Articles

Key takeaways

• Skin-to-skin contact offers many benefits for your baby.
• Newborns sleep often but need frequent feeds day and night.
• Learn your baby's unique cues for hunger, tiredness, and comfort.
• Seek medical help for specific baby symptoms and support for your mental health.

Bringing your baby home

Bringing your baby home is a significant milestone, marking the start of a new chapter. The transition from hospital to home can be both exciting and overwhelming. In the first 24-48 hours, focus on rest, bonding, and getting to know your newborn.

Your emotional experience

It's normal to feel a mix of emotions – joy, love, anxiety, and even exhaustion. Be kind to yourself and allow time for adjustment. Your hormones are shifting, and sleep deprivation is real.

Practical tips for settling in

• Calm environment – Keep lighting soft and noise levels low.
• Prioritise rest – Try to sleep when your baby sleeps, even if it's just for short periods.
• Accept help – Don't hesitate to ask family and friends for support with meals, chores, or looking after older children.
• Bonding through skin-to-skin contact – This wonderful way to connect with your baby helps regulate their temperature, calms them by hearing your heartbeat, and reduces stress levels.
• Feeding and nappy changes – Expect frequent feeds and nappy changes. These are crucial opportunities for bonding and ensuring your baby is thriving.
• Limit visitors initially – Give yourself and your baby time to adjust before hosting many guests.

Focus on these early days as a time for connection and learning your baby's unique cues.

Understanding your newborn's world

Newborns generally sleep a lot. Some may sleep around 8 hours a day, while others sleep up to 18 hours. Both are perfectly normal.

Your baby may sleep in short or long bursts. It is unlikely they will sleep through the night because their tummies are tiny. Your baby's sleep pattern will change as they grow.

Newborn sleep patterns

A newborn baby does not have much of a sleep pattern. They will sleep on and off throughout the day and night. It is a good idea to get your baby used to sleeping through everyday household noise, so you do not need to keep your home silent while they sleep.

Newborns can be restless sleepers. About half of their sleep time is spent in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which is a light, active sleep. During this time, they may move, dream, or whimper.

Young babies wake up a lot and it is normal for them to be quite noisy while sleeping, grunting, wheezing, and having irregular breathing. This is mainly because their digestive and respiratory systems are not fully developed. Swallowing and breathing take extra effort, and they mainly breathe through their noses, which can make breathing noisier.

Newborns can confuse day and night because it was dark in the womb, and they likely slept most of the day. You can help them adjust by opening curtains during the day and keeping lights low at night-time. However, this may not make a difference until your baby is a few months old.

Your baby will show signs when they are tired, such as rubbing their eyes, yawning, or becoming fussy. Other signs include pulling at their ears or hair, burying their face in their chest, or losing interest in their surroundings. Learning these cues helps prevent your baby from becoming overtired.

Understanding hunger cues

Newborns need feeding through the day and night. They have tiny tummies, so they need to eat often. You will learn the difference between their hunger cues and other cries. Responsive feeding means focusing on your baby during feeds. It also means responding to their cues. This helps you develop a close and loving relationship.

Your baby has many cues to let you know they are hungry. They might move or put their hand to their mouth. They may start rooting, which is turning their head and opening their mouth.

Other signs include being wriggly and restless. They might suck their fist or fingers. They may move their eyes around or open and close their mouth. They might also lick their lips or search for your breast or the teat of a bottle.

Crying is often a late sign of hunger. It is easier to feed your baby before they start crying.

If your baby is upset, try soothing them before feeding. A cuddle and some skin-to-skin contact may help.

Interpreting your baby's cries

All babies cry, though some cry more than others. Crying does not always mean your baby is in pain or uncomfortable. Your baby cries to get your attention.

• Babies cry when they are hungry or thirsty.
• They may also cry if they are tired or bored.
• A wet or dirty nappy can also make them cry.
• Sometimes they cry because they are lonely and want comfort.

As you get to know each other, you will get better at understanding what they need. Your brain is designed to find your baby's cry uncomfortable. This is nature's way of telling us to cuddle, comfort, and calm them.

Crying is your baby's way of communicating with you. They may be telling you they need a nappy change. They might be too hot or too cold, or they could be hungry. It is important to respond to your baby when they cry. Going to your baby when they are crying is not spoiling them. It gives them the feelings of safety and security they need.

Sometimes babies cry constantly, and you cannot console them. This could be a sign they are ill.

They may also be ill if they have other symptoms, like a high temperature. If this happens, contact your health visitor, GP, or call NHS 111.

Excessive crying could also be a sign of colic. Colic is thought to be a kind of stomach cramp.

The crying sounds miserable and distressed. It stops for a moment then starts again.

Communicating with your baby

Your baby is ready to communicate with you as soon as they are born. They want to look at human faces. You can help them feel safe by holding them close, talking to them, and comforting them.

By the time your baby is 2 weeks old, their eyes can follow your face. Giving them plenty of eye contact and smiles helps them recognise you. Hold your baby as much as you can. Cuddling makes your baby feel safe and loved.

Talk to your baby calmly and often. Chat about what you are doing and what is around you.

Reading a book or singing helps them tune in to the rhythm of words. Your baby loves the sound of your voice and watching your face.

Your baby will make sounds and faces to show interest. You can reply with words and movements. This is the start of having conversations together.

Every time you talk and play with your baby, you are helping their brain to grow and make new connections.

Watch your baby to learn their cues for when they need a break, as they can easily become overwhelmed or stressed. Signs they need a break include sneezing, yawning, or hiccupping.

They might turn away, close their eyes, or bring up some milk. When you notice these signs, slow down the pace or stop the activity. You could move them to a quieter area.

What's normal in the early days

The first few weeks after having a baby can be very emotional. You may feel a huge mix of emotions, such as:

• Joy
• Love
• Pride
• Worry
• Sadness
• Frustration

Feeding frequency

Newborn babies need lots of feeds in their first few days. This often means leaving just a couple of hours between the start of one feed and the next. You can expect to feed your baby at least 10-12 times every 24 hours in the first few weeks.

As a rough guide, your baby should feed at least 8 to 12 times or more every 24 hours. If you are breastfeeding, try to let your baby feed as much as they want. This could be every hour, day and night.

Nappy changes and what to expect

In the early days, expect to change your baby's nappy around 10 to 12 times a day.

• Meconium – In the first 1-2 days, your baby's nappies will contain meconium. This is a dark, sticky, greenish-black substance.
• Poo colour change – After a few days, the poo will turn a yellow or mustard colour. By the end of the first week, expect at least two soft, yellow poos a day.
• Breastfed baby poo frequency – Newborn babies who are breastfed may poo at each feed in the early weeks. After about 6 weeks, they might not poo for several days.
• Formula-fed baby poo frequency – Formula-fed babies may poo up to 5 times a day when newborn. After a few months, this can go down to once a day.
• Wet nappies – In the first 48 hours, expect 2 or 3 wet nappies. From day five, this should increase to at least 6 heavy, wet nappies every 24 hours, with clear or pale-yellow urine.

The 'baby blues'

It is normal to feel emotional after the birth. You might not sleep as much, so you will be tired. You may not feel very well as your body is physically recovering from pregnancy and birth. You might find you start crying for no reason. Little things that you would normally handle may suddenly seem like huge problems. These feelings normally begin 2 or 3 days after the birth. They can last for a few days. This is sometimes called the 'baby blues'.

Having the baby blues is very common. It tends to start in the week after birth and stops by the time your baby is around ten days old. Symptoms can include feeling emotional and irrational. You might burst into tears for no clear reason. You may feel touchy, depressed, or very anxious.

These are normal feelings caused by hormone changes as your body adjusts. Being very tired from broken nights can also make you feel worse.

Having the baby blues is not the same as postnatal depression or anxiety.

When to call your GP or midwife

It can feel scary if you are worried about your baby. Always trust your instincts. You know what is different or worrying behaviour in your child.

When to seek medical help for your baby

Contact your GP practice and ask for an urgent appointment that day if your baby is less than 8 weeks old and has any of these symptoms:

• Temperature – Seek help if your baby has a high or very low temperature, especially if they are less than 8 weeks old. Also seek help if they feel hot or cold to touch, are shivering, or are unusually quiet or listless.
• Breathing – Your baby has rapid breathing or panting. They might make a throaty noise or have difficulty breathing, such as sucking their stomach in under their ribs.
• Skin – Blue, pale, or blotchy skin. On brown or black skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet.
• Alertness – Your baby is hard to wake up, confused, or less bright than usual. They might also be sleeping for an unusually long time.
• Crying – Your baby has a high-pitched whimpering or moaning cry. They might also be crying constantly and cannot be consoled, or their cry doesn't sound normal.
• Feeding – Your baby is not feeding normally or has difficulty feeding. They might also be struggling to keep down milk.
• Vomit – Your baby has green vomit, repeated sickness, or forceful vomiting. Also seek help if there is blood in their vomit.
• Nappies – Fewer wet nappies or nappies that seem drier than usual. This is a sign of dehydration.
• Bulging fontanelle – The soft patch on top of their head is bulging.
• Blood in nappy – There is blood in their nappy.
• Bruising, swelling, or bleeding – Any bruising, swelling, or bleeding.
• Non-fading rash – A spotty, purple, or red rash anywhere on their body that does not fade when you press a glass against it. On brown or black skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet.
• Irritability – Irritability when picked up and cannot be settled or comforted.

Do not give paracetamol to a baby under 2 months. Do not give ibuprofen to a baby under 3 months or who weighs less than 5kg. Only give it if a doctor has told you to.

If your GP is closed, call 111. It is always okay to call 111 for reassurance or advice. They will phone an ambulance for you if they think your baby is seriously ill.

Call 999 for an ambulance if your child:

• Stops breathing.
• Will not wake up.
• Has a spotty, purple, or red rash that does not fade when pressed.
• Is under 8 weeks old and you are very worried about them.
• Has a fit or seizure caused by a high temperature (a febrile seizure) for the first time.
• Has a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis).
• Has an injury that seems serious.

When to seek support for your mental health

Becoming a parent is a time of big changes. Getting to know your baby and having a new routine will take time. Be kind to yourself and take things at your and your baby's own pace.

You will probably find you have mixed feelings, such as:

• Joy, pride, and love.
• Anxiety, tearfulness, and stress.

These feelings are normal. You can expect to feel up and down as you get used to your new role.

Around 1 in 5 women develop mental health issues during pregnancy or in the year after birth. Up to 1 in 10 men also develop mental health problems during this time. You are not alone if you are feeling low.

Talk to your midwife, health visitor, or family nurse. You can also speak with a trusted friend. If you think you need support, ask for it. This is a positive step towards looking after yourself and your new baby. Be as open and honest as you can if you are not feeling great. Also, talk about if you are worried about how your partner is managing.

Your GP can discuss your options for treatment and support. They can refer you to services and prescribe medication. Your health visitor can offer support for looking after your baby and managing your mental health. They can also tell you about other services in your area. Peer support groups offer a space to share experiences and build relationships. These can include local or online groups for parents facing similar challenges. Specialist charity helplines, text, and online services also offer emotional support.

Having a strong personal support network can make a big difference. Share your feelings with trusted family members or friends. Accept offers of help with practical tasks.