Your baby in the first few days

The first few days of your baby's life are very exciting and they can also be tiring. A lot happens in this time.

In the first few days, you and your baby will be getting to know each other. You will start to notice their feeding cues (when they're hungry) and their tired signs (when they're sleepy). You will also learn how to keep them dry, fed and clean.

Health care staff at the hospital or in the community will check your baby is healthy and offer vaccinations.

Ask your hospital for a list of the things you will need when your baby arrives.

Young babies do not need very many belongings. Mainly, they just want to:

• be fed
• kept warm
• have their nappy changed
• spend lots of time with you

A simple cot or bassinet that is set up safely. Babies grow very quickly. All you will need at first are enough clothes for a week and some wraps. Depending on the time of year, you may also need:

• vests
• cardigans
• wool hats
• sun hats

You also want to have some nappies at home.

To take your baby home from hospital you will need an infant restraint for the car.

Every baby is different. You shouldn't set strict schedules in the first couple of months. It is better for you and your baby to follow a 'feed, play, sleep' cycle.

Your new baby will need 8 to 14 feeds or more every 24 hours including overnight feeds.

Most babies also sleep a lot — up to 14 to 17 hours in every 24 hours. But this might be for 2 to 4 hours at a time. In the first few weeks your baby won't know the difference between night and day.

It's also important to play with your newborn to help them develop. You may want to:

• take them for a walk
• sing a song or nursery rhyme
• show them some toys or a book

Read more about establishing a daily routine with your newborn.

Make sure you always put your baby to sleep:

• on their back
• with their head and face uncovered
• in a cot next to your bed for at least their first 6 to 12months

Breastfeeding has been shown to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome. It is also important to never let your baby near cigarette or vape smoke.

You can read more about Safe sleep for babies.

Keep your baby's umbilical cord stump clean and dry.

You only need to wash around the umbilical cord if it's dirty with urine or faeces. You can wash the stump with clean water and pat it dry with a towel.

When the cord stump falls off you can throw it in the bin.

You will be offered some tests for your baby, usually when they're between 48 and 72 hours old. Your baby will be given a heel prick blood test which is called newborn bloodspot screening.

This is when a midwife or nurse pricks your baby's heel to produce a small amount of blood. The blood is tested for:

• congenital hypothyroidism
• cystic fibrosis
• amino acid disorders, such as phenylketonuria (PKU)
• fatty acid oxidation disorders
• other metabolic disorders

If the results are normal, you will not be contacted. This is the case for more than 9 out of 10 babies.

Your baby will also be offered a hearing screening test. Hearing loss may not be easy to see in newborns but it can affect their speech and language development. You will be given the results as soon as the test is complete.

You'll be asked for permission before these tests are done.

You will be offered the first dose of your baby's hepatitis B vaccinations while you're in hospital. Hepatitis B can lead to chronic (ongoing) liver problems and liver cancer.

The hepatitis B vaccination is given as an injection into your baby's thigh.

Your local child health nurse will help you schedule your baby's next round of vaccinations. These are due at 2 months of age.

You will also be offered the vitamin K injection for your baby at the same time.

All babies in Australia are issued with an Infant Health Record at birth. Different states have different coloured Infant Health Record. In:

• Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, South Australia and Tasmania — it's blue
• Northern Territory — it's yellow
• Queensland — it's red
• Victoria — it's green
• Western Australia — it's purple

This records your child's:

• health
• illnesses
• injuries
• growth and development

It contains valuable health information that you and your child will need throughout their life.

You can also get a My Health Record for your baby when you register them for Medicare.

Your baby's first health check is usually at birth. They will then be checked in the first 1 to 4 weeks. With follow-ups at:

• 6 to 8 weeks
• 6 months
• 12 months

At these appointments, your doctor or child health nurse will check your baby's development including their:

• height
• weight
• head circumference

These will be recorded in your baby's health record.

Normal baby weight

Your baby will be examined and weighed by maternity staff soon after birth. They will be weighed again a few days later. This is to make sure that your baby is healthy and has not lost too much weight.

Normally babies lose up to 10% of their birth weight during the first few days. They will then start to regain this weight.

Their birth weight will often double by 4 to 6 months.

For more information and advice, you can talk with your doctor or midwife.

For help with breastfeeding, you can call the Australian Breastfeeding Association on 1800 686 268.

COPE provides online support for new parents.

Visit the Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Australia (PANDA) website for information and support. You can call the PANDA national helpline on 1300 726 306.