Tummy time must always be supervised
Tummy time is only safe when your baby is awake and you are watching. Never leave a baby on their tummy unsupervised, and always return them to their back for sleep.
Growth spurts and cluster feeding
Many babies experience a growth spurt around weeks 2–3. During a growth spurt, your baby may want to feed very frequently — sometimes every hour or even more. This is their way of signaling the body to produce more milk, and it typically lasts 1–3 days.
Cluster feeding in the evenings is also common at this age. It can feel exhausting, but frequent feeding at the breast is both normal and functional — it's not a sign of insufficient supply in most cases.
- Growth spurts common around weeks 2–3
- Increased feeding frequency is temporary
- Evening cluster feeding is typical
- After a spurt, sleep stretches may lengthen slightly
What your baby is learning
Your newborn is taking in the world in new ways each day. By week 3, many babies begin to show early social smiling — fleeting, reflexive smiles that will develop into real responsive smiling around week 6–8.
Your baby can track slow movement with their eyes and is starting to show more alertness during wake periods. These alert windows are short, but they're ideal moments for gentle interaction.
Tips for this stage
Survive evenings with a plan
If cluster feeding and fussiness peak in the evening, build your support around that time. Have a snack and water ready, let anything non-essential go, and ask for backup from a partner or support person during this window.
Try tummy time
Start introducing tummy time when your baby is awake and supervised — even just a minute or two on your chest counts. Tummy time builds neck and upper body strength and is important for development.