Understanding your baby’s first year after birth

Newborn days can be a blur of feeds, naps, diaper changes, and big feelings – for baby and for you.

Keep the basics simple:

• Feed responsively and watch for signs that things are going well (swallows, steady wet/dirty diapers).
• Get to know your baby’s cues. Over time, you’ll start to recognize early hunger signs (like rooting or hand-to-mouth movements) and sleep cues (like yawning or zoning out). Responding to these early signals can help things go more smoothly.
• Set up a safe sleep space from day one with baby on their back, on a firm, flat surface with no loose items.
• If you ever feel unsure, overwhelmed, or just need reassurance, reach out for help – your pediatrician, midwife, lactation consultant, or support network can guide you.
• Take care of your mental health. Many parents experience the “baby blues” in the early days. If feelings of worry, sadness, or overwhelm grow stronger or do not ease, reach out for help promptly. You deserve support too.

Above all, be gentle with yourself. You and your baby are learning together, one day at a time.

To learn more or to find a specialist, check out our directory.

This information is for educational purposes only and not a substitute for medical advice. Always consult your pediatrician or healthcare provider with questions about your baby’s sleep, feeding, or development.

The Benefits

Pacifiers are one of the simplest tools available to help your baby. Research consistently shows that offering a pacifier at nap and bedtime can significantly reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). This is one of the strongest safety recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Even if the pacifier falls out after your baby falls asleep, the protective effect still applies.

Pacifiers also help babies manage pain during minor medical procedures like heel sticks and vaccinations, and they are a safe, effective way to help your baby self-soothe when fussy or overstimulated.

The Risks to Be Aware Of

When pacifier use continues for too long, it can lead to problems:

• Ear infections: The risk of ear infections increases with pacifier use, especially after 6 months of age. Studies show that reducing pacifier use can lower ear infection episodes by nearly 30 percent.
• Dental changes: Prolonged pacifier use can cause changes in how your child’s teeth and jaw develop, including an open bite (front teeth that do not touch) and crossbite (upper teeth sitting inside the lower teeth). These risks increase significantly after 12 months of use, and become more pronounced after age 2.
• Speech and language: Some research suggests that heavy, sustained pacifier use may be associated with smaller vocabulary sizes in toddlers and more speech sound errors, though these effects often improve after the pacifier is stopped.

The good news is that most dental changes caused by pacifier use will correct themselves if the pacifier is stopped early enough.

What About Pacifier Shape?

You may notice that pacifiers come in different nipple shapes. The two most common are:

• Rounded (also called conventional or cylindrical): a symmetrical, round nipple
• Orthodontic (also called flat or anatomical): a flattened nipple designed to sit against the palate

Orthodontic pacifiers were designed with dental health in mind, and some studies suggest they may distribute pressure on the palate differently than rounded nipples. However, the research on which shape is truly better for teeth is mixed and inconclusive. Studies using computer modeling have reached different conclusions about which design puts less stress on the palate, and no pacifier shape has been shown to be completely harmless to dental development.

Why We Recommend a Rounded Nipple

While the dental research is inconclusive across shapes, there is a clearer reason to choose a rounded nipple: it better supports your baby’s feeding skills. During breastfeeding, your baby’s tongue cups around the nipple and moves in a wave-like motion to draw out milk. A rounded pacifier encourages this same tongue cupping and wave-like motion, helping your baby practice the oral motor patterns used in feeding. An orthodontic (flat) nipple does not promote these same tongue movements.

Since all pacifier types can affect dental development with prolonged use, and the most important factor is how long the pacifier is used rather than which shape, we recommend starting with a rounded nipple to support healthy feeding development and planning to wean early to protect your baby’s teeth.

See our articles below for more support on introduction and weaning. And don’t forget, you can always visit our directory and search “pacifiers” if you need professional support. You don’t have to do this alone.

Feeding in the early months is a learning process for both you and your baby. Whether you are breastfeeding, chestfeeding, pumping, bottle feeding, or using a combination, the goal is the same: a baby who feeds comfortably, gains steadily, and feels supported and connected while feeding.

Babies in the first weeks typically feed 8–12 or more times in 24 hours. Some feed more frequently, especially during cluster feeding phases. Respond to hunger cues rather than watching the clock or an app. Look for early hunger cues (rooting, stirring, hands to mouth) and offer feeds before crying begins, which helps feeding feel calmer for both of you.

To learn more or to find a specialist, check out our directory.

This information is for educational purposes only and not a substitute for medical advice. Always consult your pediatrician or healthcare provider with questions about your baby’s sleep, feeding, or development.

Newborn sleep is unlike anything else; it’s unpredictable, ever-changing, and completely normal for it to look nothing like the longer (or shorter) stretches you may hear other parents describe. In the first few months, babies sleep in short bursts around the clock and wake frequently to feed. This pattern is developmentally appropriate: your baby’s stomach is still tiny, and waking often supports steady feeding, growth, and bonding.

Rather than aiming for a strict schedule, think of these early months as learning your baby’s sleep rhythms. Babies respond best when we follow their cues – slower movements, zoning out, yawning, red eyelids, or turning away from stimulation, all signs they’re ready for rest. Offering sleep at these early cues helps babies settle more easily and cry less.

Your baby will likely sleep 14–17 hours total in 24 hours, but not all at once. Some days will feel more organized than others, and that’s okay. Daylight, gentle play, and contact with you help their internal clock develop naturally over time.

To learn more or to find a specialist, check out our directory.

This information is for educational purposes only and not a substitute for medical advice. Always consult your pediatrician or healthcare provider with questions about your baby’s sleep, feeding, or development.

In those first three months, your baby is quietly doing big developmental work: lifting their head, discovering their limbs, building strength in their neck, shoulders, core, and arms, and gaining awareness of the world around them. Some of the most effective support you can give is simple: safe tummy time, lots of interaction during wake periods, and not letting your baby be in a carrier, bouncer, or “container” all day long (unless needed for short periods and always supervised). The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and other child-development experts emphasize that awake, supervised prone (tummy) time begins soon after birth and that restraining an infant’s movement for long hours can hamper motor skill development.

To learn more or to find a specialist, check out our directory.

This information is for educational purposes only and not a substitute for medical advice. Always consult your pediatrician or healthcare provider with questions about your baby’s sleep, feeding, or development.

Introducing “solid foods” is a big milestone, but the timing and how you do it matter a lot more than just age alone. According to the CDC, babies are typically ready to begin complementary foods around 6 months, and introducing most solids before 4 months is not recommended. The AAP and other authorities stress looking for developmental readiness before starting.

To learn more or to find a specialist, check out our directory.

This information is for educational purposes only and not a substitute for medical advice. Always consult your pediatrician or healthcare provider with questions about your baby’s sleep, feeding, or development.

Between 4 and 6 months, your baby’s world starts to open up in a big way. They are gaining control of their body from the head down, building the strength and coordination needed to reach, roll, and eventually sit. Tummy time becomes more purposeful, hands start working together, and your baby is beginning to connect intention with movement. This stage is less about hitting exact milestones on a specific day and more about a steady progression of strength, curiosity, and exploration.

To learn more or to find a specialist, check out our directory.

This information is for educational purposes only and not a substitute for medical advice. Always consult your pediatrician or healthcare provider with questions about your baby’s sleep, feeding, or development.

More content is on its way (babies aren’t the only ones hitting milestones around here). Until then, our directory connects you with trusted specialists who are ready to help.

More content is on its way (babies aren’t the only ones hitting milestones around here). Until then, our directory connects you with trusted specialists who are ready to help.

More content is on its way (babies aren’t the only ones hitting milestones around here). Until then, our directory connects you with trusted specialists who are ready to help. Browse the directory →