baby acts, not the clock. That one switch calms most first-week anxiety.

How Often Should You Feed a Newborn?

Newborns feed on demand, not on a fixed clock. Breastfed babies eat at least 8 to 12 times in 24 hours, and formula-fed babies eat about every 2 to 3 hours, with at least 8 feedings a day.

Watch for hunger cues: rooting (turning the head toward your hand), sucking on fingers, smacking lips, or stirring and getting fussy. Crying is a late cue. Offer the breast or bottle when you see the early signs. Never prop a bottle.

Breastfeeding vs. Formula Feeding Cues

Both follow the same rule: feed on demand, watch the baby, not the clock.

• Breastfeeding: At least 8 to 12 feedings every 24 hours, roughly every 2 hours. A feed often lasts 10 to 30 minutes.
• Formula feeding: About every 2 to 3 hours, at least 8 feedings a day. Most newborns start with 1 to 2 ounces per feed.
• Burping: Burp at natural pauses, not after a set number of ounces.
• Spit-up: Small spit-ups are normal. Forceful, projectile vomiting is not. See our guide to infant acid reflux.

If breastfeeding feels painful or your baby seems frustrated, ask for a latch check early. Small fixes in the first week protect supply and weight gain.

How to Know Your Baby Is Getting Enough (The Diaper-Count Signal)

The clearest enough-milk signal is wet diapers, steady weight gain, and a baby who is content after most feeds. Not the clock, not the amount in a bottle.

A newborn's stomach is small at first and grows fast. Our day-by-day stomach size guide shows why small frequent feeds are the norm. If wet diapers drop, your baby is very sleepy and hard to wake, or feeds feel weak, call your pediatrician.

How Much Do Newborns Sleep, and How Do You Keep Sleep Safe?

Newborns sleep a lot, but in short stretches around feeds. Safe sleep means on the back, on a firm flat surface, alone in a bare crib or bassinet, with the baby in the parents' room for at least the first 6 months.

This is the 2022 AAP safe-sleep policy (Moon et al., Pediatrics 2022). It is the single biggest thing you can do to lower the risk of sudden infant death (SIDS).

Safe Sleep: The ABCs (Alone, on Their Back, in a Crib)

The ABCs are an easy way to remember the safe-sleep rules:

• Alone: Nothing else in the sleep space. No bumpers, pillows, blankets, or toys. A pacifier at sleep time is allowed and can help.
• Back: Every nap, every night, all the way through the first year.
• Crib (or bassinet or play yard): Firm, flat, non-inclined surface with a fitted sheet. No wedges. No couch or armchair sleep. Room-share with your baby, for at least the first 6 months.

For deeper dives, see our newborn bedtime routine, can newborns sleep on their side, and baby sleeping on stomach guides. If your baby seems too warm, our how to tell if your newborn is too hot guide walks through the signs.

How Do You Change and Care for a Newborn's Diaper?

Change diapers often: any time the diaper is soiled, and at most feeds. Clean front to back with warm water and a soft cloth or fragrance-free wipes. Pat the skin dry, then apply a thin layer of zinc-oxide cream if you see redness.

Fold the diaper down below the umbilical cord stump until it falls off. That keeps the stump dry and lowers infection risk.

How Many Wet and Dirty Diapers per Day Is Normal?

Diaper counts ramp up over the first week as your milk comes in or feeds settle.

• First few days: 2 to 3 wet diapers a day is normal. Output is low because intake is small.
• After day 4 to 5: At least 5 to 6 wet diapers a day. This is the parent-facing enough-milk signal.
• Stool color: The first stools are meconium, a thick black or dark-green substance. By day 3 to 4, stools turn yellow-green, then yellow and seedy in breastfed babies, or tan and soft in formula-fed babies.
• Stool frequency: Varies a lot, and that is normal. By 3 to 6 weeks, some breastfed babies have as few as one bowel movement a week and are still healthy if stools are soft and the baby is feeding and gaining well. Formula-fed babies usually have at least one stool a day.

If diaper output drops, your baby seems dehydrated, or stools are bloody, hard, or chalky white, call your pediatrician. For diaper-area redness, our guide to types of diaper rash walks through what is normal and what needs care.

How Do You Care for the Umbilical Cord Stump?

Keep the umbilical cord stump clean and dry. No alcohol. Fold the diaper down below the stump, and give sponge baths until it falls off, usually in 1 to 3 weeks (most often around 10 to 14 days).

This is called "dry cord care," and it is what the AAP recommends. Routine alcohol or antiseptics are not needed. A few drops of blood on the diaper when the stump separates is normal.

A common cord question we hear on telehealth: is a little dried blood or crusting an infection? Usually no. The signs that point to a real problem are the ones above. For a fuller picture, see our newborn umbilical cord care guide.

How Often Should You Bathe a Newborn?

Newborns do not need a daily bath. About 3 baths a week in the first year is plenty. Give sponge baths only until the umbilical cord stump falls off, then you can move to a small tub.

Bathing more often can dry out a newborn's skin. Use a soft cloth and a small amount of fragrance-free baby soap. Wipe the face and folds (neck, armpits, groin) in between baths as needed.

For a step-by-step routine and tub vs. sponge bath timing, see our how often should you bathe a newborn guide.

How Do You Soothe a Crying or Fussy Newborn?

Soothe a crying newborn with calm, layered comfort: swaddling, holding and rocking, skin-to-skin contact, low shushing or white noise, gentle motion, a pacifier, or a short warm bath.

Crying is how newborns communicate. A typical baby has about 1 to 2 hours of unexplained crying a day, scattered across the day. Crying often peaks around 4 to 6 weeks and is mostly gone by 3 months. If you have tried calm soothing and your baby is still crying inconsolably after about 2 hours, call your pediatrician.

Helpful soothing steps pediatricians recommend:

• Swaddle: Wrap snug around the arms and chest, loose around the hips and legs so they can bend up and out. Always place a swaddled baby on their back. Stop swaddling at the first signs of rolling, often around 2 months. A swaddled baby who rolls to the stomach has a higher suffocation risk.
• Hold close, skin to skin: Your warmth and heartbeat calm most babies.
• Shush or use low white noise. Low steady sound near the ear mimics the womb.
• Gentle motion: rocking, a slow walk, or a stroller ride.
• Pacifier: Offer once breastfeeding is established. Pacifiers at sleep time also lower SIDS risk.
• Warm bath or massage: Short and supervised.

When Should You Call Your Pediatrician About a Newborn?

Call your pediatrician (or go to the ER) for any of the warning signs below. The fever rule is the most important one in this article.

Call right away or go in person:

• Fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher in a baby under 3 months (see above)
• Fast breathing (more than 60 breaths a minute), grunting, flaring nostrils, ribs pulling in (retractions), or blue color around the lips or face
• Forceful (projectile) vomiting, or vomit that is green, yellow, or bloody
• Refusing to feed, very sleepy and hard to wake, or a weak suck
• Far fewer wet diapers than expected (signs of dehydration)
• Jaundice (a yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes) that appears in the first 24 hours, spreads to the belly, arms, or legs, gets worse after the first few days, or comes with a baby who is hard to wake, feeding poorly, or very fussy. Jaundice can be harder to see in babies with darker skin. The AAP updated its hyperbilirubinemia guidance in 2022, and screening matters.
• Inconsolable crying for more than about 2 hours, or a parent's strong sense that "something is wrong"

For deeper dives, see newborn fever: when to worry and baby fever: when to worry.

A fever of 100.4°F or higher in a baby under 3 months is the one rule we want every new parent to know cold. It is not a wait-and-see. Call or come in.

Dr. Melissa Tribuzio, MD, Board-Certified Pediatrician

How Can Telehealth Help Anxious New Parents?

Telehealth gives new parents fast access to a pediatrician for the everyday "is this normal?" questions: feeding, sleep, a rash, a crusty cord, mild jaundice appearance, or a fussy feed. Used well, it can save a clinic trip and lower 2 a.m. worry.

Blueberry Pediatrics offers 24/7 pediatric access by message, phone, and video. We can review a feed, look at a cord or rash, walk through soothing, and tell you whether your baby needs to be seen in person and how fast.

A simple way to think about it:

• Telehealth is a great first step for: feeding and latch questions, normal-crying reassurance, sleep questions, visible concerns like a cord or rash, mild jaundice appearance, and helping you decide whether and how fast to go in.
• Go in person (or to the ER): an under-3-month fever, trouble breathing, a baby who looks seriously ill, projectile or bloody vomit, suspected dehydration, or worsening jaundice.

Frequently Asked Questions About Newborn Care

How do I take a newborn's temperature?

Take a rectal temperature for the most accurate reading in babies under 3 months. Use a digital thermometer with a small dab of petroleum jelly on the tip. Insert about half an inch, and hold steady until it beeps. A temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher in a baby under 3 months is an emergency. Call your pediatrician or go to the ER.

Is it safe to use a pacifier?

Yes. Pacifiers are safe and help with soothing. At sleep time, a pacifier also lowers SIDS risk. For breastfed babies, the AAP suggests waiting until breastfeeding is well established (usually 3 to 4 weeks) before offering one.

Can I take my newborn outside?

Short outings are usually fine, even in the first weeks. Keep your baby out of direct sun, away from crowds and sick people, and dressed for the weather.

When should my newborn have their first pediatric visit?

Within the first week after birth. If your baby was discharged from the hospital before 48 hours, the first visit should be within about 2 days.

My baby cries every evening for an hour. Is that normal?

A typical newborn has 1 to 2 hours of unexplained crying a day, often in late afternoon or evening. Crying peaks around 4 to 6 weeks and is mostly gone by 3 months. Inconsolable crying for more than about 2 hours is the reason to call your pediatrician.

Primary sources cited: American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org: Your Newborn's First Week, A Parent's Guide to Safe Sleep, How Often and How Much Should Your Baby Eat?, Baby's First Days: Bowel Movements & Urination, Umbilical Cord Care in Newborns, Bathing Your Baby, Swaddling: Is it Safe for Your Baby?, Crying Baby Before 3 Months Old, Jaundice in Newborns, Fever in Newborns and Fever: When to Call the Pediatrician); AAP 2022 Safe Sleep Policy (Moon et al., Pediatrics 2022); AAP 2022 Hyperbilirubinemia Clinical Practice Guideline (Kemper et al., Pediatrics 2022); AAP Evaluation and Management of Well-Appearing Febrile Infants 8 to 60 Days Old (Pantell et al., Pediatrics 2021); CDC Safe Sleep and SUID guidance; NIH / NICHD Safe to Sleep campaign.