The newborn's first week: a calm parent's guide

The first week at home with a newborn is equal parts wonder and worry. You will be tired, your baby will eat and sleep on a clock no one else can read, and almost every parent — even the second- and third-time ones — wonders, “Is this normal?”

The honest answer is: most of it is. Here is what to expect, what to watch for, and when to call.

Feeding

Breastfed babies typically nurse 8–12 times in 24 hours. Look for at least 15–20 minutes of active sucking per session and 5–6 wet diapers a day by day five.

Formula-fed babies usually take 1.5–3 oz every 2–4 hours in the first week. Don’t force a schedule — feed when the baby cues (rooting, hand to mouth, fussing).

A few green flags:

• Baby wakes on their own to feed
• You hear or see swallowing
• Baby seems satisfied after feeding (not still rooting frantically)
• Steady weight gain after day 4–5 (we typically expect babies to be back to birth weight by 2 weeks)

Sleep

Newborns sleep 14–17 hours a day, in stretches of 2–4 hours. They do not yet know night from day — that’s a skill that develops over weeks.

Safe sleep, every time:

• On the back, on a firm flat surface (crib, bassinet, or pack ‘n play)
• Nothing in the sleep space: no blankets, pillows, bumpers, or stuffed animals
• Room sharing (same room, separate surface) is recommended for the first 6 months

Diapers

• Wet: 1 on day 1, ~6+ by day 5 onward
• Stool: Black tarry meconium for 1–2 days → transitions to mustard-yellow and seedy by day 4–5 for breastfed babies

A diaper count is the easiest at-home check that feeding is on track.

The cord, the circumcision, and the skin

• Umbilical cord: Keep it dry and exposed to air. It usually falls off in 1–3 weeks. A few drops of blood when it falls off is normal.
• Circumcision: Petroleum jelly on the gauze with each diaper change for the first 5–7 days.
• Peeling skin and tiny white bumps (milia) are normal and resolve on their own.

Call us — or 911 — for these

Some signs need same-day attention. Call the office (or our after-hours triage line) for:

• Rectal temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher in a baby under 8 weeks — this is always urgent
• Difficulty breathing, grunting, or a bluish color around the lips
• Fewer than 4 wet diapers in 24 hours by day 5
• Refusing to feed for more than a few hours
• Yellow color spreading down the chest, belly, or legs (jaundice)
• A floppy or unusually sleepy baby who is hard to wake for feeds

Call 911 for trouble breathing, persistent blue color, seizure-like movements, or unresponsiveness.

The most important thing

Trust your gut. You know your baby better than anyone — even at one week old. If something feels off, call us. There is no question too small in the first week.

We see newborns within the first 48–72 hours after hospital discharge, and again at 1–2 weeks. If your baby was born before Luma opens, we’d love to be your first well-baby visit.

This article is for general educational purposes and is not a substitute for advice from your child’s pediatrician.