what to know about babies

Need to Know

• Babies need you: They rely entirely on caregivers for their physical and emotional needs. Building a strong bond through responsive care, love, and attention helps them feel safe and nurtured, setting the foundation for healthy growth and development. Understanding that every baby is unique and learning to read their cues can make it easier to meet their needs effectively.
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• Feeding: Newborns eat frequently - every 2 to 3 hours for breastfeeding or formula feeding, which can add up to 6 to 8 times in a day. At 6 months, babies eat around 6 times a day, and at 1 year, they may eat about 4 times a day. Solids, which they’ll probably start eating around 6 months, will help meet some of their nutritional needs, but breastmilk or formula will be their main food until 1 year.
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• Burping: After feeding, many babies need to be burped to release trapped air and prevent discomfort. Here’s an overview of different ways to burp a baby from The Bump.
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• Sleep patterns: Newborns sleep a lot but in short stretches (2 to 4 hours, for a total of 16 to 18 hours a day). Sleep cycles are often irregular at first. As babies grow, the total amount of sleep slowly decreases. But the length of nighttime sleep increases. Most babies don't start sleeping through the night (6 to 8 hours) without waking until they are about 3 months old, or until they weigh 12 to 13 pounds, and some don’t sleep through the night until they are older.
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• Sleep safety: Always place your baby on their back to sleep to reduce the risk of SIDS. Here are the American Academy of Pediatrics safe sleep guidelines, and here are La Leche League International’s 7 steps to safer bedsharing.
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• Sleep safety: Always place your baby on their back to sleep to reduce the risk of SIDS. Here are the American Academy of Pediatrics safe sleep guidelines, and here are La Leche League International’s 7 steps to safer bedsharing.
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• Bonding: Skin-to-skin contact and cuddling help in emotional and physical development. Here’s more information about the benefits and how to do skin-to-skin from the Cleveland Clinic.
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• Crying communication: Crying is a baby’s primary way of communicating. It could mean hunger, discomfort, tiredness, not feeling well, or the need for a diaper change. Dunstan Baby Language may help you understand what different cries mean, but you may also find that all babies are a bit different. After getting to know your baby for a bit, you’ll build a better understanding of their cries.
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• Umbilical cord care: The umbilical stump requires proper care until it falls off, usually within 1 to 2 weeks. Your healthcare provider will share care guidelines with you, and here are general guidelines from the Mayo Clinic.
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• Diaper changes: Newborns typically need 8 to 12 diaper changes per day, and by 6 months, babies usually need around 6 changes per day.
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• Sensitive skin: In most cases, if your baby’s skin is healthy and not dry, lotion isn’t necessary. However, if their skin is dry or flaky, a gentle, fragrance-free baby moisturizer can be helpful. When choosing a lotion, opt for mild, hypoallergenic options free from harsh chemicals to avoid irritation.
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• Head support: Support your baby’s head until they have enough neck strength to hold it up on their own, which is usually around 3 to 4 months old.
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• Bathing basics: Sponge baths are recommended until the umbilical stump falls off. Here’s an overview on bathing a baby from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
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• Pediatric visits: The first checkup happens within a week of birth, with frequent visits afterward. Here’s an overview of what to expect at your baby’s first pediatrician’s visit from Parents.
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• Tummy time: This involves laying a baby on their stomachs for brief periods when they are awake. It’s essential for strengthening neck and back muscles, and should be supervised. Some babies love tummy time, others may need some time to get used to it. You can do tummy time on your body too!
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• Growth spurts: Growth spurts are short periods of time when your child experiences quick physical growth in height and weight. They will usually want to eat more during these. Growth spurts are a normal part of your child's development and occur at different stages of their childhood until they reach physical maturity.
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• Learning: Babies are constantly learning from their environment. Every interaction—whether through touch, sound, or sight—stimulates their developing brain and helps them understand the world. Providing a safe, engaging, and loving environment supports this early learning process.
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• Newborn reflexes: Newborn reflexes are automatic movements or responses that babies are born with to help them adapt to the world outside the womb. These include the rooting reflex, which helps babies find the breast or bottle for feeding, and the Moro reflex, a startle response to sudden noises or movements. These and other reflexes are temporary and usually disappear as the baby’s nervous system develops.
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• Jaundice: Newborn jaundice is a common condition where a baby’s skin and eyes appear yellow. It often occurs because a newborn's liver is still maturing and may not process bilirubin efficiently right away. Most cases resolve on their own or with treatments like phototherapy, but severe or untreated jaundice can lead to complications, so monitoring by a healthcare provider is essential.
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• Fever: Talk to your healthcare provider if your baby is 2 months old or younger with a temperature of 100.4°F or higher, or if fever rises above 104°F repeatedly at any age.
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• Newborn screening tests: Routine tests are done shortly after birth to check for various health conditions. Here’s an overview of what these typically cover from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
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• Handwashing: Make sure people wash their hands - or use a hand sanitizer - before touching or holding your baby. Newborns can get sick easily because their bodies aren't good at fighting germs yet.
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• Shaking: Never violently or forcefully shake a baby. This can cause serious harm and sometimes death. If you ever feel like you are getting angry or might lose control, and your partner (or anyone else) is not around to help, it's okay to place your baby somewhere safe (for example, in their crib) and take a few minutes for yourself. Here is more helpful information from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
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• Colic: Colic is frequent, prolonged and intense crying or fussiness in a healthy infant. Colic can be particularly frustrating for parents because the baby's distress occurs for no apparent reason and no amount of consoling seems to bring any relief. These episodes often occur in the evening, when parents themselves are often tired. Here is more information from the Mayo Clinic.
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• Development: Babies grow and change rapidly in the first year, hitting milestones like smiling, rolling over, and babbling. Every baby develops at their own pace, so it's important to focus on their progress rather than compare with others. Here is an overview of developmental milestones from the Centers for Disease Control.
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• Overtiredness: An overtired baby may show signs like fussiness, difficulty settling to sleep, frequent crying, or a lack of interest in feeding or play. Recognizing these cues early can help parents respond by creating a calm environment and sticking to consistent sleep routines. Here is more information on what overtiredness looks like and what you can do if your baby is overtired from Healthline.

Nice to Know

• Newborns smell amazing: That "new baby smell" is real and triggers bonding in parents.
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• Their poop changes colors: From black meconium to yellow, green, or brown—it’s all part of normal development.
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• They have a soft spot: The “fontanelle” on their head is normal and closes over time.
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• Baby acne is common: Tiny pimples may appear on their face and go away on their own.
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• They make funny noises: Squeaks, grunts, and hiccups are normal and often adorable. Babies are also loud sleepers! You may think they need something and accidentally wake them up, when they were just sleeping... loudly.
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• Their hair might fall out: Some newborns lose their initial hair, which may regrow in a different texture or color.
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• Their eye color may change: Many babies’ eyes start blue or gray but change over the first year.
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• Their nails grow fast: Their nails are surprisingly sharp and grow quickly; trimming is often needed.
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• They recognize your voice: Newborns are comforted by voices they heard in the womb.
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• They might look puffy: Swollen eyes or faces are normal after birth due to fluid retention.
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• Cluster feeding happens: Some evenings, they might want to feed non-stop—it’s normal for growth spurts.
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• They love white noise: The sound mimics the womb and can be soothing.
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• Their feet and hands might be cold: It’s not a sign of illness but a result of immature circulation.
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• Breastfeeding babies poop less over time: They may go several days without pooping as their digestive system matures.
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• They mimic facial expressions: Even early on, babies can mimic sticking out your tongue or smiling.
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• They might sleep better swaddled: Swaddling mimics the snug environment of the womb.
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• They love looking at faces: High-contrast patterns and human faces are their favorite visual stimuli.
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• They can smell you: Babies can identify their parents by smell alone.
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• Your voice can calm them instantly: Singing or talking, even when not holding them, is soothing.
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• Hearing and sight development: Newborns can hear well but have blurry vision; they focus best at 8 to 12 inches.
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• Calming them down: Blowing in their face makes them take a breath (which can be helpful when they are crying too much).
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• Temperature sweet spot: The recommended temperature for a baby's room is between 68° and 72°F. Think of a nice cool day where you can wear a t- shirt or pants. Babies tend to run hot to begin with and it’s easy for them to overheat.
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• Babies have more bones than adults: At birth, babies have about 300 bones, which later fuse to form the 206 bones in an adult body.
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• No tears at first: Newborns can cry loudly, but they don’t produce tears until they’re about a month or two.