How often should a newborn eat?

Most newborns feed about 8 to 12 times in 24 hours, roughly every two to three hours, whether breastfed or formula fed. Follow hunger cues rather than a strict clock, and look for enough wet and dirty diapers and steady weight gain as signs your baby is getting enough.

What is the safest way for my newborn to sleep?

Always on the back, on a firm flat surface like a crib or bassinet with only a fitted sheet, with no pillows, blankets, bumpers, or soft toys. Share a room but not a bed, keep the space smoke-free, and avoid overheating. This lowers the risk of SIDS.

How do I care for the umbilical cord stump?

Keep it clean and dry, fold the diaper down so it stays exposed, and let it fall off on its own, usually in one to three weeks. Do not pull it off. Call your pediatrician if the skin around it is red, swollen, oozing pus, bleeding more than a little, or has a bad smell.

Guide

Newborn Care in the First Weeks: A Simple Guide

The first few weeks with a newborn are full of feeding, sleeping, diapers, and learning each other. This guide covers the basics: reading feeding cues, safe sleep, diapering, umbilical cord care, and the signs that mean call your pediatrician. It is educational, not medical advice; your baby's pediatrician is your partner through it all.

Get bilingual newborn support

Feeding and hunger cues

Newborns feed often, usually about 8 to 12 times in 24 hours, whether breastfeeding or formula feeding. Watch for early hunger cues like rooting, hand-to-mouth movements, lip smacking, and stirring; crying is a late cue. Feed on demand and let your baby finish. Enough wet and dirty diapers and steady weight gain are the best signs your baby is getting enough. Ask your pediatrician or a lactation consultant if you are unsure.

Safe sleep: always on the back

Place your baby on their back for every sleep, on a firm, flat surface like a crib or bassinet with a fitted sheet and nothing else: no pillows, blankets, bumpers, or soft toys. Room sharing without bed sharing is recommended. Keep your baby smoke-free and avoid overheating. These steps lower the risk of sudden infant death (SIDS) and sleep-related deaths.

Diapering and umbilical cord care

Expect frequent diaper changes; early dark stools turn yellow and seedy with breastfeeding or tan with formula. Wipe front to back and watch for diaper rash. Keep the umbilical cord stump clean and dry, fold the diaper below it, and let it fall off on its own, usually within one to three weeks. Call your pediatrician if the area around the cord is red, swollen, oozing pus, or has a bad smell.

When to call the pediatrician

Call right away for a rectal temperature of 100.4 F (38 C) or higher in a newborn, poor feeding or far fewer wet diapers, hard-to-wake sleepiness or limpness, fast or labored breathing, persistent vomiting, yellowing skin or eyes that is worsening, or a cord or any area that looks infected. Call 911 for trouble breathing, blue color, or a baby you cannot wake. When in doubt, call; pediatric teams expect new-parent questions.

How Materna helps

Materna gives you a bilingual newborn-basics guide, a one-tap nurse line for those middle-of-the-night questions, and support for feeding and postpartum mood. Spanish-first and Medicaid-friendly.

This guide is educational and not medical advice. Follow your pediatrician's guidance, and for a fever or any worrying sign in a newborn, call your pediatrician or 911.

Frequently asked questions

How often should a newborn eat?: Most newborns feed about 8 to 12 times in 24 hours, roughly every two to three hours, whether breastfed or formula fed. Follow hunger cues rather than a strict clock, and look for enough wet and dirty diapers and steady weight gain as signs your baby is getting enough.
What is the safest way for my newborn to sleep?: Always on the back, on a firm flat surface like a crib or bassinet with only a fitted sheet, with no pillows, blankets, bumpers, or soft toys. Share a room but not a bed, keep the space smoke-free, and avoid overheating. This lowers the risk of SIDS.
How do I care for the umbilical cord stump?: Keep it clean and dry, fold the diaper down so it stays exposed, and let it fall off on its own, usually in one to three weeks. Do not pull it off. Call your pediatrician if the skin around it is red, swollen, oozing pus, bleeding more than a little, or has a bad smell.