For your newborn baby , the adjustment is to a new, sensory-full world. Every sensation is different from his experience in the womb and this is the start of learning how to interpret the world as well as how to block out unwanted stimulation. Sleep is the best way to block out stimulation and your baby should be settled down to sleep after 40 to 60 minutes of awake time.

For the first two weeks your baby naturally blocks out much of the stimulation by simply shutting down and sleeping. He may spend most of every day asleep, waking only for feeds. This is normal and within three weeks the quiet of the honeymoon stage will come to an end and you will find your self with a more alert and frequently fussier little one.

Feeding gets established

If you are breastfeeding, expect to feed frequently and on demand, initially. This ensures a good milk supply and meets your baby’s nutritional needs. If you are bottle-feeding, do so three to four hourly, ensuring that you wake your baby if he sleeps longer than this during the day.

Focus comes first

Your baby is working hard on focusing and can see a distance of 20 cm. Encourage this skill with bright coloured toys during his awake time. However do not worry about providing extra stimulation for your baby’s development at this stage, as your little one has enough new stimulation to cope with just being in his amazing new world.