Are you looking for newborn schedule week 2? Here’s everything you need to know!
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You’ve made it through the first week with your newborn, congrats! Hopefully you’re finding some time in-between feeds and diaper changes to relax a bit. Good news is, it gets easier and easier in 2 week increments. So by the end of this week, you’re over the hardest part. Your little one probably went through their first growth spurt by now, and maybe even the second one too.
You can expect pretty much the same thing this week as the first week. The only difference is the number of wet and dirty diapers should be consistent and he or she may be a little bigger. Below are some quick tips on what to expect during week 2 as well as a sample schedule to use as a reference. Soak in those snuggles because they grow so fast!
This post is all about newborn schedule week 2.
General Tips
Feedings
In general, you can still expect your newborn baby to eat 8-12 times per day. Breastfed babies tend to eat more often than formula fed babies. In addition, looking for early hunger cues will help ensure that your baby is getting enough to eat. Early hunger cues include: lip smacking, rooting, and sucking on anything nearby.
Diapers
Keeping track of wet and dirty diapers is a great way to ensure that your baby is getting enough to eat. At this point, your milk should have come in full force and the number of wet and dirty diapers should have also increased.
You’ll want to look for at least 3 yellow stools (may be a little brown if formula-fed) and 6 wet diapers a day. Your baby may have more or less bowel movements than this but the key is consistent weight gain. We made sure to buy the diapers with a wetness indicator line, as well as a baby scale whenever we were in doubt.
Sleep
You can still expect your baby to sleep 14-17 hours in a day, usually in 30 minute to 4 hour stretches. I would never let my take naps longer than 2-3 hours during the day because I wanted those longer stretches at night. But you will fall into your own rhythm. As long as you’re getting those 8-12 feedings in a day, your baby will get the right amount of sleep they need.
It’s normal for baby to have a later bed time in the newborn phase. Having a later bedtime can help cut down nighttime feedings. Once baby gets a little older at around 3 months, that’s when you typically start earlier bedtimes because they will be taking less naps.
Playtime
After a diaper change and feeding session, it may already be time to put your baby down for another nap. However, you can do something called tummy time for 5 minutes a day. A lot of times you do tummy time without even realizing it. Doing it on a hard surface may be a little early at this point, but placing the baby, tummy down, on your chest counts!
Babies are made for human interaction. So some of our favorite ways to play with our daughter when we first brought her home were:
- Tummy time
- House tours
- Funny faces
- Talking
- Reading
- Singing
Growth Spurts
It’s no secret that babies grow at a rapid pace in their first year of life. He or she may have already had the first one, which usually happens 2-3 days after birth But you can expect another growth spurt at around 7 to 10 days old. I remember distinctly that our baby only wore the newborn size pajamas for maybe a week before she outgrew them. So it’d be a good idea to have multiple sizes of clothes on hand.
Another thing that happens during growth spurts is cluster feeding. It’s common for your baby to want to eat more often during a growth spurt, which is totally normal.
Doctor Visits
Your baby will have many check-ups before they turn 1. If you baby is healthy then these check-ups will be super quick. They are mainly for you as a parent for any questions you may have and to ease your mind about any concerns. They are also for the doctor to ensure that your little one is on track to meet their milestones.
You’ve probably had the first check-up just a few days after birth. However, you can expect to go again after 2 weeks to ensure that baby is back at his or her birth weight. The doctor may go over all of this with you at the hospital. But if they don’t, you’ll want to call the doctor and schedule an appointment sooner rather than later.
Newborn Schedule Week 2
Below is a sample newborn schedule for the second week. There’s a really, really, small chance that your baby will follow this schedule to a tee, so I would use it as a light reference. Key things to focus on at this point in time is number of feedings and total sleep. You got this!
Early Morning – 7:00 a.m.
- Feeding and diaper change, hygiene care if needed
- Waketime: 45 minutes max
- Down for a nap
Mid-morning – 9:30 a.m.
- Feeding and diaper change, hygiene care if needed
- Waketime: 45 minutes max
- Down for a nap
Afternoon – 12:00 p.m.
- Feeding and diaper change, hygiene care if needed
- Waketime: 45 minutes max
- Down for a nap
Mid-afternoon – 2:30 p.m.
- Feeding and diaper change, hygiene care if needed
- Waketime: 45 minutes max
- Down for a nap
Late Afternoon – 5:00 p.m.
- Feeding (cluster feeding may occur) and diaper change, hygiene care if needed
- Waketime: 45 minutes max
- Down for a nap
Early Evening – 7:30 p.m.
- Feeding (cluster feeding may occur) and diaper change, hygiene care if needed
- Waketime: 45 minutes max
- Down for a nap
Late Evening – 10:00 p.m.
- Feeding, bath or hygiene care, diaper change, down for sleep.
Let baby sleep up to 4 hours at night before waking to feed
Middle of the Night – 1:00 a.m.
- Feeding, diaper change if needed, and right back to sleep
Pre-morning – 4:00 a.m.
- Feeding, diaper change if needed, and right back to sleep
This post was all about newborn schedule week 2.
