Newborn Care First Month: 7 Essential Tips for New Parents

What to Expect From Your Newborn

A full-term newborn typically weighs between 2.5 and 4 kilograms. In the first week it is normal for babies to lose up to 7 to 10 percent of their birth weight and regain it by about two weeks. Newborns sleep for 14 to 17 hours a day in short stretches, feed frequently, and have irregular breathing patterns, occasional sneezing, hiccups and startle reflexes. They see best at a distance of about 20 to 30 centimetres, which is the distance to your face during feeding, and they prefer high-contrast patterns and human faces.

Feeding Your Baby

Breastfeeding

• Exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months is recommended by the World Health Organization and by Indian health authorities. Breast milk provides the ideal nutrition, antibodies and protection against infections.
• Start early. Put the baby to the breast within the first hour of birth if possible. The thick yellowish first milk, colostrum, is rich in antibodies.
• Feed on demand. Newborns usually feed 8 to 12 times in 24 hours, or about every two to three hours, including at night. Signs of hunger include rooting, sucking on hands, lip smacking and stirring. Crying is a late sign.
• Ensure a good latch. The baby's mouth should cover most of the areola, with lips flanged out and chin touching the breast. Feeding should not be painful beyond early tenderness.
• Check that the baby is getting enough. After the first week, a baby should have at least six wet diapers a day, regular soft yellow stools, steady weight gain and be alert between feeds.
• Look after yourself. Eat well, drink fluids, rest when you can and ask for help early from a doctor or lactation counsellor if you have pain, cracked nipples, engorgement or concerns about supply.
• Do not give water, honey, jaggery water or other fluids. Breast milk contains all that a baby needs, and other fluids increase infection risk.

Formula Feeding

If breastfeeding is not possible or you choose to supplement under medical advice, use a suitable infant formula, prepare it exactly as instructed with safe, boiled and cooled water, and discard leftovers. Sterilise bottles and teats. Hold the baby close during feeds, as for breastfeeding.

Sleep

• Always place the baby on the back to sleep, on a firm, flat mattress with a fitted sheet.
• Keep the cot free from pillows, loose blankets, soft toys and bumpers.
• Share a room, but not a bed, with the baby for the first six months if possible, since this lowers the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
• Avoid overheating: dress the baby in about one more layer than you are comfortable in.
• Never sleep with the baby on a sofa or armchair, and avoid sleeping with the baby in your bed if you smoke, have taken sedatives or alcohol, or are extremely tired.
• Expect frequent waking; it is normal. Day and night confusion improves by the second month.
• Offer tummy time while the baby is awake and supervised, starting with a few minutes a day, to strengthen neck and shoulder muscles.

Bathing and Skin Care

• Umbilical cord: keep the stump clean and dry. Fold diapers below it and let it fall off naturally in one to three weeks. Avoid applying powders, oils or home remedies. Call the doctor if there is redness around the base, pus, foul smell or bleeding.
• Bathing: sponge baths are fine until the cord falls off. Afterwards, bathe the baby two to three times a week in lukewarm water for a few minutes, with a mild baby cleanser if needed. Keep the room warm and dry the baby thoroughly, especially skin folds.
• Massage: gentle massage with a light oil, such as coconut or a baby oil your paediatrician approves, can soothe the baby. Avoid massage over the umbilical stump, and avoid mustard oil, which can irritate sensitive skin.
• Diaper care: change diapers frequently, clean the area gently with water or fragrance-free wipes and allow the skin to air-dry. Use a barrier cream for redness.
• Common skin findings: newborn rashes, milia (tiny white spots on the nose), baby acne and peeling skin are usually harmless. Cradle cap (greasy scales on the scalp) can be loosened with gentle oil and washing.
• Nails: trim with baby nail clippers or file while the baby is asleep.
• Eyes and ears: wipe the eyes from the inner to the outer corner with clean cotton and boiled cooled water. Do not insert anything, including cotton buds, into the ears or nose.

Jaundice

Mild yellowing of the skin and eyes appears in many newborns around day 2 to 4 and usually settles within two weeks. Frequent feeding helps. Seek medical advice if yellowing appears in the first 24 hours, spreads to the hands and feet, lasts longer than two weeks, or if the baby is sleepy, feeds poorly, or has pale stools and dark urine.

Hygiene and Infection Prevention

• Wash hands before touching the baby and after diaper changes.
• Limit visitors in the first weeks, and ask anyone who is unwell to stay away.
• Avoid kissing the baby on the face and passing the baby among many people.
• Keep the baby away from smoke, dust and crowded places.
• Keep household surfaces clean and use clean clothes and bedding.
• Ensure everyone caring for the baby is up to date on vaccinations, including whooping cough and flu, if recommended.

Immunisation and Screening

• At birth: BCG, oral polio and hepatitis B vaccines are given before discharge, as per the national schedule.
• Newborn screening: hearing screening, pulse oximetry for heart defects and metabolic or thyroid screening where available.
• First check-up: see the paediatrician within the first week after discharge and again at around four weeks for weight, feeding and development.
• Follow the schedule given by your paediatrician for later vaccines, usually at 6, 10 and 14 weeks and beyond.

Normal Things That Worry New Parents

• Irregular breathing, with brief pauses of a few seconds followed by faster breaths, is normal in newborns if the colour is good.
• Hiccups, sneezing and noises while sleeping are usually normal.
• Spitting up small amounts after feeds is common. Burp the baby halfway and after feeds, and keep upright for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Crying for several hours a day, often peaking around six weeks, is typical. Check for hunger, diaper, temperature and gas. Swaddling, gentle rocking, skin-to-skin and soothing sounds help. Never shake a baby.
• Stools: the first stool is black and sticky (meconium), then changes to green and then yellow. Breastfed babies may pass stool after every feed or only once in several days, as long as it is soft.
• Swollen breasts or vaginal discharge in newborns due to maternal hormones usually resolves without treatment.

Caring for the New Mother

• Rest and nutrition: eat balanced meals with protein, fruits, vegetables and fluids. Sleep when the baby sleeps when possible.
• Physical recovery: watch for heavy bleeding, fever, severe pain, foul-smelling discharge or wound problems after a caesarean, and call your doctor.
• Emotional health: mood swings and tearfulness in the first two weeks (baby blues) are common. If sadness, anxiety or hopelessness persist beyond two weeks or you have thoughts of harming yourself or the baby, seek help immediately.
• Share the load: partners and family can handle diaper changes, meals, household tasks and settling the baby.
• Postnatal check-up: attend your visit, usually around six weeks, and discuss contraception and exercise.

Care at Trustmed Hospital

At Trustmed Hospital in Badshahpur, Gurugram, our paediatrics and gynaecology teams support families with newborn check-ups, vaccination, breastfeeding guidance, jaundice assessment and postnatal care, with a NICU available if a baby needs intensive support. Book an appointment for a newborn check-up.

Frequently Asked Questions