What to Expect the First Year: (Updated in 2025)

by Heidi Murkoff

Don’t have enough expressed milk to make up a complete bottle? No need to throw all that hard work down the drain. Instead, mix formula with the expressed milk to fill the bottle. Less waste—and your baby will be getting enzymes from the breast milk that will help digest the formula better.

Prop it up. Try propping up the head of the mattress slightly (with a pillow or rolled blanket under the mattress) so baby isn’t flat on his back—at an incline, he may be inclined to sleep longer. But don’t prop baby with any pillows or other soft bedding inside the crib.

Lie on your bellies together, side by side or face-to-face, on a comfy surface—just make sure it’s not so cushy that your baby can’t push up easily. Then entertain him with a special toy or just coo at each other.

Set a relaxing scene. The room you select for the massage should be quiet and warm, at least 75°F