The newborn stage is big—big love, big learning, and very little sleep. The first 6–12 weeks can feel beautiful and overwhelming at the same time. Your baby is learning how to eat, sleep, and settle. You’re healing, adapting, and doing your very best on very little sleep. You don’t need to be a perfect mum. Being a present, good-enough, happy mum matters most.
Be Kind To Your Body: Postpartum Basics
Recovery takes time. Give yourself permission to rest and accept help.
- Rest in small pockets. Ten minutes on the couch counts.
- Drink water often. Keep a bottle by the bed, couch, and pram.
- Simple meals are wins. Eggs on toast. Soup. Frozen pasta bakes.
- Accept help. Say yes to groceries, school pick-ups, or a load of washing.
- Pelvic floor first. Gentle squeezes and relaxed breathing when cleared by your health professional.
- Move slowly. Short, easy walks are enough at the start.
- Post-birth care. Change pads frequently; air the area when possible.
- C-section or tear recovery. Support your tummy with a pillow when coughing or laughing. Follow wound-care advice. If anything looks or feels wrong, call your GP or maternity team promptly.
Self-care isn’t spa days. It’s food, fluids, showers, clean clothes, and a tiny pocket of quiet. That’s more than enough this season.
Feeding Realities: Go With Your Baby, Not The Clock
Newborns feed often. Patterns change daily. Follow your baby’s cues.
Breastfeeding
- On-demand feeding is normal. Eight to twelve feeds in 24 hours is common in the early weeks.
- Cluster feeding happens, especially in the evening. It’s a normal way to boost supply and settle.
- Watch cues: stirring, hands to mouth, rooting, bobbing head. Crying is a late sign of hunger.
- Try different positions. Side-lying can help you rest.
- If you’re sore or unsure, a lactation consult can be a game-changer.
Bottle feeding
- Use slow-flow teats. This reduces gulping and air swallowing.
- Try paced bottle feeding: hold baby semi-upright, tip the bottle just enough to fill the teat, and offer pauses.
- Warmth and calm help. Feed in a quiet, dim space if evenings are busy.
Burp and hold
- Burp mid-feed and after. Alternate positions to free different gas pockets.
- Hold baby upright for 20–30 minutes after feeds to reduce wind and grizzles.
Helpful guides: burp a baby, relieve trapped wind, and, if you choose to include it in your toolkit, how to use Infants’ Friend.
Settling a Fussy Baby
Evenings can be the hardest. Keep things simple and repetitive.
- Colic carry (tiger-in-the-tree). Lay baby tummy-down along your forearm, head supported, legs straddling your elbow. Gentle pressure on the tummy can be soothing.
- White noise. A steady, low-volume sound can mask household noise and help babies settle.
- Dim the room. Lower light reduces stimulation.
- Simple bedtime flow. Feed → burp → nappy → swaddle/sleeping bag → white noise → cuddle → bed.
- Tummy comfort between feeds. Gentle clockwise tummy massage with warm hands. Add bicycle legs and short knees-to-tummy holds.
- Motion reset. A slow pram walk, a carrier cuddle, or swaying in a darkened room can help an overtired baby switch gears.
More practical help: relieve trapped wind, signs your baby might have colic, and a step-by-step on how to burp a baby.
Build Your Support System
People want to help. Tell them how.
- Ask for specific help. “A veggie pasta bake please.” “Can you fold this basket?” “Could you hold the baby while I shower?”
- Delegate simple tasks. Bins, dishes, a quick vacuum, or a school run.
- Visiting rules. Short visits. Text first. No surprise drop-ins. No holding the baby if they’re unwell.
- Share the load with your partner. Divide tasks: one does feeds/settling; the other cooks, cleans, or manages bedtime for older kids. Swap roles when needed.
- Australian supports. Child health nurses, local mothers’ groups, parenting helplines, and community centres are there to listen and guide.
Building your village is practical, not selfish. It keeps everyone steadier.
Protect Your Mental Health
Huge life change plus little sleep can feel heavy. Be honest about how you’re coping.
- Normal waves. Tearful days, worry, and frustration can be normal—especially with broken sleep.
- Red flags. Persistent sadness, strong anxiety, panic, feeling numb or hopeless, scary thoughts, or not enjoying anything. If these stick around or feel intense, reach out.
- Talk early. Your GP or child health nurse can support you. So can a trusted friend.
- A tiny toolkit helps. One outside walk, one snack and water, one message to a friend, one honest chat with your partner.
- Dial down perfection. Good-enough is a loving, safe home and fed, cuddled baby—not spotless floors or gourmet dinners.
If you’re worried about your mood, seek support as soon as you can. You deserve care too.
Tiny Systems That Keep Days Afloat
Small routines create calm when everything feels new.
- Feeding station. Water bottle, snacks, burp cloths, nappies, wipes, spare onesie, and a phone charger within reach.
- Nappy caddy. Stock it in the morning: nappies, wipes, barrier cream, bags, spare outfit.
- Night reset. Empty the nappy bin, lay out PJs, restock the caddy, set a clean muslin by the bed. Five minutes saves midnight chaos.
- Freezer stash. Soups, muffins, pasta sauces, and pre-cooked rice.
- “Done is better than perfect.” Tiny tasks are still progress. If it helps your sanity, it counts.
Going Out With Baby: Keep It Simple
Short, easy outings help you rebuild confidence.
- Car seat check. Installed correctly, straps at the right height, no bulky clothing under the harness.
- Nappy bag basics. Nappies, wipes, barrier cream, wet bag, spare outfit, muslin, hand sanitiser, your water bottle and snacks.
- Start local. A lap around the block or a quick coffee. If it goes pear-shaped, you’re close to home.
- Feed-anywhere mindset. Bench, car, pram—wherever is safe and comfortable enough for today.
If Evenings Seem Tough…
Some families include gentle herbal support in their settling toolkit. Infants’ Friend Colic & Wind Oral Liquid contains chamomile, lemon balm and dill seed oil—ingredients traditionally used in Western herbal medicine to help relieve wind/gas pain, mild indigestion and disturbed/restless sleep in babies. It’s alcohol-free and sugar-free, and suitable from birth when used as directed.
Explore Colic & Wind Oral Liquid and see how to use Infants’ Friend for dosage by age and mixing tips.
When To Call a Health Professional
Trust your instincts. Seek medical advice if you notice:
- Fewer than six wet nappies a day after day five
- Fever, green or bilious vomit, repeated projectile vomiting
- Blood or persistent mucus in stools
- Poor feeding, poor weight gain, extreme lethargy, or baby is very hard to rouse
- You’re worried about allergy, severe reflux, or something just feels off
For product questions, you can contact us. For medical concerns, speak with your GP or child health nurse.
You’re Doing Better Than You Think
Every cuddle counts. Every feed—messy or smooth—counts. The house can wait. Ask for help, accept shortcuts, and celebrate tiny wins. Your baby wants you, not perfection.
Helpful reads for rough nights: relieve trapped wind, burp a baby, and signs your baby might have colic.
AUST L 367810. Always read the label and follow the directions for use. If symptoms persist, talk to your health professional.
