🍼 Age: Birth to 7 Days
Your baby has officially arrived! This first week is all about adjusting to life outside the womb — for both your baby and you.
🧠 Development at a Glance
- Vision:
Baby can see about 8–12 inches away — just enough to focus on your face during feeding or cuddling. - Hearing:
Baby recognizes familiar voices, especially yours. Sudden noises may startle them (a reflex called the Moro reflex). - Movements:
Mostly reflex-driven — they might jerk suddenly, grasp fingers, or turn toward touch (rooting reflex). - Crying:
It’s their only way to communicate right now. It can signal hunger, discomfort, tiredness, or the need to be held.
💤 Sleep Patterns
- Total sleep: 16–20 hours per day, broken into short periods (1–4 hours at a time).
- Sleep is unpredictable; there’s no schedule yet.
- Always place baby on their back to sleep on a firm, flat surface with no blankets, toys, or pillows.
🍼 Feeding Your Baby
For Breastfed Babies:
- Feed 8–12 times a day, about every 2–3 hours.
- Expect cluster feeding (feeding frequently for a few hours) — normal and healthy.
For Formula-Fed Babies:
- Usually feed every 3–4 hours.
- Start with about 1.5–3 ounces per feed.
💡 Tip: Look for hunger cues like rooting, sucking motions, and hands to mouth — don’t wait for full-blown crying.
💩 Diapering and Output
- Wet diapers: 1 on day 1, increasing daily up to 6+ per day by the end of the week.
- Stools: Start as black and tarry (meconium), then transition to greenish, then yellow/mustard if breastfeeding.
🟡 Loose, frequent stools are normal for breastfed babies. Call your pediatrician if there’s no stool for over 24 hours.
🧼 Umbilical Cord Care
- Keep it clean and dry.
- Fold diaper down to avoid irritation.
- The stump should fall off within 1–3 weeks. Call your doctor if there’s redness, swelling, or foul odor.
🛁 Bathing
- Stick to sponge baths until the cord falls off.
- Only bathe 2–3 times per week at this stage — more can dry out baby’s skin.
🧠 Tips for Week 1 Bonding and Care
- Skin-to-skin contact calms baby, supports feeding, and regulates temperature.
- Talk, sing, and make eye contact — your baby is already learning to recognize you.
- Don’t worry about spoiling — newborns thrive on closeness.
👩⚕️ When to Call the Pediatrician
Call your doctor if:
- Baby isn’t feeding well or seems very sleepy
- Fewer than 3 wet diapers on day 4 or later
- Baby has a fever (100.4°F or higher), is lethargic, or has trouble breathing
- Jaundice spreads or worsens (yellowing skin or eyes)
🧡 Final Thoughts
The first week with your baby is filled with discovery, exhaustion, and deep connection. Trust your instincts, ask for help, and take care of yourself, too. You’re just getting started — and you’re doing better than you think.
Would you like a printable daily log for tracking feeds, diapers, and sleep