The first few weeks postpartum are the hardest. First, your body has just undergone a challenging and considerably traumatic experience. Second, your nerves are high-strung, no thanks to hormones and compounded by an out-of-whack sleep schedule. And, from pumping, changing, cleaning, to managing unsolicited advice — lots of it — there’s so much to deal with but so little energy and time. On top of it all, there’s the actual work of taking care of the baby itself. Needless to say, it can get pretty overwhelming.

Adapting to Life with a Newborn

The newborn stage, nicknamed the fourth trimester, describes the first twelve weeks post-birth. It serves as a starting point for a mountain of new roles and responsibilities, when the learning curve is the steepest. It’s also when every day looks different and teeters on the mood of your baby. While each hour is a mix of unpredictability and chaos, some things will remain more or less the same, at least for the next couple of weeks or so. That’s where getting a hold on the routine of your little bundle of love can help.

Ahead, mothercare zeroes in on a typical day of a newborn baby, including sleeping, feeding, changing, playing and crying, and provides recommendations for new mums to adapt to this whirlwind of a brand new life. Learn more with us as we embark on this fresh journey together!

Sleeping

Sleeping makes up the bulk of a newborn baby’s schedule. They sleep for about 16 hours a day and usually wake only to feed every 2 to 3 hours. This means each snooze lasts for about 2 to 4 hours, although they may occasionally stir and require soothing to settle back into sleep. 

Because babies are unable to distinguish day from night, the first few weeks will be marked by multiple night feeds until they begin to sleep for longer periods over time. It is common for babies to doze off while feeding. Other newborn tired signs include yawning, fussiness, jerking arms and eye rubbing.

Recommendations: Parents can follow the ABCs of Safe Sleep to ensure an optimal environment for newborns to sleep. ‘A’ stands for Alone, meaning babies should sleep on their own sleep surface. ‘B’ stands for Back, indicating babies should always be placed on their backs to sleep. ‘C’ stands for Crib, which should be empty and free from items such as pillows, blankets and loose sheets that pose a suffocation risk. Use soft, breathable and tightly fitted sheets to maintain a comfortable temperature for babies without compromising safety. For additional security, use a baby swaddle blanket that serves to help them sleep better and longer while keeping them safe and stationary on their backs. mothercare’s swaddle collection achieves this with soft materials that cocoon newborns in a warm and snug embrace.

Feeding

Newborns require approximately 8 to 12 feeds in a given day. This might be more if you’re breastfeeding, as breast milk is easier to digest compared to infant formula. Although this often means more nursing sessions, it also translates to less constipation and gas. Cluster feeding, which refers to when babies engage in short feeds over a few hours, is normal when babies feel the need to fill up, whether it is for growth spurts or longer sleep.

Babies often naturally rouse when they’re hungry, presenting signs such as putting their hands to their mouth, turning towards the breast or a bottle, and making sucking noises. These cues, alongside general restlessness, are hunger signs parents can look out for before a baby begins to cry. Apart from monitoring for hunger, another important aspect of feeding is burping. You can burp babies by sitting them down on your lap or laying them over your shoulder, supported, before gently patting them on the back. Burping helps to get rid of trapped gas from feeding, reducing the likelihood of discomfort and spit-ups.

Recommendations: Breastfeeding mums can invest in a breast pump to sustain milk supply and express milk regularly to relieve engorgement. There are electric breast pumps, which offer more convenience and less effort, and manual breast pumps, which are more lightweight and affordable. Most of the time, breast milk can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, at which point it needs to be stored in a clean environment and at the back of the refrigerator where it is the coldest. If longer storage is intended, freezing is a better option, as it can be kept for up to 6 months or longer. Use milk storage bags for a hygienic, fuss-free and space-efficient storage solution. Whether nursing with breast milk or baby formula, selecting bottles with soft, wide teats promotes a good latch during feeding. Mums are encouraged to stay hydrated and consume a well-balanced diet to maintain milk supply and nutrition when nursing.

Changing

Don’t be alarmed if you notice your baby’s stool being sticky, dark green or black in colour in their first week post-birth. This is because they are passing out meconium, which is the initial substance that occupied their intestines as a foetus. As their first faeces, meconium is a combination of cells, protein, fats, and more. A newborn’s stool will transition into shades of brown, green, or yellow, becoming softer and runnier over time.

Unlike feeding, an infant’s poop schedule is harder to predict. While some babies have a bowel movement with each feed, others go as little as once every 2 to 3 days. Breastfed babies are known to poop more frequently than formula-fed babies. 

Recommendations: Diapers need to be changed every 2 to 3 hours, or each time the baby defecates. Do not wait until the diaper is wet as babies have sensitive skin and as such, are prone to irritations and infections. If your newborn is suffering from diaper rashes or discomfort, consider using a nappy cream and wipes to protect, soothe and moisturise the skin.

Playing

In the context of a newborn, play rarely refers to structured activities or games, but rather to gentle interactions that help them communicate, develop their muscles and connect with their caregivers. That said, play can begin as early as the first time you hold your baby. During the newborn stage, play occurs in brief and spontaneous moments — between bouts of feeding, changing and sleeping, and for no more than their short wake windows of 45 to 60 mins each time.

Newborns don’t need much for a meaningful interaction to be qualified as playtime. In fact, just you and your baby would suffice. Ideas for infant playtime include activities as simple as smiling, making funny faces and sounds, singing, reading and even talking.

Recommendations: If you would like, holding up objects for them to explore their senses, or gently swaying them to music can provide entertainment and enhance learning. Experts strongly encourage tummy time, which is laying babies belly-down for short periods of time to help them strengthen their muscles and foster motor skills. Newborn tummy time should last for only 1 to 2 minutes, between 2 to 3 times a day. Parents can also explore specialised infant toys, such as rattles, soft books and plush toys, to enrich playtime. A dedicated playmat can facilitate these activities with comfort whilst stimulating their senses.              

Crying

Babies do not intentionally choose to cry, but they cannot help it as a natural response to various stimuli. Primarily, babies cry to communicate their needs, whether it’s due to pain, discomfort, hunger or tiredness. Parents can respond to babies’ crying and fussing by identifying their needs and addressing them directly and promptly. It’s advisable not to ignore a baby’s cries as prolonged distress can sometimes contribute to challenges in forming secure attachments.

If your baby is crying, check for the source of their discomfort by assessing the conditions and surroundings of their behaviour. For instance, if it’s been a while since they’ve been fed, they could be hungry. As mentioned in Feeding, newborns also frequently cry to express abdominal discomfort in relation to colic, gas buildup or reflux. If this is identified as the cause, soothe them by moving their legs in a cycling motion, gently massaging their abdomen clockwise, or burping them to release and relieve the effects of trapped wind. Besides addressing these issues and minimising their discomfort, make sure to coax them so that they can build up a foundation for emotional regulation. This way, they would know how to calm themselves down when they’re upset as they get older.

Recommendations: There are many ways to comfort a baby and each baby may have their own preferred method. Most newborns enjoy being tightly swaddled, as this emulates the warmth and security of the mother’s womb. Moreover, parents can also attempt snuggling the baby close to their bodies, gently rocking them back and forth, and using pacifiers that provide babies with a sense of distraction and contentment. You can also sing and talk to them, or wear them with a carrier or wrap to keep them closeby.

Final Thoughts

Understanding the workings of a newborn’s daily routine is a vital aspect of nurturing their growth and development. At the same time, by immersing ourselves in the unique rhythm of their world, it also helps us as parents to organise our days better and reduce parental stress for deeper connections and improved self-care. mothercare has been guiding parents towards healthy and fulfilling parenthood for over 60 years. Today, we are more equipped than ever, offering not only an extensive inventory of baby care essentials and gear but also Nursery Advisors and experience stores that allow parents to discover what they need firsthand.

Reach out to our experienced Nursery Advisors, whether online or in-person in our stores across Malaysia. Or, better yet, find us at Suria KLCC or Tropicana Gardens Mall, where we are excited to show you around and introduce you to top-of-the-line baby products at our experience stores!

Start shopping with mothercare now.