The first 30 days with a newborn is a master class in operational efficiency while severely sleep-deprived.

You’ve got a tiny human who eats every 2-3 hours, poops 10 times a day, and has only one communication method: screaming.

We’ve done this three times now, and here’s what we know: the right setup makes everything easier. Not perfect, just easier.

Here we cover the products, room layouts, and routines that helped us survive those first chaotic weeks—plus the stuff we wish someone had told us before our house turned into a diaper-changing station with occasional naps.

Set Realistic Expectations for the First 30 Days

Time warps

Days blur together. You’ll look at the clock thinking it’s 2pm and it’s actually 9pm.

Nights feel endless, especially around week two when the adrenaline wears off.

The learning curve is steeper than anyone admits

You’re learning a new human who can’t tell you what they need.

They’re learning how to exist outside the womb.

Everyone’s figuring it out together.

You’ll figure it out faster than you think

By week three, you’ll recognize different cries.

By week four, you’ll change a diaper in the dark without turning on a light.

The goal here is not perfection at all. The goal is setting up your space so that when you’re running on two hours of sleep, everything you need is exactly where you need it.

The Sleeping Setup

The Bassinet: Room-sharing or Nursery?

For the first month (and often longer), most babies sleep in their parents’ room.

The AAP recommends room-sharing for at least six months to reduce SIDS risk, but practically speaking, you’ll want them close because you’re feeding every 2-3 hours.

Good to know: The mattress firmness matters. Newborn sleep surfaces need to be actually firm—not “feels firm-ish.”

If you push on the mattress and it contours around your hand, it’s too soft. Firm and flat is safest.

Everything you need for middle-of-the-night feeds should be within arm’s reach:

  • Water bottle (you’ll be thirsty, especially if breastfeeding)
  • Burp cloths (at least two)
  • Phone charger
  • Small lamp or clip-on book light (overhead lights are brutal at 3am)
  • Lip balm and hand lotion

Test it before baby arrives: lie in bed and make sure you can grab everything without sitting up fully.

We cover all things sleep in our Newborn Sleep Guide!

Having two changing stations can be helpful

One in the nursery or your bedroom, one in the main living area.

This is so you don’t tire yourself walking up and down stairs twelve times a day.

If you can’t swing two setups, a portable caddy that moves room-to-room works too.

The Swaddle Situation

Some babies love tight swaddles, others hate arms-down and only settle with arms up in a zip-up sleep sack.

And some babies.. just want to bust out of everything.

Try a couple of styles early.

Traditional muslin wraps, velcro swaddles, zip-up sacks, and see what your baby tolerates.

You won’t know until you try.

Setting Up for Round-the-Clock Feeding

Breastfeeding Setup

The nursing corner: Pick one spot and make it your feeding headquarters. You’ll spend hours here every day:

  • Nursing pillow
  • Side table with water, snacks, phone charger, burp cloths, nipple cream
  • Back support (throw pillow or lumbar cushion)
  • Footstool if your feet don’t touch the ground

Bring the baby to your chest, not your chest to the baby.

Use pillows to lift the baby to the right height so you’re not hunching forward.

Hydration is critical!

Keep a full water bottle in every feeding spot. Breastfeeding makes you suddenly-dying-of-thirst-mid-feed thirsty. Dehydration tanks your energy and milk supply.

Formula/Bottle Setup

Designate one spot for formula supplies: formula container, bottles, bottle brush, drying rack, burp cloths.

Everything in one place means no hunting through cabinets at 3am.

The pitcher method (this is a game changer)

Mix a full day’s worth of formula in a pitcher and pour bottles as needed.

It’s faster, more consistent, and eliminates 3am measuring panic.

A quick water temperature hack

Most formulas mix fine with room-temperature water, which is way faster than warming bottles. If your baby prefers warm, keep a thermos of warm water on the counter overnight.

Both Feeding Paths Need

  • Burp cloths. Aim for at least 12-15. You’ll go through 3-4 per day minimum. Flour sack towels work just as well as fancy burp cloths and cost half as much.
  • One-handed snacks, Granola bars, nuts, dried fruit, crackers. Nothing that requires two hands. You’ll eat more of these than actual meals for the first few weeks.
  • Entertainment at 4am. Your phone is your friend. Download podcasts, queue up a show, or scroll mindlessly. No judgment. Do what gets you through.

Your Diaper Station

Main Changing Table (Within Arm’s Reach)

  • Diapers (newborn and size 1)
  • Wipes
  • Diaper cream (CeraVe or Aquaphor for everyday, Desitin for actual rash)
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Two backup onesies
  • Small trash can with lid
  • Changing pad with washable cover

You don’t need a wipe warmer or Diaper Genie. You need diapers, wipes, and cream within reach while holding a baby’s legs in the air.

If you have a secondary station…

A portable changing pad (or towel) plus a small caddy with 5-6 diapers, wipes, cream, and one backup outfit. Keep it wherever you spend the most time during the day.

Middle-of-the-Night Floor Change Kit

Waterproof pad, a few diapers, wipes next to your bed. Change them in the dark without leaving the room. Not glamorous, but it works.

The First Bath

The first bath usually doesn’t happen on day one. When you do get to it, you’ll likely start with sponge baths until the umbilical cord stump falls off (usually 1-2 weeks). We cover the full newborn bath setup and routine here!

Your Living Room Baby Zone

Safe Baby Parking Spots

  • Bouncer: Great for keeping baby semi-upright after feeds. Not for sleep, but perfect for supervised awake time.
  • Play mat: Flat, safe space for tummy time and stretching.
  • Bassinet or pack-n-play: Safe for naps if you’re spending the day downstairs.

Tummy Time

  • Week 1: 30 seconds on your chest while you’re reclined on the couch. That counts.
  • Week 4: A few minutes on a play mat, 2-3 times a day. They’ll probably hate it. That’s normal.

Your Comfort Setup

Make the couch comfortable because you’ll spend more time there than you expect:

  • Throw pillows for support
  • Blanket within reach
  • Side table for water, phone, snacks
  • Working remote (figure out which one actually works now)

Health Tracking

What to Track (Weeks 1-2)

Diaper output: Your pediatrician wants to know wet and dirty diapers per day to confirm baby’s eating enough:

  • Days 1-2: 1-2 wet, 1-2 dirty (black meconium)
  • Days 3-5: 3+ wet, 3+ dirty (transitioning to yellow/green)
  • Day 6+: 6+ wet, 3+ dirty per day

After two weeks and once weight gain is confirmed, you can stop counting.

Feeding frequency: Track when feeds start, how long, and which side (if breastfeeding).

Apps like Huckleberry work great, but a notebook by the couch works too.

Medicine Cabinet Basics

  • Infant acetaminophen—only if your pediatrician approves the dose
  • Saline drops and nasal aspirator (Frida Baby NoseFrida)
  • Simethicone drops for gas (check with pediatrician)
  • Diaper cream
  • Infant nail clippers

Thermometer: Rectal thermometers are most accurate for newborns. Digital underarm works too (add 1 degree to reading). Here’s a guide to the best baby thermometers.

When to Call the Doctor

  • Fever of 100.4°F or higher in a baby under 3 months—call immediately
  • Fewer than 6 wet diapers in 24 hours after day 5
  • Persistent vomiting (not just spit-up)
  • Extreme lethargy or difficulty waking for feeds
  • Breathing changes—fast breathing, grunting, chest retractions

When in doubt, call.

Your Postpartum Setup Matters Too

Bathroom Essentials

  • Peri bottle (Frida Mom Upside Down Peri Bottle is easier to use)
  • Heavy-duty postpartum pads or Depends
  • Witch hazel pads or Tucks pads
  • Dermoplast spray (numbing relief)
  • Stool softener—just take it. Makes the first postpartum poop way less scary.

One-handed shower products: Pump bottles for everything. Also consider a shower stool if you’re feeling lightheaded.

Bedroom Recovery

  • Extra pillows for back support and between knees
  • Pain relief (ibuprofen or acetaminophen) on nightstand with water
  • Support garments if they help (high-waisted underwear for C-section, soft breathable underwear for vaginal birth)

You’ve Got This!

Month 1 will be far from perfect, and that’s completely normal. “Good enough” is actually perfect. In fact, it’s survival mode.

You’re supposed to keep the baby fed, dry, and safe—and keep yourself as rested as possible.

That’s it. Everything else is extra.

Your setup will evolve weekly. What works in week one won’t work in week three.

Stay flexible and adjust as you go.

The baby doesn’t care if the nursery is Instagram-ready. They care that you’re there, that they’re fed, and that they’re safe.

The bottomline….

Everything within reach. The best setup lets you do what you need without extra steps.

Systems that work at 3am. Test everything in the dark, half-asleep, with one hand. That’s the real test.

Grace for yourself. You’re going to feel overwhelmed. You’re going to wonder if you’re doing it right. You are.

By week four, you’ll have a rhythm. You’ll know your baby’s cries and sleep patterns. You’ll still be tired, but you’ll feel more competent.

It gets easier. We promise.