Newborn Care Basics: Diapers, Baths, Cord Care and Crying

Everyday newborn care for partners: diapering and rash prevention, cord stump care, safe baths, soothing a crying baby, a plan for frustration, and fever rules.

Dad's Doula · Last reviewed October 24, 2026 · 6 min read

Diapers, baths, the umbilical cord stump and crying make up a large part of a newborn's day, and they are jobs any partner can own from the first week. Each comes with a few safety points worth knowing before you are doing them half-asleep.

This guide pulls together advice from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It is general information, not medical advice. Your baby's pediatrician is the right person to ask about anything that worries you, and in an emergency, call 911.

Diapers and diaper rash

Newborns go through a lot of diapers. In the first few days, the AAP says, early poops are thick, tarry and black; this is meconium, which built up before birth. Within a few days it changes to mustard-yellow and seedy for breastfed babies, or shades of pasty brown for formula-fed babies. By 3 to 5 days, both usually wet about 8 diapers every 24 hours.

To help prevent diaper rash, the AAP recommends limiting the time urine and stool touch the skin:

Change diapers frequently.
Clean gently. Choose wipes without alcohol or fragrance, or use water and a gentle cleanser, then pat dry.
Apply a thick layer of barrier paste. The AAP says the ingredients matter more than the brand; zinc oxide and petrolatum are both good choices, and fragrance-free is best.
Make sure the diaper isn't too tight, especially overnight.

The AAP advises calling the doctor if a rash is not improving or is getting worse after two to three days of treatment, includes pimples, blisters, peeling or oozing or crusty sores, seems especially painful, or comes with a fever. It also advises against over-the-counter antibiotic ointment for diaper rash.

Caring for the umbilical cord stump

The AAP's guidance is simple: keep the stump clean and dry while it shrivels and falls off. There is no need to use alcohol on it. Fold the diaper below the stump so urine does not soak it. If it gets soiled, the AAP says ordinary soap and water are fine, and because the cord has no nerve endings, cleaning it does not hurt your baby.

A few drops of blood on the diaper around the time the stump falls off are normal. Call the pediatrician right away if the cord actively bleeds. Cord infections are uncommon, but contact your pediatrician if you notice:

Foul-smelling, yellowish discharge from the cord
Red skin around the base of the cord
Crying when you touch the cord or the skin next to it

The stump should dry and fall off by 3 weeks of age. If it is still there after that, the AAP says your baby needs a doctor's visit.

Bath time

Until the cord stump falls off, the AAP recommends sponge baths only. Newborns do not need a bath every day; the AAP says three baths a week in the first year may be enough, and bathing more often can dry out the skin.

For a sponge bath, gather supplies first, lay your baby on a padded flat surface, and keep a hand on them if the surface is above the floor. Uncover only the part you are washing.

Once the cord area has healed, you can try a tub bath. The AAP's key safety points:

Never leave your baby alone in the bath, even for an instant. If you need to answer the door, take your baby with you.
Use about 2 inches of water that feels warm, not hot, to the inside of your wrist or elbow.
Never bathe your baby in running water. The AAP recommends that the hottest water at the faucet be no more than 120 degrees Fahrenheit, and in many cases you can adjust your water heater setting to stay below that.
Avoid bath seats, which can tip over.
Use soap sparingly, and wrap your baby in a towel right after the bath to keep warm.

Crying: what is normal

All babies cry, often for no clear reason. The AAP says newborns routinely cry 1 to 4 hours a day as they adjust to life outside the womb, and that crying is not a sign you are doing something wrong. In the first few months, the AAP advises responding promptly: you cannot spoil a young baby with attention.

When your baby cries, check the basics first: hunger, a wet or dirty diaper, being too cold or too hot. The AAP also suggests looking for anything causing discomfort, such as a strand of hair wrapped around a finger or toe.

Soothing techniques to try

If your baby is fed, dry and comfortable but still crying, the AAP suggests trying:

Rocking in a chair or swaying in your arms
Gently stroking their head or patting their back or chest
Safe swaddling in a thin blanket
Walking with your baby in your arms or a stroller
Burping to relieve trapped gas
A calming sound, such as white noise or a fan

The CDC adds holding your baby against your bare skin, offering a pacifier, and singing or talking softly. The AAP notes that it may take a few tries to find out what works for your baby.

When crying gets to be too much

The CDC notes that crying, including long periods of inconsolable crying, is normal for infants and gets better as the child grows. It also explains that abusive head trauma, including shaken baby syndrome, often happens when a caregiver becomes angry or frustrated because of a baby's crying.

Make a plan before you need one:

Put your baby on their back in a safe place, such as a crib with no blankets or toys.
Walk away and calm yourself. The CDC suggests checking on your baby every 5 to 10 minutes.
Call a friend, relative or your baby's doctor for support, or hand off to another trusted caregiver.
Go back when you are calm and try soothing again.

Never shake, throw or hit a baby. Share this plan with everyone who cares for your baby. If the crying seems excessive, especially if you sense your baby is in pain, or you think your baby is sick, call the doctor.

If you or your partner are struggling emotionally, the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline offers free, confidential, 24/7 support to pregnant and postpartum women and their loved ones; call or text 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262). In a mental health crisis, call or text 988.

Fever in young babies

A crying baby can sometimes be a sick baby. The AAP says a rectal temperature of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius) or higher is considered a fever, and a rectal reading is the most reliable for infants. If your baby is 3 months old or younger and has a rectal temperature of 100.4 or higher, call your pediatrician immediately, even if they show no other signs of illness. Feeling the forehead is not accurate.

Key takeaways

Change diapers often, clean gently, and use a thick barrier paste; call if a rash worsens or comes with fever.
Keep the cord stump clean and dry, and call for active bleeding, redness, discharge, or a stump still there after 3 weeks.
Sponge baths until the stump falls off; never leave a baby alone in the bath.
Newborns may cry 1 to 4 hours a day; respond promptly and try several soothing methods.
If you feel overwhelmed, put the baby down safely and step away. Never shake a baby.
A rectal temperature of 100.4°F or higher in a baby 3 months or younger means calling the pediatrician immediately.

Sources

Spotted something out of date? Let us know.