The first weeks with your baby
Newborn Basics
A calm, practical primer on caring for a newborn in the first weeks — feeding cues, safe sleep, nappies and cord care, soothing, jaundice awareness, and the signs that mean call your doctor.
- A local parent
After all the focus on birth, a tiny new person arrives and suddenly you are responsible for keeping them fed, safe and soothed — usually on no sleep. As a postpartum doula, so much of my work is simply reassuring exhausted parents that they are doing better than they think. This is a calm, practical primer on the basics of the first weeks.
It is general information, not medical advice for your particular baby — your doctor, midwife or public-health nurse knows you both, so lean on them, and trust your instincts. Newborn care is learned by doing, and you will find your rhythm.
Feeding: little and often
Newborns have tiny stomachs and feed frequently — usually eight to twelve times a day, around the clock, without a neat schedule. This is normal and is exactly how feeding establishes itself, whether you are breastfeeding, formula feeding or combining the two. Watch for early hunger cues — rooting, hands to the mouth, stirring and mouthing — rather than waiting for crying, which is a late sign.
How do you know they are getting enough? Watch the baby: plenty of wet and dirty nappies, steady weight gain after the normal early dip, and a baby who feeds actively and settles. If nappies are few or weight gain is poor, check in with your provider. For breastfeeding in depth, see our breastfeeding and milk-supply guide.
Safe sleep: the ABCs
This is the most important safety message of the newborn weeks. Remember A-B-C:
- Alone — your baby sleeps in their own crib or bassinet (ideally in your room for the first months), not in an adult bed, sofa or armchair, and not with pillows, bumpers, loose blankets or soft toys.
- Back — always place your baby on their back for every sleep.
- Clear — a firm, flat surface with a clear sleep space; keep the room a comfortable temperature and avoid overheating.
Following safe sleep substantially reduces the risk of sudden infant death (SIDS). The Canadian Paediatric Society and Health Canada have clear, trustworthy guidance worth reading once in full.
Nappies and cord care
Expect a lot of nappies. The first dark, sticky meconium gives way to softer, more frequent stools, and wet nappies are one of your best signs of good feeding. For the umbilical cord stump, keep it clean and dry, fold the nappy below it, and let it fall off on its own within one to three weeks. Watch for redness, swelling, smell or pus, which can signal infection.
Soothing a crying baby
Crying is a newborn’s main way of communicating, not a sign you are failing. Work through the usual needs — hunger, a dirty nappy, too hot or cold, needing to burp, or simply wanting to be held. Many babies settle with the comforts that echo the womb: gentle holding and skin-to-skin, soft swaying, quiet shushing or white noise, and a calm, dim room. Some evening fussiness is normal in the early weeks. If you ever feel overwhelmed, it is okay to place your baby safely in their crib and step away for a few minutes to breathe — that is wise, not a failure.
Jaundice and other things to watch
Mild jaundice — a yellow tinge to skin and eyes — is common in the first days and often resolves on its own, but it needs watching, because more significant jaundice needs treatment. Have it checked if it appears in the first 24 hours, deepens or spreads to the limbs, or if your baby is very sleepy or feeding poorly.
When to call for help
Trust your instincts and seek advice promptly for:
- A fever — in a baby under three months, a rectal temperature of 38°C (100.4°F) or higher is urgent; go to emergency
- Poor feeding, or far fewer wet nappies than usual
- Unusual sleepiness, floppiness, or being hard to rouse
- Difficulty breathing, or fast and laboured breathing
- Persistent vomiting, or deepening jaundice
- Simply a baby who seems very unwell to you
In BC you can call 8-1-1 any time to reach a nurse, and use 9-1-1 or emergency for anything severe. You are never overreacting by checking on a newborn.
Caring for the baby means caring for you
A newborn needs a parent who is fed and rested enough to care for them. In these blurred early weeks, letting other people handle the cooking and the household is not indulgence — it is part of caring for your baby. That is exactly where the confinement tradition, and meal delivery, fit: warm, nourishing meals arriving so you can pour your energy into your baby and your own recovery. To care for yourself alongside your newborn, see postpartum recovery and postpartum mental health.
In this guide
Newborn Jaundice — What's Normal and When to Worry
A doula's calm guide to newborn jaundice — why it's common, what's normal, the warning signs that need prompt care, how feeding helps, and how it's treated.
Safe Sleep for Your Newborn — The ABCs
A doula's guide to safe infant sleep — the ABCs (Alone, Back, Clear crib), bed-sharing, blankets, dressing, and handling family expectations, to reduce SIDS risk.
Soothing a Crying Newborn — Colic and Comfort
A doula's calm guide to soothing a crying newborn — the basics to check, womb-like comforts, what colic is, warning signs, and what to do when you feel overwhelmed.
Frequently asked questions
How often does a newborn feed, and how do I know they are getting enough?
Newborns feed often — roughly eight to twelve times in twenty-four hours, including overnight, and not on a tidy schedule. Reassuring signs that they are getting enough are plenty of wet and dirty nappies (around six or more wet a day once feeding is established), steady weight gain after the normal early dip, and a baby who feeds actively and settles. Feed on your baby's cues — rooting, hands to mouth, stirring — rather than waiting for crying. If nappies are few or weight gain is poor, see your provider promptly.
What is safe sleep for a newborn?
Follow the ABCs — Alone, on their Back, in a Clear crib. Place your baby on their back for every sleep, on a firm flat surface with no pillows, bumpers, loose blankets or soft toys, in their own crib or bassinet ideally in your room for the early months. Keep the room a comfortable temperature and avoid overheating. These steps substantially reduce the risk of sudden infant death (SIDS). See the Canadian Paediatric Society's safe-sleep guidance for the full picture.
How do I care for the umbilical cord stump?
Keep it clean and dry, and let it heal in the open air; fold the nappy down below it so it is not covered. It will typically dry, darken and fall off on its own within one to three weeks. Contact your provider if the skin around it becomes red, swollen, smelly or oozes pus, or if there is bleeding beyond a tiny spot — these can signal infection.
My baby looks a little yellow — should I worry about jaundice?
Mild newborn jaundice (a yellow tinge to the skin and eyes) is common in the first days as a baby's liver matures, and often resolves on its own. But it does need watching, because more significant jaundice needs treatment. Have it checked if the yellow appears in the first 24 hours, deepens or spreads to the arms and legs, or if your baby is very sleepy, feeding poorly or hard to rouse. When unsure, call your provider or 8-1-1 — jaundice is easily assessed.
When should I call a doctor about my newborn?
Trust your instincts and seek advice promptly for a fever (a rectal temperature of 38°C/100.4°F or higher in a baby under three months is urgent — go to emergency), poor feeding or far fewer wet nappies, unusual sleepiness or floppiness, difficulty breathing or fast/laboured breathing, persistent vomiting, deepening jaundice, or simply a baby who seems very unwell to you. In BC you can call 8-1-1 any time, and use 9-1-1 or emergency for anything severe. You are not overreacting by checking.