Chorevia

Day 3 of 60 · Week 1

Going home

Last reviewed · 3 min read · 14 sources · Plain-text version

The car seat, the sleep space, your milk coming in, the first checkup to book, and the feelings that often arrive on day three.

A father buckles a newborn into a rear-facing car seat in the back seat of a parked car outside a hospital entrance, the mother watching from a wheelchair in flat morning light.

Today is about the two pieces of gear that matter, the first appointment, and the changes that often land on day three.

Heart

Your baby doesn't need a nursery. They need your face at close range, your voice, and feeds when they ask. Responding quickly to their signals lets them know they can trust you (AAP).

Head

The car seat. Rear-facing from the first ride, in the back seat, never in front of an active airbag. Snug harness, chest clip at armpit level, and no bulky coat under the straps (AAP). At home, move a sleeping baby out of the seat onto a firm, flat surface on their back as soon as you can (Moon et al., 2022).

The sleep space. A crib or bassinet in your room, not your bed, for at least the first 6 months. Back to sleep for every nap and every night, on a firm, flat surface with a fitted sheet only: no bumpers, pillows, blankets, toys, or weighted products (Moon et al., 2022). No hat indoors once you're home (AAP).

Book the 3-to-5-day checkup if it isn't booked: within 48 to 72 hours of going home, or within 48 hours if your baby left the hospital before 48 hours old (AAP, 2025).

Body

Milk comes in within three to six days after delivery (Office on Women's Health), so swallows may get louder soon. Stools change too, from black and tarry to greenish-yellow around days 3 to 4 (AAP).

A yellow tint to the skin is common after day 1 (AAP). Look at your baby in daylight today and notice where the yellow is; the list below says when it's a call.

Try today

  1. On the first morning home, a mother in a living room with the curtains pulled wide changes her three-day-old on a mat on the sofa, talking to them, the father carrying in hospital bags.

    Bright days, dim nights, from day one home

    Time: All day · Bright days, dim nights in the guide

    1. This morning, open the curtains and let normal household noise carry on (NHS).

    2. Feed and change in the light, talking normally.

    3. Tonight, keep lights low and voices soft (NHS), and try not to rouse your baby more than needed during feeds and changes (AAP).

    Make it work:

    Expect nothing yet; regular sleep cycles don't arrive until about 4 months (AAP). It's a habit for you, not a schedule for them.

Watch for

  • Normal

    a yellow tint on the face after day 1.

    Call your pediatrician right away

    if the yellow deepens or spreads to the belly, arms, or legs, the whites of the eyes look yellow, or your baby is hard to wake (AAP).

  • Normal

    greenish-yellow stools around now.

    Call as soon as possible

    about white or very pale poop, which can be a sign of a liver problem (AAP).

  • Normal

    a little spit-up with a burp.

    Go to the ER now

    if your baby vomits green (bile), even once (AAP).

For you

The mother sits on the edge of her bed in soft afternoon light, teary and tired, a hand on her belly, while down the hall the father turns a visitor away at the front door.

Day three is often the day the feelings come. The AAP says 50% to 80% of people who give birth get the "baby blues," mild, short-lived mood changes in the first 2 weeks (AAP). Crying over nothing today isn't a verdict on you.

Your breasts may feel full, tender, or uncomfortable as milk comes in, even if you aren't breastfeeding (Office on Women's Health).

If you had a C-section: wash the incision with mild soap and water, and don't soak in a tub, hot tub, or pool until your provider says so, usually about 3 weeks. Steri-Strips fall off in about a week. Pain should ease after 2 or 3 days, though the incision can stay tender for 3 weeks or more (MedlinePlus).

If you're the partner: you install the seat, carry the bags, and field the visitors. She rides home and rests.

Sources

This guide is general education that summarizes published research and guidance from groups like the American Academy of Pediatrics, the CDC, and the WHO. It isn’t medical advice, and every child develops on their own timeline. Your pediatrician knows your child; if something feels wrong, call them. In an emergency, call 911.

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