Newborn care
1/29/2026 by Emmanuella Lebasaana Salina
Congratulations on your newborn. Each experience with a newborn is a unique adventure. Here are some things you can expect within the first week of life.
The first Clinician Visit
Your baby's first clinician visit usually happens within the first 24- 72 hours after hospital discharge. This visit is an opportunity to check in on how you are settling in at home, to monitor your baby's feeding and weight since discharge, and to follow up on jaundice, a yellowish discoloration of the skin seen commonly in newborns. Use this time at the visit to ask all the questions you may have. Your care team is there to support you and your baby during this special period of adjustment.
If your baby is eligible for and did not receive the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine before discharge, it will be recommended at this visit. If you have any questions regarding this or other vaccinations for your infant, your care team will be there to address them.
RSV in Infants and Young Children
Feeding and diaper changes
Full term babies will typically need to eat about every two to three hours, though sometimes they may want to feed even more often until breastfeeding is fully established. This breastfeeding pattern, called cluster feeding, will also help to establish milk supply in breastfeeding moms. Whether you are breastfeeding or formula feeding, pay attention to your baby's hunger cues, like sucking motions, facial movements like rooting, or fussiness. As your baby feeds larger amounts of milk, the stool will transition from dark and sticky (meconium) to yellowish and seedy. Expect a daily increase in the number of wet diapers, reaching an average of six to eight per day by the end of the first week.
Sleep routine
Newborns can sleep up to 18 hours a day, though the duration and pattern are highly variable. It's unlikely that your baby's sleep routine will be consistent in the first week, and that's completely normal. It is essential to place your baby to sleep on their back on a firm sleep surface, with no loose blankets, crib bumpers, pillows or toys. This is the best way to decrease the rate of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Babies are also safest in their own sleep space close to you. If you feel sleepy while holding your baby, place them safely in their designated sleep space and continue your cuddles once you're awake and alert.
Caring for yourself and your baby
The first week of your baby's life is full of new beginnings. It can be exciting and, at times, may feel overwhelming. Never shake your baby, no matter how frustrated or tired you may feel. Take time for yourself and ask for help when you need it. Be mindful of your own mood and seek mental health support if you notice sadness, anxiety or difficulty coping. You and your baby are learning together. Be kind to yourself and to each other. Remember, that you are never alone and that you can contact your baby’s primary care provider or your own primary care provider, if you have concerns or need help.
Emmanuella Lebasaana Salia, M.B., Ch..B, M.P.H., is a third year resident in the Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine at Mayo Clinic. She is interested in neonatal-perinatal medicine career.