Bringing home a new baby can be exciting and overwhelming at first. You are still in the process of getting to know your baby and understanding the different types of behavior they exhibit.

The information below will help you develop realistic expectations and feel confident about caring for your new baby.

normal newborn

Normal During Early Infancy

Below is a list of items that are normal during early infancy:

• Pimples, dry skin and mild rashes
• Lumps under a baby’s nipple
• Mucousy or mildly bloody vaginal discharge
• Rusty red discoloration in the urine
• Regurgitating (spitting-up) after feedings
• Hiccups
• Occasional coughing to clear the throat
• Sleeping up to 18 hours per day
• Brief episodes of rapid, non-labored breathing
• Day/night “confusion” (Cluster feeding late at night)
• Sneezing and noisy nasal congestion without breathing difficulty
• Sucking blister at the center of the upper lip
• Crying for diaper change, feeding, or warmth
• Not calming unless being held or cuddled

crying

Babies cry as way to communicate and in time you will learn to tell the difference in cries. Babies cry because of hunger, soiled diaper, over-stimulation, pain, frustration and even loneliness.

When your baby continues to cry try the following:

• First take care of hunger, the need to feed or burp, and diaper change
  
• Rock your baby in a gentle, rhythmic motion
  
• Pat or rub the back to help calm and relax
  
• Try swaddling your baby
  
• Go for a walk with your baby in a sling or stroller
  
• Go for a ride in the car
  

Do not worry about spoiling your baby by holding him/her too much. Babies need all the holding they can get. It helps them to trust and love you, and feel secure.

pacifiers

Non-nutritive sucking is a reflex and calms young infants.
There is no objection to using pacifiers whether you are bottle or breastfeeding.

sleep

Newborns may sleep 16 or more hours per day typically in three to four hour periods. Don’t expect your baby to sleep through the night until about three months of age.

If your baby is not sleeping through the night by three months there is no reason for worry. Babies must develop their own sleep patterns and cycles by learning from a consistent, organized parenting style.

Initially, newborns sleep most of the day with brief periods of wakefulness lasting one to two hours each, and waking up at night for one or two feedings.

Babies may wake at night if they are cold or need a diaper change.

Most babies will sleep through normal household noises.

Never put babies to sleep with bottles in their mouths. Fluids from the bottle can cause ear infections and tooth decay.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends placing babies on their backs to in their cribs to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). To reduce the risk of SIDS:
 

• Don't let your baby get overheated. Room temperature should be comfortable for an adult.
• Don't smoke or let others smoke around your baby.
• Remove all fluffy and loose bedding, stuffed animals, and pillows from the sleep area. Avoid blankets and top sheets.
• Place your baby on a firm mattress in a safety-approved crib.
• Make sure your baby's face is uncovered during sleep.
• Teach all caregivers to place your baby on his/her back during nap and sleep time.

Call your pediatrician if your newborn has:

• Rectal temp of 100.4 F or higher 
• Forceful vomiting or blood in stool 
• Unusual or labored breathing patterns 
• Difficulty arousing 
• Unexpected rashes 
• Urine or stool output less than expected 
• Jaundice concerns