7 Fundamental Needs of Your Newborn Baby

It won’t come as a shock to learn that newborns go through lots of nappies. Newborns have incredibly delicate skin, and require plenty of nappy changes to prevent nappy rash and keep them comfortable. For very new babies, aim for 10-12 nappy changes a day, gradually reducing to 6-8 times as they get older. Of course this figure will vary from baby to baby, but it can just be helpful to have a rough idea.

Now, changing nappies isn’t just a chore; it’s a great bonding opportunity too. To change a nappy you will need:

• A changing mat or towel
• Fragrance-free, alcohol-free wipes, or damp cotton wool
• A nappy bag or bin for disposal
• Barrier cream for nappy rash
• And of course – a clean nappy

You can change your baby on the floor or on a changing table, but if you are using a table – be careful not to leave them unattended. If you’re changing a baby girl, be sure to wipe away from the vulva to prevent the spread of germs. For boys, wipe around the testicles and penis, and between the folds of skin so that they’re fully clean. And be sure to point the penis down before you put the nappy on, as this prevents leaks. I learned this the hard way!

If it’s warm enough you can let your baby enjoy some nappy-free time, because having a nappy on constantly can lead to nappy rash. If your baby does develop nappy rash, the antibodies in your breast milk can act as a natural cure. Express some milk into a sterile cup, pour it over the affected area, let it air dry, and then apply some nappy cream.

Your baby’s umbilical cord usually turns black and then falls off around 5-15 days after birth. While the stump is still attached, be sure to keep the area clean and dry. This means no post-birth baths until the stump has come away! If it does get poo or urine in it before falling off, just use a small amount of warm water to clean it and stay away from creams or ointments.

To prevent the stump becoming irritated, you can fold the top of your baby’s nappy down. Don’t pick or pull at the stump – remember that it will come away in its own time. Get into the habit of making sure your hands are clean before you handle your baby, as this will reduce the chances of infection. Signs of an infected cord include a foul smelling yellow or green discharge coming from the stump area, the skin around the stump becoming red, bleeding from the base of the stump, swelling around the naval area, your baby developing a fever or generally seeming unwell, or your baby crying when you touch the area surrounding the stump.

When the cord stump does eventually fall off, it doesn’t hurt your baby at all. Don’t be alarmed if you notice sticky discharge after the stump has fallen off – this is completely normal. In the rare event that the discharge has a foul smell or the skin around your baby’s belly button becomes red, you should get it checked by your GP.

After the cord has fallen off, it may take another 7-10 days for the belly button to completely heal.

Though bathing is a guaranteed need that your baby has, you don’t need to bathe them every day. Instead, aim for roughly 2-3 baths per week; you can wash them down with damp cotton wool between baths if needed.

The temperature of the bath water should be warm, but not hot. You can test it with your hand or elbow to make sure it’s comfortable. Once your baby is in the bath, placing a wet muslin cloth over them can help to keep them warm. Babies can’t control their own temperature, so keep monitoring the water and take your baby out when the temperature starts to drop. Wrap them in a warm, soft towel and get them dressed. If your baby has hair, you can dry it with the same towel – but never use a hair dryer. Using a baby bath that they can lay back in and grow into might be useful, instead of holding them upright in the bathtub. And this goes without saying, but never ever leave your baby unattended in the bath!

Your baby needs physical connection to feel safe and secure. Cuddles can come in the form of skin-to-skin contact, holding your baby when you’re out and about instead of leaving them in the pram, letting them sleep on you, or wearing them in a sling. Remember, all of these can be done by other people, too!

When it comes to wearing your baby safely in a sling, always follow the T.I.C.K.S rule:

• T is for ‘Tight’: the sling should be tight, with your baby positioned high and upright with head support. We want to avoid your baby slumping down, which could restrict their breathing.
• I is for ‘In view at all times’: you should always be able to see your baby’s face by simply looking down. Ensure your baby’s face, nose and mouth remain uncovered by the sling and your body.
• C is for ‘Close enough to kiss’: your baby should be close enough to your chin that by tipping your head forward you can easily kiss their head.
• K is for ‘Keep chin off the chest’: ensure your baby’s chin is up and away from their body. They should never be curled so that their chin is forced onto their chest as this can restrict their breathing. It’s important to regularly check on your baby while they’re in the sling.
• S is for ‘Supported back’: your baby’s back should be supported in a natural position with their tummy and chest against you. If you bend over while wearing the sling, support your baby with one hand behind their back, and bend at the knees, not at your waist.

Remember, always take your baby out of the sling if:

• Their face is covered, or their chin is tucked in
• They become curled up, or move into the foetal position
• They are grunting, wheezing, or taking laboured, rapid or whistling breaths
• There’s a grey or blue tinge to your baby’s skin, or
• They are fussy, restless or squirming

There are lots of ways to soothe your baby when they’re upset, including swaying, singing, rubbing their back, doing skin-to-skin, feeding them, and bum pats – which I’ve found to be particularly useful for newborns.

One of the best tactics for soothing a baby is feeding or sucking. The sucking and swallowing can work wonders in calming a baby down. Some parents breastfeed, some use a dummy. Do whatever feels right for you, but know that your baby having something to suck can bring on some much needed calm.

Of course, excessive crying can be very, very stressful. We often attribute it to colic, but only 1 in 5 babies actually have colic. There are many other reasons your baby might be crying more than usual, such as digestive discomfort, including certain intolerances or reflux, aches and pains after birth, stress or overtiredness, not being able to feed properly, or not being held or carried enough.

When it comes to relentless crying, you could try using a sling as we discussed earlier, or make time for skin-to-skin and see if this settles your baby. If you’re worried about your baby being in pain for any reason, consult your GP or midwife as soon as you can. And if you’re worried about breastfeeding or whether your baby is getting enough milk, then you should contact your health visitor or local lactation consultant.

As your baby grows and develops, you’ll start to understand what their different cries mean. You’ll probably learn to recognise their little cues, and start to respond instinctively as your instinctive communication grows stronger. You may notice how those around you will be guessing – could she be hungry? Does she need a dummy? Whereas you immediately know it’s a tired cry and can fix the problem almost instantly. With both of my babies, this inner magic took me by surprise and blew me away! Know that you have it within you, too…all mothers do. It might just take a bit of time to realise it’s there.

Before we dive into the early days of feeding your baby, it’s important to be aware of tongue tie. It’s often misdiagnosed, and it’s essential to know that not all practitioners are qualified to assess it. Midwives, in general, don’t have specific training for tongue tie diagnosis. While it’s usually included within midwifery training, it’s usually covered over a module or two which just isn’t sufficient training to diagnose a tongue tie. Many people will take a quick look inside your baby’s mouth and diagnose a tongue tie – but this is a huge red flag. A tongue tie needs to be diagnosed through a physical assessment using both hands. The training to assess it properly takes months and is a separate qualification that makes someone a certified tongue tie practitioner. I, for example, can support my clients with feeding issues, but I would never suggest that their baby has a tongue tie because I’m just not qualified to make the call. Misdiagnosed tongue ties can lead to serious feeding issues, so seek advice from those who truly know their stuff in this area. If you want to find a local practitioner then please contact us and we’d be more than happy to help.

When it comes to initiating your feeding journey, understanding your breasts after birth is crucial. They might feel empty, but don’t worry, you will have been making colostrum since your second trimester. Colostrum is the very first milk your body produces, and it’s the perfect first meal for your baby. If you can, get feeding as soon as possible, because this will help to boost your milk supply and ultimately support your long-term feeding goals. It will also reduce any instances of jaundice, and help clear out your baby’s gut – triggering their first poo – meconium, which looks a bit like marmite!

By the time night two comes around, you might be back at home or you could still be in hospital. Your baby might suddenly be very alert and awake, even if they have slept fairly well so far. Babies do this for many reasons, but the biggest one is that they’ve slept off the stress of birth and they’re suddenly ready to go – and ready to feed! This shift is totally aligned with your body and your milk supply. Around day 2-3, your milk changes to transition milk, which is a blend of colostrum and breast milk. At this point, you might experience engorgement, your breasts could feel sore, and you could feel weepy. This is all thanks to your hormones, and it’s completely normal. By day 5, your milk undergoes one last change, and finally becomes mature milk. Once again, you could experience engorgement, soreness, and generally feel quite emotional.

If you’re struggling with feeding in the first few weeks, I urge you to find your local infant feeding team and reach out for support. Your health visitor should be able to advise on how to find them. If you experience engorgement, all you can do is rest, feed through it if you can, and take it slow. Putting wet flannels in the freezer and placing them in your bra between feeds can alleviate some of the pain, and taking anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen can help too. 

At any point, if you start to develop a fever or feel unwell, then you might be developing an infection called mastitis. If this happens, contact your GP immediately as you may need antibiotics.

Sleep in the first few weeks, months, and sometimes years can be extremely challenging. In the early weeks with your baby you may be very sleep-deprived, which means having an extra pair of hands on deck can really help. Don’t be afraid to ask your family and friends to come over and take care of your baby while you and your partner rest, and wake you up when it’s time for feeds.

You could also try sleeping in shifts with your partner, so one of you is always awake to care for your little one. A ‘tag team’ sleep schedule like this has worked well for me in the past: you go to bed at 7 or 8pm after a feed, leaving your baby to sleep on your partner. Your partner then brings the baby to you at around 9 or 10pm for a feed, and then you take over for the night shift. For newborns, it’s normal for them to be up every couple of hours for feeds. At about 5 or 6am, your partner can then wake up and take the baby so you can have a block of uninterrupted sleep. Doing this will help everyone to get more rest! Sleeping like a newborn really is the way to go – napping frequently over a period of 12 hours, instead of aiming for an 8-hour solid stretch, is both far more realistic and more beneficial in terms of recharging your energy.

Now, remember that it’s totally normal that babies want to be held to sleep. In the womb they are held tight in a warm, safe space. Your arms are the closest thing to their ‘normality’. It’s also a total myth that babies can self-soothe; most babies cannot self-soothe, and expecting a newborn to calm themselves down and drift off to sleep is a bit like expecting them to stand up and walk. They just can’t do it – it’s not physically possible until they are able to regulate themselves more independently, and this will happen slowly in their own time, as they get older.

For babies, waking up frequently at night is totally normal – in fact, it’s a survival tactic, and completely instinctive. Melatonin is the hormone that brings on sleep, and babies don’t develop any melatonin in the first three months after birth. The only way they can get melatonin is from breast milk. After three months, they start to develop their circadian rhythm, recognising night and day with more clarity. They may even begin forming a routine of day-time naps and night-time sleep, but don’t be surprised if this doesn’t happen until they’re a bit older. You can encourage their circadian rhythm by introducing lots of daylight during waking hours – opening the curtains first thing in the morning, and only using soft, ambient lighting in the evening before bedtime. Also, deciding on an approximate wake-up time in the morning can help establish a routine. Routines aren’t the be all and end all, but they can help to create an internal body clock. Saying this, I wouldn’t ever suggest a rigid routine that you must stick to. An approximate schedule will form over time, led by your baby.

Realistically, for young babies up to the age of twelve months, sleeping from 7pm through to 7am is very, very rare. Even after twelve months, many babies still don’t conk out for twelve hours straight. ‘Sleeping through the night’ is what most parents view as the ultimate success, but did you know that just five hours of solid sleep is classed as ‘sleeping through’? The ‘twelve-hour golden goal’ is unachievable for most babies and has been developed by sleep trainers who would advise that you leave your baby to cry in order to teach them to self-soothe to sleep – something we’ve already learned is not possible for the vast majority of babies.

To help your baby to sleep you need to look at their environment and emulate what they’re used to from their time in the womb. A black-out curtain, a white noise machine and keeping them close to you can work wonders. Basically, make your room a womb! For day time naps, don’t worry about making your room a womb if you want to get out and about. Naps in cars and prams are just as beneficial for giving your baby the rest they need.

The postpartum period can be both beautiful and challenging, and it’s important to know when to reach out for medical support if you need it. Here are some key situations where seeking help should be a non-negotiable:

• Postpartum depression or psychosis. If you experience persistent feelings of sadness, anxiety, or detachment, or if you have thoughts of harming yourself or your baby, it’s important to seek help immediately. Postpartum depression and psychosis are serious conditions that require prompt medical attention.
• Symptoms of sepsis. Sepsis is a life-threatening infection of the blood, and it can develop quickly. If you notice signs such as a high fever, rapid heartbeat, confusion, or severe pain, especially if accompanied by a foul-smelling discharge, contact your healthcare provider immediately.
• Struggling with feeding. Whether you’re breastfeeding or formula feeding, if your baby is not feeding well or you’re experiencing pain, it’s important to get help. A lactation consultant, midwife, or GP can offer support and guidance.

When something doesn’t feel right. Trust your instincts! If something feels off or if you have any concerns about your health or your baby’s wellbeing, don’t hesitate to contact your GP or healthcare provider. It’s better to ask and get reassurance than to ignore potential issues.