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Your newborn: do's and don't for the first few weeks

Dad cradling newborn From the nerve-wracking first feed to the constant roundabout of nappy changes, taking care of a newborn involves learning a whole new skill set. Read our tips and brace yourselves…

The first time you hold your baby, you’ll probably feel joy and terror in equal measure. The joy – give or take the odd sleepless night or stinky nappy – is for keeps. But the terror is easily diminished once you get a basic grip on the dos and don’ts of looking after a newborn. With that in mind, here are a few pointers.

Holding

Newborns are much tougher than they look. And they'll let you know in no uncertain terms if they feel uncomfortable or insecure. Just remember... the more you hold them, the more they'll get used to you.

First up, most of us feel like a clumsy oaf handling our offspring when they're really little. Those pink, chubby little mites look pretty fragile and, if you’re not used to babies, handling them can be nerve-wracking.

Happily though, newborns are far tougher than they look. And they’ll let you know in no uncertain terms if they feel uncomfortable or insecure. Just remember: the more you hold them, the more they'll get used to you.

If your baby’s lying down, scoop up with both arms, one hand/forearm supporting the bottom and the other under the shoulders and beneath the head - you'll get a feel for it. Take care to make sure the head is safe as supporting their head with their neck muscles is a challenge for most babies until they’re six months old.
If you’re on the move, a baby carrier is a great idea – and babies love being close to their parent’s warm body.
Baby's home: what next?

Crying

Another thing that freaks even the most unflappable first-time dad is crying.

You’d better get used to it though, as it’s baby’s only way to tell you he's hungry, wet, cold, tired, sick of your Arctic Monkeys CD... whatever he feels, very intensely, at that moment.

Even completely healthy newborns cry for between one and three hours a day.

The hardest thing can be figuring out what he wants, and it can be upsetting when you don’t know how to comfort him. But you’ll soon recognise his crying patterns and start anticipating his needs – you’ll know when he is ready for the next feed before he does.
Babies cry for a few predictable reasons: normally because they need food, a clean nappy, to be comfortable or simply because they want a cuddle.
Hanging out with a newborn

Feeding

If your partner’s breastfeeding, all the early feeding will be down to her, but there's a lot you can do to support her. See our breastfeeding article (link below).

She will also need your encouragement and support - after all, she is providing the best nutrition for your baby, and one of the biggest factors that determines whether she will be able to do this sucessfully is whether or not she gets your support.

Breastfeeding: how it works

If your partner isn't breastfeeding, you need to follow the step-by-step instructions on the formula milk tin as it is important to make up the feeds correctly.

Only make up a feed you're going to use straight away as it is now recommended that you don't store made up feeds in the fridge.
You’ll also need a steriliser to keep all the bottle bits germ-free.
When your baby feeds, just make sure your baby is not sucking in too much air by holding him at a 45-degree angle and tilting the bottle so the teat and neck are always filled with milk. And vary the side they lie on to encourage head turning in both directions.
Don't make your baby finish a bottle - you'll come to know the signs that they're finished feeding themselves. And leave plenty of time for the little mite to get the air out of their belly with a few hearty belches.
Moving from breast to bottle

Bathtime

The last two new-dad skills to master are bathing and nappy-changing (yes, you).

For the first couple of weeks, it’s easiest to top and tail them with a warm, wet flannel.

Make sure the room’s warm and lay the baby on a clean, warm towel. The main areas to clean are the eyes, neck, face and ears – plus the bottom/genital area.

Nappies

That leads us nicely on to nappy changing. Everyone’s crappy with nappies at first, so the most important thing is to persevere.

while most folk opt for disposables, washable nappies are also available (So Organic | Real Nappy Campaign). There is a debate about the relative eco-friendly merits of each, so just go with whatever you feel happiest with.

Make sure you change your baby's nappy regularly to avoid nappy rash.
Be prepared – have a clean nappy, bin bag, baby wipes and cream if your baby has a rash.
You can get the briliant DadGear nappy changing bags designed for men from our shop
Newborn bums can't handle the perfumed wipes for the first few weeks, so just use plain warm water on their behinds.
During these first weeks, you'll also need to take care of the cord area. There may be a little bit of cord still attached to the belly button or it may have come off. Either way it needs to be cleaned carefully with plain water to prevent infection.

And that’s about it. The bottom line (no pun intended) is that practice will make perfect - the more you do it, the better you'll get. Having a kid is one of life’s great adventures – so relax and enjoy it!

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Author

Dan Roberts is a feature-writer and columnist with over ten years’ experience of working for The Guardian, The Observer, The Independent, Daily Express and Mail on Sunday, as well as numerous national magazines. His areas of expertise include health, wellbeing, relationships, psychology and parenting. Dan also writes two monthly columns, including Diary of a Single Dad, a humorous but affectionate account of raising his ten-year-old son, Ben. The best of Dan’s work can be found on his website at www.dan-roberts.net