Newborn care: the first 6 weeks
Start with the question you need answered today. A short record of the last feed or waking can be more useful than trying to make every day look complete. This collection brings together early feeding, newborn sleep and support for the adults doing the care.
Make the next handover easier
Agree which details each caregiver will record: feed start and finish, feeding type, last breast side when relevant, and the last known waking time. A blank is better than an invented time. Keep any instructions from your care team alongside the record, clearly labelled as their plan.
Choose the question you have today
Breastfeeding in the first week: feeds, nappies and milk coming in
What to expect day by day as you start breastfeeding, from colostrum and frequent feeds to nappy counts, sleepy babies and when to get help.
Bottle feeding basics: equipment, sterilising and safe feeds
What you need to bottle feed, how to clean and sterilise bottles, how to give a calm feed, warming, safety rules and when to move to a cup.
Newborn sleep patterns: what to expect from 0 to 12 weeks
How much newborns sleep, why they wake so often, what normal sleep noises look like, and how sleep changes over the first 12 weeks.
Safe sleep for babies: the rules for every sleep, and why
The safe sleep recommendations from Red Nose, the NHS, the Lullaby Trust, the AAP and NICHD, explained for every nap and night in the first year.
Recovery after birth: bleeding, stitches and warning signs
What's normal in the weeks after giving birth, from bleeding and stitches to weeing and pelvic floor, and which warning signs need help today or straight away.
How a partner can help after the birth: feeds, nights and mood
Practical ways a partner or support person can share feeds, nights and recovery, and spot postnatal depression or anxiety in either parent.
Put it into practice
Try a worked recording example or use the free printable feeding and sleep log. Neither needs an account. The guide library links to its health sources and states the guidance region.
See simple feed and sleep logging
Age is a way to organise reading, not a timetable for feeding, sleep or development. These collections have not been independently clinically reviewed. Use your child’s individual care plan and read our editorial standards.