👶 Newborn Care Basics: The First 6 Weeks, Made Simple
📝 Last reviewed: August 2026
Feeding: breastfed newborns feed 8-12 times a day (on demand — every 2-3 hours). Formula-fed: every 3-4 hours. Wet nappies are the best gauge: 6+ per day after day 4 = well hydrated.
Sleep: newborns sleep 14-17 hours but never long stretches — 2-4 hours max at a time. Always put baby on the BACK, on a firm flat mattress, in their own cot in your room, with nothing loose (no pillows, blankets, toys) for the first 6 months — this is the SIDS-safe rule.
Bathing: 2-3 times a week is enough (skin is delicate). Sponge baths until the cord stump falls off (1-2 weeks). Keep the cord dry — fold the nappy below it.
Crying: it peaks around 6 weeks and is usually hunger, a wet nappy, tiredness or the need for closeness. The 5 S's (swaddle, side position, shush, swing, suck) calm most babies. If crying is unmanageable, put baby down safely and step away for 5 minutes — never shake a baby, ever.
Feeding milestones: weight gain 150-200g/week in the first months; first smile ~6 weeks; eye contact from day one.
Red flags — call your doctor/paediatrician: fever (any temperature ≥38°C in the first 3 months is urgent), jaundice spreading to arms/legs, poor feeding (fewer than 4 wet nappies), lethargy (hard to wake), breathing fast or grunting, or a cord with redness/pus.
Parent survival: sleep when baby sleeps, accept help, and know that "the 4th trimester" is intense for everyone — this passes.
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