Newborn Weeks

The journal

Read up while the baby naps

Long-form answers to the questions every parent ends up searching at 2 a.m. — researched, cited to sources like the American Academy of Pediatrics and the CDC, and written to be useful tonight.

Folded muslin swaddle blankets and a soft baby brush in a woven basket on a made bed Newborn basics · July 28, 2026 · 12 min read

Newborn Congestion: How to Safely Clear a Stuffy Nose (and What Not to Do)

Newborn stuffy nose? The AAP- and Cleveland Clinic-backed way to use saline drops and a bulb syringe, what to avoid, and exactly when to call your pediatrician.

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A cup of tea, a folded blanket and a small notebook on a side table in soft morning light Postpartum · 12 min read

Postpartum Bleeding (Lochia): What's Normal, What's Not, and When to Call

Postpartum bleeding (lochia) is normal for 4 to 6 weeks. Here's what each stage looks like, what's not normal, and when to call — with real sources.

Read the article Folded muslin swaddle blankets and a soft baby brush in a woven basket on a made bed Newborn basics · 13 min read

How to Change a Newborn Diaper: Step-by-Step, With What's Normal and What's Not

How to change a newborn diaper the way the AAP teaches it — step by step, with what's normal for wet and dirty diapers and when to call the pediatrician.

Read the article Folded muslin swaddle blankets and a soft baby brush in a woven basket on a made bed Newborn basics · 10 min read

Cradle Cap: What Causes Those Yellow Scales and How to Safely Get Rid of Them

Cradle cap is harmless, common, and usually clears on its own. The AAP- and dermatologist-backed way to safely loosen the scales and know when to call.

Read the article Folded muslin swaddle blankets and a soft baby brush in a woven basket on a made bed Newborn basics · 10 min read

How to Help a Gassy Newborn: What Actually Works (and What Doesn't)

Bicycle legs, burping mid-feed, tummy time — the AAP-, Cleveland Clinic-, and CHOP-backed ways to help a gassy newborn, and what to skip.

Read the article An empty wooden crib with a soft knit blanket beside a curtained window at dusk Sleep · 12 min read

Safe Sleep for Newborns: The ABCs, What Belongs in the Crib, and What Doesn't

The AAP's safe sleep rules for newborns, in plain words: alone, on the back, in a crib — plus what to keep out of it and when to stop swaddling.

Read the article Folded muslin swaddle blankets and a soft baby brush in a woven basket on a made bed Newborn basics · 11 min read

Umbilical Cord Care: How to Care for the Stump, When It Falls Off, and When to Call

Umbilical cord care in plain terms: dry cord, no alcohol, sponge baths, and the signs of infection that mean call the pediatrician now.

Read the article Folded muslin swaddle blankets and a soft baby brush in a woven basket on a made bed Newborn basics · 12 min read

Newborn Poop: What's Normal, What's Not, and When to Call the Doctor

A calm, sourced guide to newborn poop: meconium timing, mustard-yellow vs peanut-butter, how often to expect it, and the four colors that mean call the doctor.

Read the article Folded muslin swaddle blankets and a soft baby brush in a woven basket on a made bed Newborn basics · 13 min read

Newborn Fever: When to Call the Doctor, When to Go to the ER, and How to Take a Baby's Temperature

For a baby under 3 months, a rectal temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher is a medical emergency. Here is exactly what to do — sourced.

Read the article A rocking chair with a folded knit throw beside a warm glowing lamp in the evening Soothing · 11 min read

How to Soothe a Crying Newborn: What Actually Works, and When It's Okay to Put the Baby Down

How to soothe a crying newborn using the moves the AAP actually recommends — swaddle, motion, sound, sucking — plus the safe way to take a break.

Read the article Folded muslin swaddle blankets and a soft baby brush in a woven basket on a made bed Newborn basics · 11 min read

Newborn Jaundice: What's Normal, What's Not, and When to Call

Newborn jaundice is common and usually harmless — but not always. Here is what causes it, when it peaks, when it fades, and the warning signs that mean call.

Read the article A clean glass baby bottle and a folded muslin cloth on a wooden kitchen counter in morning light Feeding · 10 min read

How to Burp a Baby: Three Positions, Timing, and When to Stop Trying

How to burp a baby, step by step — the three AAP positions, when to burp during a feed, and what to do when your baby just won't burp.

Read the article Folded muslin swaddle blankets and a soft baby brush in a woven basket on a made bed Newborn basics · 11 min read

How to Bathe a Newborn: Sponge Baths, First Tub Bath, Water Temp, and What Actually Matters

How to bathe a newborn safely, step by step: sponge baths until the cord falls off, water at about 100°F, two to three baths a week — sourced to the AAP.

Read the article Folded muslin swaddle blankets and a soft baby brush in a woven basket on a made bed Newborn basics · 12 min read

Tummy Time for Newborns: When to Start, How Much, and What to Do When They Cry

How to do tummy time with a newborn — start day one home, 3-5 minutes a few times a day, and calm ways to help a baby who hates it. AAP and NIH sources.

Read the article Folded muslin swaddle blankets and a soft baby brush in a woven basket on a made bed Newborn basics · 13 min read

What to Expect the First Week with a Newborn (Sourced, Honest, and Not Scary)

What the first week with a newborn actually looks like — feeding, sleep, diapers, weight loss, jaundice, and when to call — sourced to the AAP and Cleveland Clinic.

Read the article Folded muslin swaddle blankets and a soft baby brush in a woven basket on a made bed Newborn basics · 12 min read

Newborn Visitor Rules: The Ones Worth Enforcing (and How to Say Them)

Newborn visitor rules that actually protect your baby: what the AAP and CDC say about handwashing, Tdap, sick visitors, kissing, and the first two months.

Read the article A stack of tiny folded baby clothes and a woven basket on a sunlit dresser Pregnancy · 11 min read

Second Trimester Checklist: What to Actually Do in Weeks 13-27

A calm, sourced second trimester checklist: the tests to keep, the appointments to book, and the life-admin worth doing in weeks 13-27 — nothing invented.

Read the article A stack of tiny folded baby clothes and a woven basket on a sunlit dresser Pregnancy · 11 min read

First Trimester Checklist: What to Actually Do in Weeks 1-13

A calm, sourced first trimester checklist — book the appointment, start prenatals, foods to skip, and when to call — from MedlinePlus, FDA, and OWH.

Read the article A stack of tiny folded baby clothes and a woven basket on a sunlit dresser Pregnancy · 13 min read

The Third Trimester Checklist: What Actually Matters in the Last 12 Weeks

A calm, evidence-backed third trimester checklist: the vaccines, tests, decisions, and setup that actually matter between 28 weeks and delivery.

Read the article A neat pregnancy planning desk with a folded checklist notebook, a pen and a small potted plant in soft daylight Pregnancy · 11 min read

Pregnancy Checklist: What to Actually Do, Trimester by Trimester

A calm, source-cited pregnancy checklist: prenatal visits, tests, vitamins, vaccines, hospital bag, safe sleep setup, and the small things that matter most.

Read the article A cup of tea, a folded knit blanket and a small open notebook on a side table in gentle morning light Postpartum · 12 min read

The Fourth Trimester: What Actually Happens in the First 12 Weeks After Birth

The fourth trimester is the first 12 weeks after birth. What ACOG, the AAP, and Cleveland Clinic say to expect — for your body and your baby.

Read the article A nursing pillow and a folded muslin cloth on a cozy linen armchair beside a glass of water, warm afternoon light Feeding · 11 min read

Cluster Feeding: Why It Happens and How Long It Lasts

Cluster feeding is normal newborn behavior. Learn why babies suddenly nurse nonstop, how often newborns should eat, how long it lasts, and how to cope tonight.

Read the article A small travel bag, a folded baby blanket and knit booties on a bench beside a large airport window Out the door · 13 min read

Flying With a Newborn: Age Rules, TSA, and First-Flight Tips

Can you fly with a newborn? Airline age minimums, lap infant vs. car seat, TSA's real rules for breast milk and formula, ear pressure, and germ strategy.

Read the article Folded muslin swaddle blankets neatly stacked in a woven basket on a made bed in soft daylight Newborn basics · 10 min read

How to Swaddle a Baby: Step by Step, the Hip-Safe Way

How to swaddle a baby, step by step: snug at the chest, loose at the hips, always on their back. What the AAP, NIH, and hip experts actually say.

Read the article Woven baskets of neatly folded baby linens on a sunlit nursery shelf Pregnancy · 9 min read

Nesting During Pregnancy: When It Starts and How to Use It

Nesting during pregnancy is real: research finds it peaks in the third trimester. Learn when nesting starts, why it happens, and how to use the urge well.

Read the article Several clean glass baby bottles drying on a wooden rack by a sunny kitchen window Feeding · 13 min read

Newborn Feeding Schedule: How Often to Feed, by Age

How often should a newborn eat? A by-age feeding schedule for breastfed and formula-fed babies — amounts, night feeds, and when to wake a sleeping baby.

Read the article An empty wooden crib with a fitted sheet and a soft folded blanket beside a curtained window at dusk Sleep · 11 min read

Newborn Sleep Schedule: Realistic Rhythms and Wake Windows

How much newborns really sleep, what wake windows actually mean, how to fix day/night confusion, and a realistic daily rhythm — honest, AAP-sourced advice.

Read the article A dim living room at golden dusk, a knit blanket draped over an armchair and a softly glowing lamp Soothing · 13 min read

Newborn Witching Hour: Why It Happens and When It Ends

Baby melting down every evening? Why the newborn witching hour happens, how it differs from colic, what actually helps tonight, and when it finally ends.

Read the article A calm nursery corner at night with a bassinet, a rocking chair and a warm glowing lamp Hiring help · 14 min read

Night Nanny vs. Newborn Care Specialist vs. Postpartum Doula

Night nanny, newborn care specialist, or postpartum doula? Plain-English differences, what published guides say overnight help costs, and how to vet anyone.

Read the article A dim nursery at night with a bassinet, a small clock and a softly lit lamp on the dresser Hiring help · 12 min read

Night Nurse for a Newborn: What They Actually Do, What It Costs, and How to Hire One

A night nurse for a newborn: what the title really means, what a shift looks like, what it costs, and how to vet one — with AAP safe-sleep rules and honest cost ranges.

Read the article A single baby bottle standing beside a folded burp cloth on a wooden table in soft morning light Feeding · 8 min read

Paced Bottle Feeding: How to Slow the Bottle Down (and Why It Helps)

Paced bottle feeding lets your baby set the pace, not the bottle. The WIC- and AAP-backed way to slow feeds down and avoid overfeeding, gas, and choking.

Read the article A woven basket of soft folded towels, a water bottle and a cozy robe resting on a made bed in soft light Postpartum · 11 min read

Postpartum Essentials: What You Actually Need to Recover, According to the Guidance

Postpartum essentials that map to real recovery: peri bottle, pads, stool softener, checkup timing, and warning signs — every item source-cited.

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