Infant Care Guide: Well Visits, Feeding, Sleep and Fever in Year One

Last updated: October 2026

Infant care is everything a baby needs to grow safely in the first year: regular well visits, feeding on cue, safe sleep, enough wet diapers, on-time vaccines, and knowing when a symptom needs a doctor. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends seven well visits before a baby’s first birthday. This guide walks through each piece, with the numbers pediatricians actually use, so you know what is normal and when to call.

What does infant care include in the first year?

Infant care covers seven areas: well visits, feeding, sleep, diapers and hydration, fever, vaccines, and development. Most of it happens at home, and your pediatrician checks the rest at scheduled visits.

The AAP schedule calls for well visits in the first week (3 to 5 days old), then at 1, 2, 4, 6, 9 and 12 months. At each one, the physician tracks growth, screens development, gives recommended immunizations and answers your questions. [Source: HealthyChildren.org, AAP Schedule of Well-Child Care Visits]

Think of this post as the hub. Each section below gives the essentials and links to a deeper guide where one exists. If your baby is brand new, start with what to expect at your newborn’s first pediatrician visit and our newborn services page.

What is the well-visit schedule for a baby’s first year?

Babies have seven well visits in year one: first week, 1, 2, 4, 6, 9 and 12 months. Visits cluster early because growth and change are fastest in the first six months.

Vaccine timing in this table follows the CDC child schedule, addendum updated July 2, 2025. [Source: CDC, Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule by Age] For a view of visits past the first birthday, see how often your child should see a pediatrician. Every well visit in Marietta, East Cobb, Alpharetta and Cumming is part of our wellness and preventive care.

How often should a baby eat by age?

Newborns eat 8 to 12 times in 24 hours, whether breastfed or formula fed. By 6 to 12 months, most babies need breast milk, formula or solid food about 5 to 6 times a day.

The CDC notes that exclusively breastfed babies feed about every 2 to 4 hours in the first weeks and months, and newborns may want to eat as often as every 1 to 3 hours. [Source: CDC, How Much and How Often to Breastfeed] Formula-fed newborns start with 1 to 2 ounces every 2 to 3 hours, then stretch to every 3 to 4 hours over the first months. [Source: CDC, How Much and How Often to Feed Infant Formula]

The AAP recommends breast milk alone for about 6 months, with solids introduced around that age once your baby has good head control and shows interest in food. [Source: HealthyChildren.org, When Can Babies Start Solid Foods?] For a full breakdown, read how often a newborn should eat.

How should a baby sleep safely?

Put your baby on their back, on a firm flat surface, with nothing else in the sleep space, for every nap and every night. Room share for at least the first 6 months, but do not bed share.

Around 3,500 babies in the United States die suddenly and unexpectedly during sleep each year. Room sharing can cut the risk of SIDS by as much as 50 percent. Any sleep surface that inclines more than 10 degrees is unsafe. [Source: HealthyChildren.org, How to Keep Your Sleeping Baby Safe: AAP Policy Explained]

A few more AAP points from the same guidance:

• Offering a pacifier at sleep time lowers SIDS risk, even if it falls out later.
• Stop swaddling once your baby shows any sign of rolling, usually around 3 to 4 months.
• Dress your baby in one more layer than you would wear. Overheating raises risk.
• Build up to 15 to 30 minutes of supervised tummy time a day by 7 weeks.

How many wet diapers should a baby have, and what are the dehydration signs?

After the first week, expect at least six wet diapers a day. Fewer than six, a dry mouth, fewer tears or a sunken soft spot are early signs of dehydration in an infant.

The AAP lists fewer than six wet diapers per day, a parched mouth, fewer tears when crying, less play than usual and a sunken soft spot as signs of mild to moderate dehydration. Severe dehydration adds extreme sleepiness, sunken eyes, cool discolored hands and feet, and urinating only one or two times a day. The AAP says to notify your pediatrician immediately if any of these develop. [Source: HealthyChildren.org, Signs of Dehydration in Infants and Children]

Diaper counts change fast in week one, so use our week-by-week newborn wet diaper guide for the first days, then the wet diapers by age chart after that. If something feels off, signs of dehydration in babies and what to do walks through next steps.

When is a fever in a baby an emergency?

A rectal temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher in a baby under 3 months is an emergency. Call right away, and if you cannot reach us, go to the ER.

The AAP’s rule is clear: call the doctor right away for any infant younger than 3 months (12 weeks) with a temperature of 100.4°F or higher. At any age, call for a fever that rises above 104°F repeatedly, a fever lasting more than 24 hours in a child under 2, a stiff neck, repeated vomiting, unusual drowsiness or signs of dehydration. [Source: HealthyChildren.org, Fever Without Fear: Information for Parents]

Why so strict with young babies? Their immune systems are still immature, and a serious infection can look like a mild one at first. The AAP’s ER guide puts it simply: young infants can get sick quickly and need prompt evaluation. [Source: HealthyChildren.org, Urgent Care, ER or Pediatrician? A Parent Guide] Our child fever: when to worry by age guide covers thresholds for older kids too.

What vaccines does a baby get in the first year?

Babies receive protection against 10 or more diseases by their first birthday, mostly at the 2, 4 and 6 month visits. The schedule is set by the CDC and endorsed by the AAP.

[Source: CDC, Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule by Age] Several of these come as combination shots, so the number of pokes is smaller than the list suggests. Our vaccination schedule page shows the full timeline from birth through 18.

What milestones should a baby reach in the first year?

By 2 months most babies smile at you and hold their head up on their tummy. By 6 months they roll and laugh. By 12 months they pull to stand, wave bye-bye and say “mama” or “dada.”

The CDC defines a milestone as something 75 percent or more of children can do by a given age, so a baby slightly behind one line is not automatically a concern. [Source: CDC, Milestones by 2 Months]

[Source: CDC, Milestones by 6 Months; CDC, Your Baby at 12 Months Checklist] Bring the checklist to each well visit. Your pediatrician does a formal developmental screening at 9 months, and earlier if you have a concern.

When should you call, book a same-day visit, or go to the ER?

Go to the ER for breathing trouble, a fever of 100.4°F or higher under 3 months, a seizure, or a baby too sleepy to feed. Book a same-day visit for most other sick symptoms. Call for questions about feeding, sleep or rashes.

The ER examples follow the AAP parent guide, which lists retractions, blue lips, seizure, unresponsiveness and a purple rash as reasons to go straight to the emergency room. [Source: HealthyChildren.org, Urgent Care, ER or Pediatrician? A Parent Guide] When in doubt, call. A quick phone triage is always better than waiting.

How Sun Pediatrics can help

Sun Pediatrics cares for children from birth through 18 at four North Atlanta offices: Marietta, East Cobb, Alpharetta and Cumming. Every physician is board certified, and the practice accepts Medicaid and most insurance plans.

For infant care, that means the full first-year well-visit schedule, in-office vaccines, and same-day sick visits every day at all four offices with rapid tests for RSV, flu, strep and COVID. Secure video visits work well for feeding and rash questions. We also run a Saturday clinic from 9:00 to 12:00 on the first and third Saturday of each month. Call 678-501-5601 or request an appointment online.

Frequently asked questions about infant care

Do I really need all seven well visits if my baby seems healthy?

Yes. The visits are timed to catch problems before they show symptoms, not after. Growth slows or speeds in patterns parents cannot see day to day, hearing and vision problems are silent early, and most vaccines are due at the 2, 4 and 6 month visits. A healthy baby who skips the 4 month visit misses second doses, which delays protection. The well-visit schedule from the AAP also sets aside time for your questions about feeding, sleep and development. Those questions are often the most useful part of the appointment, so bring a list.

Can I give my baby medicine for a fever at home?

Not under 3 months without talking to the pediatrician first. In that age group a fever of 100.4°F or higher needs a same-day evaluation, and a fever reducer can hide the one sign that tells us something is wrong. For babies over 3 months, your pediatrician can tell you whether acetaminophen is appropriate and the right dose by weight. Ibuprofen is generally not used under 6 months. Remember that the number on the thermometer matters less than how your baby looks, drinks and breathes. A fussy but feeding baby is different from a limp one.

What is the difference between infant care and newborn care?

Newborn care covers the first 28 days: the hospital stay, the first-week visit, feeding setup, jaundice checks and the early wet diaper counts. Infant care is the whole first year and builds on it, adding the vaccine series, safe sleep through 12 months, starting solids around 6 months and developmental screening. The same pediatrician handles both, and the newborn visit is where that relationship starts. If you are expecting, you can schedule a prenatal meet-and-greet at any Sun Pediatrics office so the first week is one less thing to figure out.

Should I worry if my baby is behind on one milestone?

One missed line on a checklist is rarely a problem on its own. The CDC sets milestones at what 75 percent of children do by that age, which means a quarter of healthy babies get there a little later. What matters more is the pattern: several missed milestones in one area, losing a skill your baby already had, or no smiling, babbling or eye contact by the ages above. Mention any concern at the next well visit, or call sooner. Early intervention services in Georgia are free to evaluate, and starting early makes a real difference.

This article is for general information and is not medical advice. Contact your pediatrician for care specific to your child.