1 week old

How your baby's growing

Congratulations on the arrival of the newest member of your family! Life with a newborn can be as overwhelming as it is magical, and it'll take a little while to adjust to your new life together. Your little one will need plenty of love and cuddles from you while he gets used to life outside the womb.

After the cosiness of the last nine months, all the extra space around your baby is still a strange feeling for him. You may notice that he moves in a jerky, uncoordinated way as he gets used to having so much room to manoeuvre. His movements will become more fluid as he learns to control his growing muscles.

Does your dozing baby sound a bit snuffly? If you watch, you'll see that he breathes in cycles. It can be fast and deep one minute, then slow and shallow the next. You'll probably also hear occasional snorts and grunts, and may even notice your baby pausing in his breathing for up to five seconds before starting again.

This is all perfectly normal, and not a sign that your baby has a cold. But if you ever have any concerns about your baby's breathing - or anything else - you can always call your midwife or health visitor, or take him to see your GP.

Your life: getting to grips with feeding

If you're breastfeeding, chances are you're still getting the hang of it. It does get easier, so be patient with yourself. If you're feeling discouraged, try to remember the many benefits of breastfeeding.

New mums often wonder if their baby is feeding enough, especially if he seems hungry all the time or cries after being fed. Read our expert advice to see the signs that your baby's getting enough milk.

You're bound to have lots of questions about breastfeeding. It can be a struggle to get comfortable, especially if you're recovering from a caesarean, so try out some recommended positions. Or discover how to check that your baby's latched on correctly.

Remember that you can always get on-the-spot advice from your midwife, or from your health visitor once you've moved on from midwife care. You can also see our A-Z list of breastfeeding charities that can help.

If you're bottle-feeding, you're likely to have questions, too. Perhaps you're wondering which is the best formula for your baby or you’re not sure how much formula your baby needs. Talk to your health visitor if you need more advice.

If you're finding life with a new baby stressful, you're not alone. Most new mums experience the baby blues during the first week after birth, which can leave you feeling exhausted, tearful and irritable. This is likely to be caused by your changing hormones, and will probably only last for a few hours or days. Although it's completely normal, talk to your midwife or health visitor if you're finding it overwhelming.

What you need to know this week

• Make the most of these precious early days with your baby by checking out our guide to coping with a newborn in the first few weeks.
• Do you know what to expect in your baby's nappy? Find out what's normal and what's not when it comes to your baby's poo. Also, discover how to care for your baby's umbilical stump.
• You'll need to register your baby's birth. But you can relax for now. You have 42 days to do it in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and 21 days in Scotland.
• Like every parent, you're probably worried about sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), also known as cot death. Although this is rare, it's important to take safety precautions to reduce the risks.
• Your baby is changing and growing at a great rate. Find out more about your newborn's development.
• Featured video: how much sleep should my newborn have?

Let's play

Your newborn will spend most of his time feeding and sleeping, but that doesn't mean you can't still have fun together! Try these two fun games to keep your little one entertained.

FAQs at 1 week

• When can I take my baby out of the house?
• How much milk does my baby need in the first few days?
• What can I eat and drink when I'm breastfeeding?
• Is it normal that my baby hiccups all the time?