When Can Parents Stop Supporting Their Newborns?

Newborns require a lot of support from their caregivers, and it is important to know when and how to provide this support. In the first few weeks of life, a newborn's neck muscles are very weak, and they will need help supporting their head and neck. This support should be provided whenever the baby is not lying down, and they should always be securely fastened into strollers, car seats, and other accessories to prevent head flopping. Additionally, newborns have a higher risk of developing infections due to their underdeveloped immune systems and are more susceptible to serious infections such as sepsis and meningitis. Therefore, it is recommended to limit the number of visitors a newborn comes into close contact with and ensure that anyone handling the baby has clean hands and is up to date on their vaccines.

Newborns are susceptible to infections and serious illnesses, so visitors should be limited for the first two to three months

Newborns are extremely fragile, and their immune systems are not yet fully developed, making them susceptible to infections and serious illnesses. Therefore, it is crucial to take precautions to protect their health and safety.

One essential precaution is to limit visitors during the first two to three months of a newborn's life. Newborns are at a higher risk of developing infections from bacteria and viruses due to their underdeveloped immune systems. Diseases that might be minor for adults, such as RSV or influenza, can pose a severe threat to newborns. Their blood-brain barrier, which protects against infections entering the brain, is not yet fully formed, and they do not have the protection provided by vaccinations. As a result, even a mild fever in a newborn can be considered an emergency.

By limiting visitors, you reduce the risk of exposing the newborn to potential illnesses. This allows them to build up their immune system and decrease their vulnerability to infections. It also gives new parents the time and space to bond with their baby, establish a feeding schedule, and adjust to the demands of newborn care.

During this period of limited visitors, it is essential to implement risk mitigation strategies for those who do come into close contact with the newborn. These strategies include:

• Ensuring everyone washes their hands before handling the baby and during their visit.
• Avoiding kisses on the baby's face and encouraging kisses on the toes instead.
• Suggesting that visitors wear masks, especially N-95 or KN95 masks, to reduce the spread of respiratory droplets.
• Ensuring visitors are up to date on their vaccinations, including Tdap, flu, and COVID-19 vaccines.
• Asking visitors to stay home if they are feeling unwell, even if they have mild symptoms like a sniffle.

While there is no one-size-fits-all approach to newborn visits, taking these precautions will help protect the health and well-being of the newborn during their critical first months of life.

Newborns need constant attention and interaction to develop emotionally, physically, and intellectually

Emotional Development

Babies who develop a sense of security from their caregivers in the first year will be more independent, self-confident, and happier later. On the other hand, infants can become disconnected and develop sadness if they sense an unavailable parent. Therefore, it is important for caregivers to be attuned to their baby's cues and respond to them. This is known as "serve and return" interaction, which is crucial for healthy brain development.

Physical Development

Physical closeness and touch can help form an emotional link and support a newborn's physical development. For example, skin-to-skin contact (also called kangaroo care) can help calm and soothe babies, as well as regulate their heartbeat. It is also important to support a newborn's head and neck as they have weak neck muscles and are at risk of injury if their head flops.

Intellectual Development

By talking to your baby, you are laying the groundwork for language development. The talking that parents do helps build an understanding of language, and a baby who doesn't have good receptive skills won't have good expressive skills. Additionally, by carrying your baby in a sling or Snugli, they can see what you are doing, which is good for their mental development.

Newborns need to be fed on demand—breastfed babies should feed whenever they want, and formula-fed babies eat every 1-3 hours

Newborns have tiny bellies and don't need a lot of milk with each feeding to be full. In the first few days, babies generally only need about 1/2 an ounce to 1 ounce during each feeding. This gradually increases over time.

Breastfed babies should feed on demand, or whenever they want. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), newborns might want to eat every 1 to 3 hours during their first few days. "Frequent feeding helps increase your milk supply and gives your baby practice at sucking and swallowing," says the CDC.

Most newborns eat every two to three hours, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). They recommend feeding babies when they seem hungry. This is known as feeding on demand or feeding whenever your baby shows hunger cues.

Formula-fed babies can be fed slightly less frequently than breastfed babies, with feedings spaced out by about three to four hours. This is because they are able to take in more during feedings than breastfed infants.

Babies will generally take what they need at each feeding and stop eating when they are full. They should seem content and drowsy after feeding when they have had enough milk.

Newborns sleep about 16 hours a day but only for 1-2 hours at a time

Newborns typically sleep for 16 hours a day, but only for 1-2 hours at a time. This is because newborns need to be fed regularly, and their tiny tummies get hungry soon after feeding. These short bursts of sleep and wakefulness are normal and an important part of a newborn's growth.

Newborns don't know the difference between day and night. They don't have established sleep-wake rhythms, so they wake up frequently during the night, often because they need to be fed or changed. At around three months of age, they may start to learn the rhythm of day and night.

You can help your newborn learn to sleep more at night by exposing them to light and playing with them gently during the day, and providing a dim and quiet environment at night. It's also important to create positive sleep associations for your newborn. For example, holding your baby until they fall asleep can create a negative sleep association, resulting in them needing to be held to fall asleep.

Sleep cycles for newborns are usually around 20 to 50 minutes long and consist of active sleep and quiet sleep. During active sleep, a newborn may move, groan, open their eyes, cry out, or breathe noisily or irregularly. During quiet sleep, they will lie relatively still and their breathing will be more even.

It's normal for newborns to wake between sleep cycles, and as they get older, they will learn to settle themselves and fall back to sleep. Different babies have different temperaments, personalities, and self-settling abilities, so it's important to recognise and respond to your baby's tired signs and use a routine that works for you and your family.

Newborns need tummy time to build head, neck, and upper body strength

Newborns have very weak neck muscles, so they need support for their heads during the first few weeks of life. They will gain enough strength to hold their heads up on their own by around 2 months old, with most mastering the skill by 4 months old. By 5 or 6 months, they will likely have full head control.

Tummy time is one of the best exercises for newborns to build head, neck, and upper body strength. It helps them use their neck to lift their head, which they don't need to do as much when lying on their back. Tummy time also helps babies to develop the muscles they need to roll over, sit up, crawl, and walk.

• Start with short sessions of a few minutes, two to three times a day, gradually increasing the time until you reach a total of 20 minutes per session.
• By 3 months, your baby should be able to raise their head 90 degrees and do mini push-ups during tummy time.
• Get down to your baby's eye level during tummy time and talk and smile at them.
• Make some noise or shake a rattle to get your baby to look up and push up.
• Always stay with your baby during tummy time and do it on a low, safe surface.
• If your baby doesn't seem to enjoy tummy time, add some variety with songs, colourful toys, or getting others to join you.

Tummy time is important for building your baby's strength and motor skills, so don't give up if they don't like it at first!

Frequently asked questions