How to Care for your Newborn – Your First 30 days

The first month with a newborn is a strange mix of adrenaline, love and exhaustion. Nobody quite tells you how disorientating it is to have a tiny person entirely dependent on you, day and night, with no manual and very little sleep. This guide walks you through what actually happens in those first 30 days, week by week, with practical detail you can use rather than vague reassurance. Every baby is different, so treat this as a general guide and always check anything specific to your baby with your midwife, health visitor or GP.

What to Expect in the First Few Days

Before getting into weekly milestones, it helps to know what’s normal in the early days so you’re not alarmed by things that are actually completely typical.

Newborns often lose a bit of weight in the first few days, sometimes up to around 10% of their birth weight, and most regain it by around two weeks old. Your midwife or health visitor will weigh your baby at set points and tell you if there’s any concern, so don’t panic if the scales dip slightly at first.

Mild jaundice (a yellowish tinge to the skin and whites of the eyes) is common in the first week and usually clears on its own. If it appears within the first 24 hours of life, spreads to the arms and legs, or your baby seems very sleepy and hard to wake for feeds, get this checked promptly rather than waiting.

The umbilical cord stump will dry out and drop off on its own, usually within 5 to 15 days. Keep it clean and dry, fold nappies down below it, and let it fall off naturally rather than pulling it. Contact your midwife or GP if the area around it looks red, swollen, smells unpleasant or oozes.

Week 1: Feeding, Fumbling and Finding Your Feet

The first week is largely about feeding, because that’s what your baby needs from you almost constantly. Newborns typically feed 8 to 12 times in 24 hours, whether breast or bottle, and their stomachs are tiny, so small frequent feeds are completely normal, not a sign you’re doing anything wrong.

If you’re breastfeeding, expect a learning curve. Sore nipples in the first few days can happen even with a good latch, but pain that continues throughout a feed, or cracked and bleeding nipples, usually means the latch needs adjusting. Ask for help early. Most hospitals have midwives or lactation consultants on the postnatal ward, and many areas have breastfeeding drop-in clinics or peer support groups you can attend even a few days after birth. Don’t wait until you’re in agony to ask.

If you’re formula feeding, get comfortable with paced feeding (holding the bottle horizontally so your baby controls the flow) and always follow the instructions on the packaging exactly when making up feeds, using freshly boiled water cooled to no less than 70°C, as this kills any bacteria in the powder.

A rough guide to knowing your baby is feeding well: at least 6 heavy wet nappies a day once feeding is established (usually by day 5 or 6), and regular soft, mustard-coloured stools if breastfed, or slightly firmer and darker if formula fed. If you’re worried about intake, weight gain or nappy output, speak to your health visitor rather than guessing.

Week 2: Sleep, Survival and Sharing the Load

By week two the novelty hasn’t worn off, but the tiredness has properly set in. Newborns sleep a lot in total, often 14 to 17 hours across 24 hours, but rarely for more than 2 to 4 hours at a stretch, because they need to feed so often. This is normal newborn behaviour, not a sleep problem to be fixed.

For safer sleep, current guidance recommends your baby sleeps on their back, in their own clean, flat sleep space (a cot or Moses basket) in the same room as you for at least the first 6 months, with no loose bedding, pillows, cot bumpers or soft toys in with them. Keep the room at a comfortable temperature rather than overly warm. If anything about your baby’s sleep setup worries you, your health visitor can talk you through it.

This is also the week to properly bring your partner into the routine, if you have one at home. Nappy changes, winding, settling the baby between feeds and doing a bottle feed (if applicable) are all things a partner can take on from day one. It’s not just about giving you a break, it genuinely helps build their own bond and confidence with the baby. Try not to hover and correct every little thing, a slightly different way of holding or soothing the baby usually isn’t wrong, just different.

Week 3: Finding a Rhythm

Week three is often when things start to feel very slightly more manageable, even if still exhausting. You may start noticing early patterns in feeding and sleeping, though a full routine is not realistic yet and doesn’t need to be.

You might also start noticing your baby becoming a bit more alert, briefly locking eyes with you, responding to your voice, or startling at loud noises (the Moro reflex). These small responses are worth pointing out to yourself, they’re early signs of your baby’s brain and senses developing, even though it can feel like all they do is eat, sleep and cry.

This is also a sensible week to check in on your own recovery, particularly after a difficult birth or caesarean section. Watch for signs of infection at any wound sites, ongoing heavy bleeding, or pain that’s getting worse rather than better, and contact your midwife or GP if anything doesn’t feel right. Postnatal checks exist for a reason, don’t skip them because you’re focused entirely on the baby.

Week 4: Bonding, Baths and the Beginnings of Routine

By the fourth week, many parents feel a little steadier, even if sleep is still fragmented. This is a good time to lean into the bonding side of things rather than just survival mode.

Until the umbilical cord stump has fallen off, top and tail washing (cleaning the face, hands, neck folds and nappy area with cooled boiled water and cotton wool) is usually recommended rather than full baths. Once the cord has healed, a few inches of warm water in the baby bath, a soft flannel and a gentle, fragrance-free baby wash is all you need. Keep bath time short in these early weeks, newborns lose heat quickly, and always test the water temperature with your wrist or elbow before putting your baby in.

Skin-to-skin contact, talking to your baby during everyday tasks, and simply holding them close all support attachment and are genuinely valuable, not just nice extras. Reading aloud, even to a four-week-old who can’t understand a word, helps them tune into the rhythm and tone of your voice and is a lovely quiet activity for both of you.

Signs That Need Prompt Medical Attention

Most of the first month is normal newborn chaos, but a few symptoms genuinely warrant urgent medical advice rather than a wait-and-see approach. Contact your GP, midwife, health visitor or NHS 111 (or your local equivalent emergency service) if your baby:

• Has a temperature of 38°C or higher, or feels unusually cold or floppy
• Is very difficult to wake, unusually drowsy, or not feeding at all
• Has fewer wet nappies than usual, or none for several hours
• Is breathing rapidly, grunting, or seems to be working hard to breathe
• Has yellowing skin that’s getting worse, or jaundice appearing in the first 24 hours
• Has a rash that doesn’t fade when you press a glass against it

Trust your instincts here. You know your baby better than anyone, and if something feels wrong, it’s always worth getting checked rather than waiting it out.

Looking After Yourself, Not Just the Baby

It’s very easy to disappear into newborn care and forget you’ve just been through a huge physical and emotional event yourself. Lower your expectations of what you’ll get done around the house. Nobody needs a tidy kitchen more than they need you rested and fed. If people offer to help with meals, laundry or older children, say yes.

The “baby blues”, feeling weepy, irritable or overwhelmed around days 3 to 5, are common and usually pass within a couple of weeks. But if low mood, anxiety, or feelings of not coping continue beyond that, or you have thoughts of harming yourself or your baby, please speak to your GP or health visitor as soon as possible. Postnatal depression and anxiety are common, treatable, and nothing to feel ashamed of.

If you have a partner, try to actually communicate what you need rather than expecting them to guess. Something as simple as “can you take the next feed while I sleep for two hours” is more useful than silently resenting them for not offering.

A Month In

By the end of the first 30 days you will likely still be tired, possibly still in your pyjamas more often than you’d like, and that’s completely fine. You will also have kept a tiny human alive, fed, and (mostly) content, which is no small thing. Try to take a few photos and jot down small memories along the way. These early weeks pass in a blur, but looking back, most parents find they wish they’d slowed down just a little to notice them.

If you enjoyed this article read our other articles on parenting:

• Things To Do With a Newborn
• 10 Life-Altering Baby Care Hacks