Birth to 6 weeks
First weeks.
A new baby, a changing household and your needs too. Begin with practical help, clear contacts and fewer expectations about what a day should look like.
Read a short guide or find a practical tool for this stage.
Browse the resourcesFrom Supporting Mums, founded by Jens, mum of two. Practical ideas and trusted signposts, not medical advice or a checklist of what your child should be doing. Choose the part that fits your family today.
01 · Feeding & finding support
Make feeding questions easier to ask
However your baby is fed, questions deserve a clear answer and individual support. A few notes can help you describe what you are finding difficult without turning every feed into another task to record.
A practical place to begin
- Keep the feeding-support contact details supplied by your maternity team or health visitor somewhere easy to find.
- Write your question in your own words and note anything you have been asked by a professional to observe.
- Ask a trusted person to help with the surrounding jobs, such as bringing you food or taking care of household tasks.
This guide does not set feeding amounts, intervals or methods. If you are worried about feeding or your baby, contact an appropriate health professional promptly.
A printable that may help
Official guidance & specialist support
02 · Rest, nights & safer sleep
Make a practical plan for tired days
Rather than aiming for a fixed newborn timetable, look at which everyday jobs someone else could take on. A small support plan can make it clearer what help is available when you are tired.
A practical place to begin
- Name the essential household jobs and leave non-essential jobs off the list for now.
- If another adult can help, agree a specific responsibility rather than a general promise to do more.
- Keep current safer-sleep guidance easy to find and discuss questions about your baby’s sleep with your midwife or health visitor.
Our older-child bedtime printable is not a newborn sleep plan. Follow current NHS safer-sleep guidance for your baby.
A printable that may help
Official guidance & specialist support
03 · Your recovery & practical help
Ask for the help that actually helps
Support after birth can mean very ordinary things: a cooked meal, a school pick-up or somebody dealing with the washing. You are allowed to be specific about what would take pressure off.
A practical place to begin
- Choose one task that would be useful for somebody else to own from start to finish.
- Give a clear request with a time, such as bringing dinner on Tuesday or collecting an older child.
- Keep a separate note of questions about your recovery for your maternity team or GP.
Recovery is individual. A planner cannot tell you whether a symptom is normal or how quickly you should be recovering; ask your care team about concerns.
A printable that may help
- The family jobs board · For mums & family life
- Dinner, a little more decided · For mums & family life
Official guidance & specialist support
04 · Visitors & boundaries
Visits that work for you
You can want company and still need visits to be short, flexible or postponed. A simple message can help people understand what would feel supportive without asking you to manage everybody’s expectations in the moment.
A practical place to begin
- Decide whether you would like visitors to arrange a time before coming round.
- Try wording such as: “We would love a short visit. Please check with us on the day.”
- If it helps, ask one trusted person to pass on updates so you do not have to reply to every message.
You can change your mind about a visit. Follow your care team’s guidance about protecting your baby’s health.
A printable that may help
05 · Appointments & new-baby admin
One small home for the important details
Messages, appointment letters and everyday paperwork can arrive when your attention is elsewhere. Bring them together in one place, without trying to finish everything in one sitting.
A practical place to begin
- Keep appointment information and the contact details provided by your care team together.
- Put each action and the date given by the relevant service on your family planner.
- Agree who will handle practical admin, check official deadlines and follow up anything you do not understand.
Registration processes, services and support can differ across the UK. Check the relevant official service rather than relying on a generic checklist.
A printable that may help
Official guidance & specialist support
Guidance links checked 6 September 2026. NHS links are to NHS.uk unless otherwise labelled; local care arrangements may differ. Check with your own maternity team, health visitor or GP for individual advice.