How to hold a newborn baby correctly?
All women, becoming mothers, ask the question: how to properly hold a newborn? After all, he is still so small, fragile, and it’s scary to touch him, lest he do harm or hurt. Holding a baby correctly is actually not that difficult. The main thing is to do it carefully.
Why pick up your baby?
Contrary to popular belief, a child should be held as often as possible. This is due not only to the fact that he, who has just come into this world, needs attention and support like no one else. While in the mother's womb, the baby heard the beating of his mother's heart all the time and felt her warmth. Once cut off from this, the baby experiences stress.
The more often you hold your newborn in your arms, the more comfortable his stay in our world will become. In addition, very often it is the mother’s warmth and touch that can relieve tummy cramps in the baby.
How to pick up a baby and how to hold him correctly?
This should be done smoothly and gently, without sudden movements. One hand should be placed under the baby's head, the other should lift his butt.
Important point: do not hold your baby by the neck! His bones are still very fragile, so his neck may not be able to withstand the weight of his head.
There are several positions in which the baby can be held in your arms:
- horizontal (classical);
- “column” facing yourself;
- “column” facing forward;
- under the arm;
- face down;
- "Buddha" etc.
Let's consider only the most convenient and popular of them.
Horizontal (classic) method
This position is good for feeding the baby, as it places him directly opposite the mother's breast.
Place the baby's head on the elbow bend of one hand, and with the other hand gently support the baby's back. Thus, you should end up with the baby lying on the palm of one hand with his whole body, and his head on the elbow of the other hand.
"Column"
The baby is held in this position after feeding. This especially applies to children who are bottle-fed, since they also swallow air with milk from the bottle. Therefore, after (and during) each meal, the baby needs to burp.
Also, the “column” position is useful for the baby, since it contributes to the correct formation of the spine and noticeably calms the baby when he is capricious.
How to properly hold a newborn upright? There's really nothing complicated about it. Turn the child vertically to face you and, as it were, “hang” him on your shoulder: the baby’s chin should lie on your shoulder, one of your hands presses the baby’s butt and legs, and the other holds his head. The baby should remain in this position for several minutes until he burps or calms down.
Forward facing
The baby will especially like this position, because while in it, you can look around at the world around you, and it is so interesting to the little person!
Turn the baby upright, facing away from you. Hold his chest with one hand, and hug his hips with the other. But remember that until a certain age you cannot put a child in your hand. It should “hang” in a natural position.
Hold it under your arm
For many (especially young and inexperienced) mothers, this method of carrying and holding a baby may seem too dangerous. In fact, experienced mothers carry their babies this way when doing housework. This position is comfortable as it leaves one hand free. It turns out that things are getting done, and the baby is under supervision.
Holding your child under your chest, “sit” him on your side. At the same time, the baby should not sit in the usual sense of the word; his weight should be supported only by your hand. At the same time, the baby’s legs are relaxed, and the tummy “hangs”, which, by the way, helps eliminate painful colic, if it torments the baby.
What not to do
- Under no circumstances should you allow your newborn's head to be thrown back. This will negatively affect the formation of the spine, and can also lead to quite sad consequences, because the baby’s bones have not yet had time to get stronger and form.
- You should also not squeeze or hug your baby too much, as this will make her feel uncomfortable and anxious.
- It is not recommended to pull the baby by the hands and feet, as in children the bones can easily come out of the joints. For such games, it is better to wait until the child’s skeleton is formed and strengthened.
- It is undesirable for the baby's arms and legs to hang down when he lies in his mother's arms.
- It is not recommended to carry the baby on one side: you need to move it from left to right and vice versa.
When bathing your baby, it is important that his head has reliable support.
How to hold your baby during water procedures
Probably every parent is tormented by the question of how to properly hold a newborn while bathing. Very often, mothers and fathers are especially afraid of making a mistake when bathing. In vain. After all, during water procedures, water itself helps to hold the newborn! The parent can only support the baby's head.
With your left hand, gently support the back of the child's head: the baby's head lies on the wrist, and the palm can be placed on the child's shoulder. At this time, you can lift the baby by the lower back and butt with your right hand. This is not necessary, but young mothers feel better knowing that they are in complete control of the situation.
Later, when you get used to it and learn how to hold your baby correctly, you can play in the bathtub and turn the baby over onto his stomach, holding him under your chest with your hand.
Washing
You can wash your baby both in the bathtub and in the sink. The baby's head should be placed on the forearm, with the back and butt facing down. But some parents may find it more convenient to wash their baby when he lies tummy down. This pose is also acceptable.
It is important to remember that boys and girls are washed differently! A newborn girl is washed from top to bottom: from the vagina to the anus, so as not to cause infection. In boys, it is not recommended to retract the foreskin during hygienic procedures.
Conclusion
Holding the baby correctly in the first (and not only) days of his life is extremely important, since right now the skeleton and posture of the toddler begins to form, and the main task of the parents is not to harm, but to contribute to the correct development of the baby.
