Week 2 With Your Newborn
Settling in, waking up & finding your rhythm
You made it through the first week — and that is no small thing! Week 2 brings a subtle but meaningful shift: your baby is starting to wake up to the world just a little more. Feeds may feel more intense, sleep may feel unpredictable, and you may find yourself wondering if anything will ever feel routine. It will. Here’s what Week 2 typically looks like — and what to expect as you both continue to find your footing.
Sleep in Week 2
What does sleep look like this week?
Week 2 sleep looks very similar to Week 1 — your baby is still sleeping 14 to 18 hours per day in short cycles of 2 to 4 hours. Many babies go through a mini growth spurt around days 7–10, which can bring increased fussiness and more frequent night waking. This is temporary and a healthy sign of growth.
Is my baby starting to tell day from night yet?
Not quite yet — but the seeds are being planted! Keep daytime environments bright and active, and make nighttime feeds calm, dark, and quiet. Your baby’s circadian rhythm will begin to develop around weeks 6–8, but the gentle contrast you create now lays the groundwork.
Is it okay if my baby only sleeps on me?
Contact naps are completely appropriate in Week 2. When you’d like to transfer baby, wait until they’re in a deeper sleep — usually around 15–20 minutes after fully falling asleep — and lower them feet-first, keeping your hands on them for a moment before releasing.
Quick Tip: A white noise machine placed across the room at around 65 decibels can help mask household sounds and support longer sleep stretches this week.
Feeding in Week 2
Why does my baby seem hungrier than last week?
Welcome to the first growth spurt! Around days 7–10, many babies dramatically increase their feeding frequency — this is called cluster feeding. Your milk supply isn’t failing — this is your baby’s way of signaling your body to produce more milk. It typically lasts 1–3 days and then settles.
How do I know my baby is getting enough milk?
The most reliable signs that feeding is going well in Week 2:
✓ 6 or more wet diapers per day
✓ Regular bowel movements (yellow and seedy for breastfed babies)
✓ Baby seems satisfied and relaxed after most feeds
✓ Birth weight is being regained (most babies back to birth weight by day 10–14)
✓ Audible swallowing during nursing sessions
Should I still wake baby to feed?
If your baby has regained their birth weight and your pediatrician has given the green light, you may be able to let baby lead more at night. If weight gain is still being established, continue waking to feed every 3 hours during the day.
Quick Tip: During cluster feeding, try feeding from both sides each session and offer the second breast first at the next feed. This helps stimulate milk supply and ensures baby gets the richest hind milk.
Diaper Changes in Week 2
What should diapers look like now?
By Week 2, the dark meconium is well behind you. Breastfed babies typically have yellow, seedy, loose stools that can range from mustard to bright yellow. You’re still aiming for 6 or more wet diapers and 3–4 dirty diapers per day, though some breastfed babies begin to space out bowel movements naturally. As long as stools are soft when they come, this is normal.
Umbilical cord stump care
If the stump hasn’t fallen off yet (it typically takes 1 to 3 weeks), keep the area clean and dry. Fold the diaper below the stump, stick to sponge baths, and never pull on it. A small amount of dried blood is normal; redness or foul smell warrants a call to your pediatrician.
Quick Tip: Diaper rash can begin to appear in Week 2 as stool frequency increases. A thin layer of zinc oxide cream at every change — even when skin looks clear — is the best prevention.
Baby Behaviors in Week 2
Week 2 brings some noticeable shifts in how your baby presents to the world:
More alert and awake periods
Your baby is starting to have slightly longer awake windows — sometimes 30–60 minutes between sleeps. They may gaze at your face with real intensity. These are early bonding and brain-building moments — lean in!
Increased fussiness — especially in the evenings
Many babies have a “witching hour” in the late afternoon or evening. This is extremely common and typically peaks around weeks 6–8. It is not a sign that something is wrong — your baby’s nervous system is simply overwhelmed from a day of stimulation.
Reflexive smiles
Smiles in Week 2 are most likely reflexive — not yet the intentional social smiles that come around 6–8 weeks. Enjoy every one.
More efficient at nursing
By Week 2, many babies are beginning to latch more effectively and nurse more efficiently. Sessions may start to shorten slightly — this is a good sign, not a concern.
Noisy sleeper
Grunting, squirming, and making noises during sleep is completely normal. Newborns spend significant time in active (REM) sleep, which is lighter and noisier. Resist picking up baby at every sound — they may settle themselves back to sleep.
A Note from the TLNC Team
Week 2 can feel like a reset button got hit — just when you thought you had a handle on things, baby changes the game. That is completely normal. Check your personalized weekly care report for how your baby’s specific sleep stretches, feeding sessions, and diaper output compare to these general Week 2 milestones.
Week 2 is hard and beautiful in equal measure. You are learning your baby, and your baby is learning you — and that is the most important work there is.
With warmth,
Roxanne Stinson & The Tender Luv Nu-Born Care Team