Week 3: Your tiny baby is still in the sleepy newborn phase, but you may now see little bright-eyed moments – extra hungry spells, more evening fussiness, and brief, calm stares at your face as they slowly wake up to the world.

• At three weeks, many parents find that responsive feeding works well – offering the breast or bottle whenever the baby shows early hunger cues like rooting, wriggling, or sucking their hands, rather than waiting for crying.
• Newborns often feed very frequently, day and night, because their stomachs are small and they are growing quickly, so it is common for feeds to seem close together with only short breaks in between.
• Plenty of wet nappies across the day and a baby who usually wakes for feeds, then has calmer spells afterwards, can be reassuring signs that feeding is going in a good direction; if you are worried about feeding or nappies, contact your midwife, health visitor or paediatrician.

• At around week 3, many babies sleep in lots of short stretches spread across the whole day and night, waking often for feeds and cuddles rather than having long, predictable blocks of sleep.
• Parents are often advised to let their baby sleep in the same room as them, on their back in a clear, flat sleep space, to support safer sleep while frequent night feeds are still needed.
• Some families start to notice a gentle pattern, such as a slightly longer stretch of sleep after a late-evening feed, but this can change from one night to the next and is not something that needs to be trained at this age.

• In the first weeks, many babies have several wet nappies and soft poos each day, and health professionals often use this as one sign that a baby is taking in enough milk.
• Baby poo usually changes from the very dark early poos to softer yellow or mustardy poos, which may look a bit seedy, and it is common for the exact colour and texture to vary slightly from nappy to nappy.
• Contact your midwife, health visitor, paediatrician or local emergency service if wet or dirty nappies suddenly become very rare, or if you notice very pale poo, blood, or other changes that worry you.

• During short awake times, your baby is quietly learning by watching your face, listening to your voice, and feeling your touch, so simple things like talking to them, pulling gentle faces, and holding them close all help their growing brain.
• Many parents like to offer tiny bits of tummy time on a firm, safe surface when baby is awake and calm, such as a moment before a nappy change or after a cuddle, to help the baby practise lifting and turning their head.
• A few times a day, you might sing, hum, or tell a very short story while showing your baby a simple high-contrast pattern or a favourite toy, then pause and let them rest when they look away or seem tired, keeping these little play moments gentle and unpressured.

Sources

• NHS – Breastfeeding: the first few days
• NHS – Helping your baby to sleep
• Mayo Clinic – Infant development: Birth to 3 months
• World Health Organization – Infant and young child feeding

This content is general information only and is not medical advice. If you are worried about your baby, contact your midwife, health visitor, paediatrician, or local emergency service.