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Daytime newborn routine

Feed your baby.

Feed your baby.

Play and change baby's nappy.

Play with your baby. Check your baby’s nappy. Change it if it’s wet or soiled.

When baby shows tired signs, it's bedtime.

When your newborn shows tired signs, put them into their cot to sleep.

Balancing routines with responding to your baby’s needs

Put baby to sleep in a quiet space.

Your baby might need a long sleep. Let baby sleep. There’s no need to wake baby to feed.

Is baby hungry?

Feed baby before sleep if baby is hungry. If baby is hungry, they might cry, make sucking noises or turn to your chest.

Look for tired signs.

Your baby might want a short play. Newborn play can be just a quiet cuddle or a song.

Night-time newborn routine

Feed your baby 2-3 hours after the last feed.

If your baby wakes and it’s 2-3 hours since the last feed, feed your baby.

Check her nappy and minimise light and noise.

Check your baby’s nappy. Change it if it’s wet or soiled. Try to keep noise and light down.

Put baby to sleep.

Put your baby back into the cot to sleep.

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Raising Children Network is supported by the Australian Government. Member organisations are the Parenting Research Centre and the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute with The Royal Children’s Hospital Centre for Community Child Health.

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  • The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne
  • Murdoch Children's Research Institute

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