Newborn Baby: What to Expect in the First Weeks

What Does a Newborn Baby Look Like?

Newborn babies often look quite different from the images seen in magazines. They may have a cone-shaped or elongated head, puffy eyelids, a flattened nose, and skin that is wrinkled, blotchy, or covered in a white waxy coating called vernix caseosa. These features are completely normal and most resolve within the first few days to weeks of life.

When parents first see their newborn, they may be surprised by how different the baby looks compared to their expectations. The journey through the birth canal places significant pressure on the baby's body, particularly the head, which is designed with soft spots (fontanelles) and flexible skull bones that allow molding during delivery. This natural process means that many babies arrive with a temporarily elongated or cone-shaped head that gradually rounds out over the first week or two.

The skin of a newborn provides a fascinating window into the transition from the womb to the outside world. Many babies are born covered in vernix caseosa, a white, creamy substance that protected the skin during months of floating in amniotic fluid. This natural moisturizer is gradually absorbed by the skin and no longer needs to be immediately washed off, as research shows it has antimicrobial properties. The skin may appear wrinkled, especially on the hands and feet, and may have a slightly blue or purplish tint on the extremities (acrocyanosis), which is normal in the first 24-48 hours as the circulatory system adapts to life outside the womb.

Some newborns also have fine, downy hair called lanugo covering parts of their body, particularly the shoulders, back, and ears. This hair, which helped hold vernix in place during pregnancy, typically falls out within the first few weeks. Babies born past their due date may have less vernix and lanugo, while premature babies tend to have more. It is also common to see tiny white bumps on the nose and cheeks called milia, which are small cysts that disappear on their own without treatment.

Head Shape and Fontanelles

The newborn skull consists of several separate bones connected by flexible, fibrous tissue called sutures. At the junctions of these sutures are the fontanelles, commonly known as soft spots. The anterior fontanelle on top of the head is the largest and most noticeable, typically measuring about 2-3 centimeters. It usually closes between 12 and 18 months of age. The posterior fontanelle at the back of the head is smaller and closes within the first 2-3 months.

Parents are often anxious about touching the fontanelles, but they are protected by a tough membrane and normal gentle handling will not cause harm. The fontanelles serve an important purpose: they allow the brain to grow rapidly during the first year of life. Healthcare providers monitor the fontanelles during checkups, as a bulging fontanelle may indicate increased pressure, while a sunken fontanelle can be a sign of dehydration.

Skin Color and Birthmarks

Newborn skin color varies widely and continues to change during the first year. Many babies have common, harmless birthmarks including salmon patches (stork bites) on the eyelids, forehead, or back of the neck, Mongolian spots (blue-gray patches on the lower back and buttocks, particularly common in babies with darker skin tones), and strawberry hemangiomas (raised red marks that may grow initially but typically shrink and disappear by age 5-10). If you notice any unusual marks or changes in your baby's skin, mention them to your healthcare provider at the next visit.

Eyes and Vision

Newborns can see at birth, but their vision is limited to about 20-30 centimeters (8-12 inches), roughly the distance between a breastfeeding baby and the parent's face. Their eyes may appear slightly swollen or puffy from the pressure of delivery. Many Caucasian babies are born with blue or gray eyes that may change color over the first year as melanin production increases. It is normal for newborns' eyes to occasionally cross or wander independently, as the muscles controlling eye movement are still developing. Persistent crossing after 3-4 months should be evaluated by a healthcare provider.

What Are Normal Newborn Reflexes?

Healthy newborns are born with several primitive reflexes that indicate proper neurological development. These include the Moro (startle) reflex, rooting reflex, sucking reflex, grasp reflex, and stepping reflex. These automatic responses are assessed by healthcare providers as part of the newborn examination and gradually disappear over the first 3-6 months as voluntary movements develop.

Newborn reflexes are involuntary muscle responses to specific stimuli that are present from birth. They represent some of the earliest evidence of a functioning nervous system and have evolved over millions of years to help babies survive their most vulnerable period. When pediatricians and midwives examine a newborn, they systematically test these reflexes to assess neurological health. The presence, strength, and symmetry of these reflexes provide valuable information about the baby's brain and spinal cord development.

Understanding these reflexes can help new parents make sense of their baby's sometimes startling movements. What may appear as random jerking, grasping, or mouth movements are actually carefully programmed responses that serve specific survival functions. Most primitive reflexes disappear between 3 and 6 months of age as the developing brain begins to take more conscious control over movement. The absence of an expected reflex, or the persistence of a reflex beyond its normal timeframe, may prompt further evaluation by a healthcare provider.

It is important to remember that every baby develops at their own pace, and slight variations in reflex strength and timing are normal. Premature babies may show weaker reflexes initially, reflecting their earlier stage of neurological development, but these typically strengthen as they reach their corrected gestational age.

Why Is Skin-to-Skin Contact So Important?

Skin-to-skin contact (kangaroo care) is one of the most beneficial practices for newborns and parents. Research shows it helps regulate the baby's body temperature, heart rate, and breathing; promotes breastfeeding success; reduces crying; strengthens the parent-infant bond; and supports healthy brain development. The WHO recommends immediate skin-to-skin contact after birth for at least one hour.

The practice of placing a newborn directly on a parent's bare chest immediately after birth has been extensively studied and is now recognized as one of the most powerful interventions in neonatal care. Skin-to-skin contact, also known as kangaroo care (a term originally coined for premature infant care in Colombia in the 1970s), triggers a cascade of physiological and hormonal responses in both baby and parent that support the transition to life outside the womb.

When a baby is placed skin-to-skin on a parent's chest, the parent's body acts as a biological thermoregulator. Studies published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (2023) demonstrate that the parent's chest temperature adjusts automatically to warm a cool baby or cool a warm baby, maintaining the newborn's temperature more effectively than an incubator for stable term infants. This remarkable thermoregulation occurs because the parent's skin responds to the baby's body temperature through peripheral thermoreceptors.

Beyond temperature regulation, skin-to-skin contact stimulates the release of oxytocin in both parent and baby. This hormone, often called the "bonding hormone," promotes feelings of love, trust, and attachment. In the baby, oxytocin helps calm the stress response associated with birth, lowering cortisol levels and heart rate. In the mother, oxytocin stimulates milk let-down and uterine contractions, which help reduce postpartum bleeding. Fathers and partners who practice skin-to-skin contact also experience elevated oxytocin levels, fostering their own unique bond with the newborn.

Research consistently shows that babies who receive early and frequent skin-to-skin contact cry less, sleep better, breastfeed more successfully, and gain weight more steadily than those who do not. A systematic review of 46 randomized controlled trials found that skin-to-skin contact significantly increased breastfeeding duration and exclusivity. The benefits extend to premature infants, where kangaroo care has been shown to reduce mortality, infection rates, and length of hospital stay.

How to Practice Skin-to-Skin

Skin-to-skin contact is simple and can be practiced by both parents. Undress the baby down to a diaper and place them upright on your bare chest, with the baby's head turned to one side and the airway clear. Cover the baby's back with a warm blanket. The WHO recommends at least one hour of uninterrupted contact immediately after birth, but the benefits continue throughout the newborn period and beyond. Many neonatal units now encourage parents to practice skin-to-skin for several hours each day, especially with premature or sick infants.

Benefits for Premature Babies

For premature infants, kangaroo care has been transformative. The WHO recommends kangaroo mother care as standard practice for all newborns weighing less than 2000 grams. Research published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that continuous kangaroo care initiated immediately after birth reduced neonatal mortality by 25% compared to conventional incubator care. The close contact stabilizes the baby's vital signs, promotes brain development, and supports more consistent weight gain through improved feeding patterns.

How Often Should a Newborn Baby Eat?

Newborn babies typically need to feed every 2-3 hours, which means 8-12 feeding sessions in 24 hours. The WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months. In the early days, the mother produces colostrum, a nutrient-dense first milk, before transitional and mature milk come in around day 3-5. Signs of adequate feeding include 6 or more wet diapers per day and steady weight gain after the initial loss.

Feeding is the primary activity of a newborn's life, occupying a significant portion of their waking hours. Understanding the normal feeding patterns, hunger cues, and physiological changes that occur in the first weeks helps parents feel confident that their baby is getting the nutrition they need. Whether breastfeeding or formula feeding, the goal is the same: providing adequate nutrition while fostering the emotional connection that comes with feeding.

In the first hours after birth, the baby's stomach is remarkably small, roughly the size of a cherry (about 5-7 milliliters). This is why colostrum, the thick, golden first milk produced by the breast, comes in small but highly concentrated amounts. Colostrum is sometimes called "liquid gold" because of its exceptional nutritional and immunological properties. It contains high concentrations of antibodies (particularly secretory IgA), white blood cells, growth factors, and nutrients that protect the newborn's immature immune system and help establish healthy gut bacteria.

By day 3-5, most mothers notice their milk "coming in," a transition from colostrum to transitional milk and eventually mature milk. This process is driven by hormonal changes following delivery, particularly the drop in progesterone and the rise in prolactin. The breasts may feel fuller, warmer, and sometimes uncomfortable during this transition. Frequent feeding and proper latch are the most effective ways to establish a good milk supply, as breast milk production operates on a supply-and-demand principle: the more the baby feeds, the more milk the body produces.

The frequency of newborn feeding often surprises new parents. Newborns may want to feed every 1-3 hours, with some periods of cluster feeding where the baby feeds very frequently for several hours, particularly in the evening. Cluster feeding is a normal behavior that helps stimulate milk production and is not a sign that the baby is not getting enough milk. Learning to recognize hunger cues, such as lip-smacking, turning the head, bringing hands to mouth, and fussing, allows parents to feed responsively rather than on a rigid schedule.

Signs of Adequate Feeding

One of the most common concerns for new parents is whether the baby is getting enough milk. Since you cannot measure the volume of breast milk consumed, healthcare providers rely on several reliable indicators of adequate nutrition. After the initial weight loss period (which is normal and explained in the next section), the baby should begin gaining approximately 20-30 grams per day. By day 4-5, the baby should produce at least 6 wet diapers per day and 3-4 bowel movements. The baby should appear satisfied after feeds and have periods of calm alertness.

• Wet diapers: At least 6 per day by day 4-5, indicating adequate hydration
• Stool frequency: 3-4 per day in first weeks; yellow, seedy stools indicate good milk intake
• Weight gain: 20-30 grams per day after initial loss; birth weight regained by 10-14 days
• Feeding behavior: Baby feeds actively with audible swallowing, seems satisfied after feeds
• Alertness: Baby has periods of quiet alertness and responds to stimulation

Formula Feeding

For parents who choose or need to formula feed, modern infant formulas are carefully designed to provide complete nutrition for newborns. Formula-fed babies typically feed every 3-4 hours, consuming approximately 60-90 milliliters per feeding in the first weeks, gradually increasing as they grow. It is important to prepare formula according to the manufacturer's instructions, using the correct ratio of water to powder, and to use clean, sterilized bottles and nipples. Formula feeding also provides an opportunity for other family members to share in feeding and bonding with the baby.

Is It Normal for Newborns to Lose Weight?

Yes, it is completely normal for newborns to lose up to 7-10% of their birth weight in the first 3-5 days of life. This initial weight loss is primarily due to fluid loss and the small volume of colostrum consumed. Most healthy babies regain their birth weight by 10-14 days of age. Weight loss exceeding 10% or failure to regain birth weight by 2 weeks may indicate feeding difficulties requiring medical evaluation.

The initial weight loss after birth is one of the most common sources of anxiety for new parents, yet it is a normal and expected part of the newborn period. Understanding why it happens and what the expected trajectory looks like can provide significant reassurance. All newborns, whether breastfed or formula-fed, experience some degree of weight loss in the first days of life, though the pattern may differ slightly between the two groups.

Several physiological factors contribute to this initial weight loss. During pregnancy, the baby accumulates extra fluid that is gradually eliminated through urine and stool after birth. The first stool, called meconium, is a thick, dark green-black substance composed of amniotic fluid, mucus, bile, and cells shed from the intestinal lining. Passing meconium accounts for a significant portion of the initial weight loss. Additionally, the small volumes of colostrum consumed in the first 2-3 days, while nutritionally complete, are not yet sufficient to match the baby's metabolic needs, leading to the utilization of stored energy reserves.

Research published in the journal Pediatrics shows that breastfed babies typically experience their maximum weight loss around day 3-4, losing an average of 6-7% of birth weight. Formula-fed babies tend to lose slightly less, averaging around 3-4%. By day 5-7, most babies have turned the corner and begin gaining weight. The expected weight gain thereafter is approximately 20-30 grams per day (about 150-200 grams per week) for the first three months.

Healthcare providers monitor newborn weight closely in the first weeks, typically weighing the baby at discharge from hospital, at 3-5 days of age, and again at 2 weeks. If weight loss exceeds 10% of birth weight, or if the baby has not regained birth weight by 14 days, the healthcare provider will evaluate feeding technique, assess for medical causes, and develop a plan to support adequate nutrition. Early intervention in these cases is important to prevent complications such as dehydration or hypoglycemia.

How Much Do Newborn Babies Sleep?

Newborn babies sleep approximately 16-17 hours per day, but in short intervals of 2-4 hours spread across day and night. They do not yet have a developed circadian rhythm and cannot distinguish between day and night. Sleep cycles are much shorter than in adults, lasting only 20-50 minutes. Most babies begin developing longer nighttime sleep stretches by 3-4 months of age.

Sleep is a critical component of newborn development, yet it is also the aspect of new parenthood that most dramatically affects parents' daily lives. Newborns spend the majority of their time sleeping, but their sleep patterns bear little resemblance to adult sleep. Understanding the biology behind newborn sleep can help parents set realistic expectations and navigate the challenging first weeks with greater confidence and less frustration.

The newborn brain is developing at an extraordinary rate, forming approximately 1 million new neural connections every second. Sleep plays a vital role in this process, particularly active sleep (the infant equivalent of REM sleep), which accounts for about 50% of a newborn's total sleep time compared to only 20-25% in adults. During active sleep, you may notice your baby twitching, making facial expressions, moving their eyes beneath closed lids, and even making small sounds. This is not restless sleep but rather an essential period of brain development during which neural pathways are being strengthened and consolidated.

Newborns cycle between active sleep and quiet sleep in intervals of approximately 20-50 minutes, much shorter than the 90-minute sleep cycles of adults. They also lack a developed circadian rhythm, the internal clock that tells us when it is day and night. This biological clock begins to develop around 6-8 weeks of age, with most babies showing a preference for longer nighttime sleep by 3-4 months. Parents can help encourage circadian rhythm development by exposing the baby to natural daylight during the day and keeping nighttime feeds dim and quiet.

Safe Sleep Guidelines

Safe sleep practices are among the most important health recommendations for newborns. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines, updated in 2022, provide clear evidence-based recommendations to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and other sleep-related deaths. SIDS remains the leading cause of death in infants between 1 and 12 months of age in many countries, but adherence to safe sleep practices has dramatically reduced its incidence since the "Back to Sleep" campaign began in 1994.

• Back to sleep: Always place babies on their back for every sleep, including naps
• Firm, flat surface: Use a firm mattress with a fitted sheet in a safety-approved crib or bassinet
• Nothing in the crib: No pillows, blankets, bumpers, stuffed animals, or loose bedding
• Room sharing: Baby should sleep in the parents' room (but not in the parents' bed) for at least the first 6 months
• Avoid overheating: Dress baby in a sleep sack rather than loose blankets; room temperature 20-22°C (68-72°F)
• Pacifier use: Offering a pacifier at sleep time may reduce SIDS risk (wait until breastfeeding is established)

How Do Newborns Experience the World?

Newborns are born with all five senses functional, though each is at a different stage of development. They can see faces at close range (20-30 cm), hear and recognize their parent's voice from the womb, have a strong sense of smell that helps them find the breast, and are highly sensitive to touch. These sensory abilities help newborns bond with their caregivers and begin learning about the world from the moment of birth.

The sensory world of a newborn is often underestimated. While their sensory systems are immature compared to older children and adults, newborns arrive with a remarkable array of perceptual abilities that have been developing since the second trimester of pregnancy. Each sense plays a specific role in survival, bonding, and early learning, and understanding these capabilities can help parents interact with their baby in meaningful ways from the very first day.

Hearing is one of the most developed senses at birth. The auditory system begins functioning around 24-26 weeks of gestation, meaning that by the time of birth, the baby has already been listening to sounds for several months. Research shows that newborns preferentially respond to their mother's voice, recognizing it from the patterns heard in the womb. They are particularly attuned to the frequencies of human speech and may turn toward voices or become calm when spoken to softly. This is why talking, singing, and reading to your baby from birth is not only comforting but also lays the foundation for language development.

Smell is another remarkably developed sense in newborns. Within hours of birth, babies can distinguish the scent of their own mother's breast milk from that of another mother. This olfactory ability plays a crucial role in breastfeeding initiation, as the scent of the breast guides the baby during the breast crawl, a phenomenon where a newborn placed on the mother's abdomen can instinctively crawl toward the breast and begin feeding. The areola secretes substances with an odor similar to amniotic fluid, providing a familiar scent bridge between the womb and the outside world.

Touch is the first sense to develop in utero and remains the primary means through which newborns experience comfort and security. The skin is the largest sensory organ, and newborns are particularly sensitive to gentle stroking, warmth, and the feeling of being held. Research in developmental neuroscience has shown that responsive touch activates the release of oxytocin and endorphins in the baby's brain, reducing stress hormones and promoting calm, alert states. This is one of the key reasons why skin-to-skin contact is so beneficial.

Taste is also functional at birth, with newborns showing clear preferences for sweet flavors (such as breast milk) and an aversion to bitter or sour tastes. Studies have shown that babies whose mothers consumed certain flavors during pregnancy may show a preference for those flavors in breast milk, suggesting that taste learning begins before birth.

What Health Checks Does a Newborn Need?

Newborns undergo several important health assessments in the first weeks of life. These include the Apgar score at 1 and 5 minutes after birth, a comprehensive physical examination within 72 hours, newborn metabolic screening (heel prick test), hearing screening, and regular weight checks. These screenings help detect conditions early when treatment is most effective.

The first days and weeks after birth involve a series of carefully designed health assessments that collectively ensure your baby is healthy and developing normally. These checks have been refined over decades of medical research and have dramatically improved the early detection and treatment of conditions that, if undetected, could cause serious health problems. Understanding what to expect can help parents feel more prepared and participate actively in their baby's healthcare.

The very first assessment begins within moments of birth with the Apgar score, developed by Dr. Virginia Apgar in 1952 and still used universally today. This quick evaluation assesses five criteria: heart rate, respiratory effort, muscle tone, reflex irritability, and skin color. Each is scored from 0 to 2, giving a total score of 0-10. The test is performed at 1 minute and 5 minutes after birth. A score of 7 or above at 5 minutes indicates good condition, though lower scores, particularly at the 1-minute mark, are common and do not necessarily predict long-term outcomes. The Apgar score helps healthcare providers quickly identify babies who may need additional support during the transition to breathing air.

Within the first 24-72 hours, a comprehensive newborn physical examination is performed by a pediatrician or trained midwife. This head-to-toe examination checks the baby's heart sounds, breathing, hip stability, eyes (using the red reflex test), genitalia, spine, skin, and neurological reflexes. Special attention is paid to the heart, as congenital heart defects are among the most common birth defects, affecting approximately 1 in 100 babies. Many hospitals also perform pulse oximetry screening, a painless test that measures blood oxygen levels, to detect critical congenital heart disease.

Newborn Screening Tests

The newborn metabolic screening, commonly known as the heel prick test, is typically performed 48-72 hours after birth. A few drops of blood are collected from the baby's heel and tested for a panel of rare but serious metabolic, hormonal, and genetic conditions. The specific conditions screened for vary by country, but commonly include phenylketonuria (PKU), congenital hypothyroidism, cystic fibrosis, sickle cell disease, and medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (MCADD). Early detection of these conditions through screening allows treatment to begin before symptoms develop, often preventing irreversible damage.

Newborn hearing screening is now standard practice in most countries, as early detection of hearing loss is critical for speech and language development. The test, which uses either otoacoustic emissions (OAE) or auditory brainstem response (ABR), is painless and usually performed while the baby sleeps. Approximately 1-3 in every 1,000 babies are born with significant hearing loss. When detected early and appropriately managed, the outcomes for language development are significantly better than when hearing loss is diagnosed later.

Vitamin K and Newborn Vaccinations

Most newborns receive a vitamin K injection shortly after birth. Newborns are born with very low levels of vitamin K, a nutrient essential for blood clotting. Without supplementation, a small number of babies develop vitamin K deficiency bleeding (VKDB), a potentially life-threatening condition. A single injection at birth virtually eliminates this risk. The first dose of hepatitis B vaccine is also typically given within 24 hours of birth in many countries, beginning the important process of childhood immunization. Your healthcare provider will discuss the recommended vaccination schedule for your area.

When Should You See a Doctor for Your Newborn?

Seek immediate medical attention if your newborn has difficulty breathing, a temperature above 38°C (100.4°F), persistent vomiting, refuses to feed for more than 6 hours, has fewer than 6 wet diapers per day after day 4, appears unusually lethargic, develops worsening jaundice, or has a blue tint to the lips or tongue. Trust your instincts; if something feels wrong, always call your healthcare provider.

While most newborns are healthy and the vast majority of variations in appearance, behavior, and feeding are entirely normal, there are certain signs and symptoms that warrant prompt medical evaluation. New parents often worry about distinguishing normal newborn behaviors from potential problems, and this uncertainty is completely understandable. The guiding principle is simple: when in doubt, seek medical advice. Healthcare professionals would always rather assess a healthy baby and provide reassurance than miss a baby who needs treatment.

Understanding the warning signs specific to the newborn period empowers parents to act quickly when necessary. The neonatal immune system is immature, meaning that infections can progress rapidly in very young babies. Unlike older children, newborns may not always display the classic signs of illness such as high fever. Instead, they may simply appear "different" from their usual behavior, feeding poorly, sleeping excessively, or being unusually irritable. These subtle changes are often the first indication that something may require medical attention.

Jaundice, the yellowing of the skin and eyes caused by elevated bilirubin levels, is one of the most common conditions in newborns, affecting approximately 60% of term babies and 80% of premature babies. Mild jaundice is usually harmless and resolves on its own within 1-2 weeks. However, severe or rapidly worsening jaundice requires treatment (usually phototherapy) to prevent bilirubin from reaching levels that could damage the brain. If your baby's skin or the whites of their eyes appear increasingly yellow, particularly below the chest, or if the baby is difficult to wake, feeding poorly, or has a high-pitched cry, contact your healthcare provider immediately.

Common Non-Emergency Concerns

Many newborn conditions, while alarming to new parents, are common and typically resolve without treatment. These include cradle cap (crusty, scaly patches on the scalp), baby acne (small red bumps on the face appearing around 2-4 weeks), hiccups (which are harmless and common after feeding), sneezing (a way of clearing nasal passages, not necessarily indicating a cold), and irregular breathing patterns (periodic breathing with brief pauses of up to 10 seconds is normal in newborns). Mention these at your next routine checkup, but they rarely require urgent evaluation.

How Can You Bond with Your Newborn Baby?

Bonding with your newborn develops naturally through everyday interactions: skin-to-skin contact, feeding, talking, singing, and responding to your baby's cues. Research shows bonding is not always instant and may develop gradually over weeks and months. Both parents can bond effectively with their newborn, and seeking support from healthcare professionals is important if you are struggling with the emotional adjustment to parenthood.

The process of bonding with a newborn is one of the most profound human experiences, yet it does not always follow the idealized narrative of instant, overwhelming love at first sight. For some parents, the connection is immediate and powerful; for others, it develops gradually over days and weeks of caring for their baby. Both experiences are completely normal, and research in developmental psychology has shown that the quality of the parent-infant bond is built through consistent, responsive caregiving over time rather than through a single magical moment.

The foundation of bonding lies in responsive parenting, the practice of recognizing and appropriately responding to your baby's signals. When a baby cries and a parent responds with comfort, when a baby makes eye contact and the parent smiles back, when a baby roots and the parent offers feeding, these repeated cycles of communication create what psychologists call a "secure attachment." This attachment style, extensively studied by developmental researchers, is associated with better emotional regulation, social skills, and cognitive development throughout childhood and into adulthood.

Talking and singing to your baby may feel strange at first, especially before the baby can respond with words, but these interactions are enormously important. Newborns are primed to listen to human voices and begin learning the rhythm and patterns of language from their earliest days. Research has shown that babies who are spoken to more in infancy develop larger vocabularies and stronger language skills as toddlers. The content of what you say matters less than the act of communicating: narrating your daily activities, describing what you see, or simply telling your baby how much you love them all contribute to brain development.

It is important to acknowledge that the postnatal period can be emotionally challenging for many parents. Postnatal depression and anxiety affect approximately 10-20% of mothers and up to 10% of fathers. Difficulty bonding with the baby, persistent sadness, anxiety, irritability, or intrusive thoughts are not signs of failure but symptoms of a treatable medical condition. If you or your partner are struggling with your mental health after the birth, please reach out to your healthcare provider. Early intervention leads to better outcomes for both parents and baby.

Tips for Both Parents

• Practice skin-to-skin: Both parents benefit from holding the baby against bare skin
• Make eye contact: Gaze into your baby's eyes during feeds, diaper changes, and quiet moments
• Respond to cries: You cannot "spoil" a newborn; responding builds trust and security
• Share caregiving: Diaper changes, bathing, and soothing are all bonding opportunities
• Be patient with yourself: Bonding is a process, not an event; it deepens over time