Newborns prefer to be held for comfort, security, and regulation, as it mimics the womb with familiar sounds (heartbeat, voice), warmth, and gentle movement, helping stabilize their breathing, heart rate, and temperature while promoting bonding and releasing oxytocin. Being held meets their instinctive need for closeness and protection, as they are born underdeveloped and rely on caregivers for survival and development, fostering attachment and reducing stress.
It's natural and pretty common for newborns to prefer being held for sleep — there's nothing like the comfort and warmth of a caregiver. And babies this age aren't developmentally ready to consistently fall asleep and stay asleep on their own just yet.
When you hold your son, he feels your body warmth and hears your heartbeat, a sound familiar from inside the womb. He smells your scent. And when you cuddle him, he feels safe; it reminds him of the good old days back inside your belly. Plus, the closer he is, the more likely he is to receive your caresses and kisses.
You can't spoil a baby. Contrary to popular myth, it's impossible for parents to hold or respond to a baby too much, child development experts say. Infants need constant attention to give them the foundation to grow emotionally, physically and intellectually.
It's normal. It is ok to pass the baby off to be able to get some self-care time. Once the baby is asleep, have your partner hold the baby if possible. Learn how to baby wear and nurse at the same time!
The 5-3-3 rule is a loose guideline for structuring a baby's sleep schedule: 5 hours of wake time before the first nap, 3 hours of wake time before the second nap, and 3 hours before bedtime.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, infants should generally not spend more than two hours in their car seat at a time.* Think about it. You probably get fidgety after sitting for 2 hours — and remember, as an adult your movement is less restricted when using a lap-and-shoulder seat belt.
Since mom herself will be back on her period soon, there's no valid, medically-proven reason that someone's menstrual cycle would cause any harm to a newborn.
The 5-5-5 rule is a guideline for what kind of help a postpartum mom needs: five days in bed, five days round the bed — meaning minimal walking around — the next five days around the home. This practice will help you prioritize rest and recovery while gradually increasing activity.
That wide-eyed, round-mouthed “O face” your baby pulls isn't just for dramatic effect—it's actually part of newborn talking. This funny little expression usually means your baby's intrigued, alert, or trying to make sense of what they're seeing. It's their way of saying, “Whoa, what's that?”—without the vocabulary.
You will soon learn differences in your baby's cries, from a cry of "I'm hungry" to "I've been overstimulated." It's important to respond to your baby's cries. Contrary to some beliefs, young babies can't be spoiled by being picked up when crying. Being held is reassuring and comforting.
These include:
Some tips: Try a sling, baby carrier, wrap – anything that will keep the baby close to you but leave your hands free to do other things. If your baby seems unhappy in the baby carrier, try moving. Walk with big steps, dance a little, go outside if the weather is good.
1-3 Months
The first three months with your baby often seem the hardest. Sleep-deprived parents can feel overwhelmed, but that is normal and you will quickly learn how to read your baby's cues and personality. Don't worry about “spoiling” your baby at this stage.
Storage of milk depends on the temperature. Many people like to think of the rule of 4's: 4 hours at room temperature; 4 days in the refrigerator; 4 months in a refrigerator freezer with a separate door.
No, absolutely not. You cannot cuddle your baby too much. In fact, there are loads of benefits to cuddling your baby. Science tells us that cuddles strengthen the bond between parent and baby.
In almost all non-Western societies, 40 days after birth is seen as necessary for recuperation. Among most non-Western cultures, family members (especially female relatives) provide strong social support and help new mothers at home during this period.
"The first five to eight minutes of sleep is shallow sleep," she explained. "So if you immediately place their infant down after they're asleep, you'll hit the shallow sleep, they'll wake up and you'll be unsuccessful. That's why you want to wait for that five to eight minutes after the infant falls asleep.
If you need to go on a longer car journey, try to stop every 2 hours for a break and take them out of their car seat for a break – younger babies will need a feed or nappy change every couple of hours anyway, so try to work time for a decent break into all longer journeys.
For babies 5 months and older, aim to follow the 80/20 rule. That means, 80% of the time we try to have naps at home in an “ideal” sleep environment, and 20% of the time we can be flexible with naps outside of the crib or on-the-go.
The military sleep method emphasizes well-researched techniques that can promote a sense of calm and relaxation to help your brain and body prepare for sleep. But it's worth pointing out that no studies have been done on the method itself.
SIDS is less common after 8 months of age, but parents and caregivers should continue to follow safe sleep practices to reduce the risk of SIDS and other sleep-related causes of infant death until baby's first birthday. More than 90% of all SIDS deaths occur before 6 months of age.