Hi Exceptional Parents! It’s me, Dr. Eboni. Congratulations! You’ve welcomed your little one to the world. Now what? Let’s talk about what to expect when you bring home your newborn baby. First things first, there really is no good way to know what to expect. All babies and all families are different! However, there are some things that are likely to occur, so keep these in mind.
Here are 7 Things to Expect now that your newborn is home.
- Your baby will sleep a lot, but it likely won’t feel like it!
- Your baby will likely sleep for short periods of time throughout the day and night.
- Your baby will cry a lot. On average, newborns cry for about two hours throughout the day.
- How much and how often your baby eats can vary widely.
- New babies pee and poop a lot.
- Your baby can lose up to 10% of her birthweight during her first week of life.
- New parents, especially mothers, will likely feel physically tired.
Most newborns sleep from 12-18 hours per day, but their sleep can be very unpredictable. Some babies may only awaken to eat, and others may be awake for much of the day. On average, newborns cry for about two hours daily throughout the day. It sometimes takes a while to learn your baby’s different cries and sometimes your baby will cry for no apparent reason and that’s okay as that’s how your baby communicates with you!
New babies often eat about 1-3 ounces per feeding. Some babies will eat every 2-3 hours while others will want to eat much more often. Most babies eat about 8-12 times per 24-hour period. Babies can lose up to 10% of their birth weight during their first week of life. However, most babies have regained their birth weight by two weeks of age.
The frequency of a baby’s peeing and pooping can vary depending on whether your baby is breastfed or formula-fed. Newborn babies typically wet between 5-10 diapers every day. In the first couple of days or so, the poop is thick, sticky and “tarry”, and very dark brown to black in color. After that, the stool can be a variety of colors including yellow, green, or brown. Any of these colors is fine. You should contact your doctor if you see red in the stools as this could be blood.
Physically, mom will be going through a lot. Her hormone levels will be changing rapidly and she will likely be very exhausted from labor/birth itself, emotional changes, as well as sleep deprivation. Up to 80% of new moms experience baby blues during the first few weeks due to rapid hormone changes. Forgive yourself and be kind to yourself. Being a new mom is hard!
Remember that all babies are different and there is a wide range of “normal”. Most importantly, if you notice a significant and sudden change in your baby or if you are worried about your baby’s well-being, you should contact your pediatrician.
