🌸 The First Week Home: What New Moms Wish They Knew

The first week home with your baby is a whirlwind! A beautiful, emotional, exhausting blur that feels both magical and overwhelming. You spend months preparing for birth, and yet nothing fully prepares you for what it’s like when the hospital doors close behind you and it’s finally… just you and your baby.

If you’re in that first week (or it’s right around the corner), here’s what so many new moms wish they knew sooner, the things we don’t talk about nearly enough.

1. The First Week Is a Blur, And That’s Okay

Most moms describe the first 7 days as a mix of:

• joy

• exhaustion

• adrenaline

• uncertainty

• and a whole lot of Googling

You’re learning your baby, your baby is learning the world, and your body is healing all at once. There is no “normal” week one. There’s only survival, bonding, and adjustment.

Give yourself permission to slow down, nap when you can, and let the laundry wait.

2. Cluster Feeding, Day/Night Confusion & Endless Diapers Are All Normal

There are a few things parents almost always Google during week one. So let me share and take the mystery out of the most common ones.

✔️ Cluster feeding

Your newborn may want to feed every hour for certain stretches of the day. This is normal and helps your milk supply regulate. It does not mean your baby isn’t getting enough.

✔️ Day/night confusion

Newborns don’t yet understand night vs day. Let light help teach the difference:

• bright during the day

• dim and quiet at night

• 
  

✔️ A lot of diapers

Expect:

• 1–2 wet diapers on day 1

• increasing daily

• by day 5 → 6–8 wets + mustard-yellow stools

If all of that sounds messy and exhausting, that’s because it is. But it’s also normal and healthy.

3. And Here Are 3 MORE Things New Moms Constantly Google (Week-One Edition)

These are the questions I get very often as both a pediatrician & mom:

✔️ “Why does my newborn sneeze so much?”

This is totally normal. Sneezing helps newborns clear tiny nasal passages from dust, milk droplets, or dryness. It does not mean your baby is sick or allergic.

Try this: Run a cool mist humidifier to keep the air moist. Nasal saline and suction may also be a helpful tool.

✔️ “Are hiccups normal?”

YES! And they often peak in week one. Baby’s diaphragm is still developing, and they hiccup easily after feeds or when swallowing air. It bothers us more than it bothers them.

Try this: Pause feeding and burp, or offer a pacifier for a minute or two (if your baby is already taking pacifiers).

✔️ “Why is my baby grunting or straining at night?”

This one scares most new parents but newborns are just noisy sleepers. Their digestive and nervous systems are immature, so they grunt, squirm, and make loud sounds in their sleep.

This is normal unless you notice:

• difficulty breathing

• fever

• baby seems extremely uncomfortable or not feeding well

Most of the time, it’s simply your baby learning how to move gas through their system. . They spend more time in light/active sleep phase.

4. You Need More Support Than You Think

The first week is too much for one person to handle alone even if you’re extremely capable. Let someone else:

• fold laundry

• bring meals

• hold baby while you shower

• run errands

• refill your water

• tidy the kitchen

• rock baby between feeds

• Wash those ANNOYING pump parts!!!

This doesn’t make you weak or needy, it makes you human.

If support feels hard to ask for, try:

• “Could you help me with ____ so I can rest?”

• “I need help with meals this week.”

• “I’m feeling overwhelmed — can you sit with me for a bit?”

Postpartum is not meant to be done in isolation.

5. When to Call Your Pediatrician

As a pediatrician, here’s when I tell parents: “Don’t wait — call.”

📌 Call if your baby has:

• a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher

• trouble feeding or fewer than expected wet diapers

• blue lips or breathing difficulty

• persistent vomiting

• extreme sleepiness/hard to wake

• signs of dehydration (dry mouth, no tears)

📌 And call anytime your instincts say something is off.

You know your baby better than anyone.

6. Give Yourself Grace, You’re Learning Too

A few reminders to speak over yourself this first week:

• “I’m doing my best.”

• “My baby doesn’t need perfection, just love.”

• “Every day I’m learning more.”

• “It’s okay to rest.”

If no one has told you yet: You’re an amazing mom. And these first days don’t define your entire parenting journey, they’re simply the beginning.

✨ Want More Support During the Newborn Stage?

Click below to join the waitlist for my upcoming Baby Basics Bootcamp™ Series: a pediatrician-guided, inclusive course for moms in any season of motherhood.

👉 Join the waitlist, Subscribe here

-Dr. O💛

Disclaimer:  

The information provided on Dr. O on Demand is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your child’s pediatrician or qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it. If you think your child may have a medical emergency, call your pediatrician or 911 immediately.