The birth of a child is a very touching and crucial moment. If this is the first child with newly-made parents, then even in the maternity hospital they will have many questions related to caring for the newborn. The vast majority of parents admit that they do not know how to hold the baby in their arms until the baby is strong, that is, in the first 2-3 months. But, having learned a few simple rules and recommendations for caring for a newborn, you can enjoy the positive moments without fear.
The benefits of carrying on hand
Inexperienced parents do not know how to hold the child, so they try not to disturb him once again so as not to harm the baby. After all, the baby seems to be a very fragile and defenseless creature. Do not worry, this is not entirely true. In the process of birth, the child experiences a number of difficulties, after which the awkward movements of the parents are not so terrible for him.
There is an opinion that it is extremely rare to take a child in his arms, and only if necessary (feed, wash, transfer). Grandmothers frighten young mothers with scary stories that the child will get used to being in her arms and then will not want to remain unattended. Does the baby really need a maternal affection? Is it possible to hold a child in her arms for a long time?
Consider a few facts:
- A childâs need for close bodily contact with his mother is not a fiction at all. Thus, she confirms her love, because it is not in vain that right after the birth of a newborn they are placed on her motherâs stomach to strengthen mutual affection.
- Contact with the parent ensures the full emotional development of the child.
- Carrying on your hands promotes proper physical development.
- In the hands of the parent, the baby learns the world, examines the space, gets acquainted with new objects and people.
Having found out the obvious benefits of carrying a child in your arms, do not forget about the possible risks and dangers. Let's find out how to properly hold a child in various situations.
Take the baby in our arms
Of particular difficulty for inexperienced parents is the process of raising a child from a solid horizontal surface. This is not complicated, but there are some rules that must always be observed so as not to scare the baby and not harm him.
Here is some of them:
- Raise the child with both hands.
- Poking your hands under the babyâs body, you need to hold the back of the head with one hand, and the buttocks with the other.
- All manipulations are important to carry out in smooth movements.
Naturally, you need to follow the rules of hygiene, and wash your hands before approaching the baby.
How to lay a baby?
Putting the baby in the crib or on the changing table with great care. The movements must be accurate, because otherwise you can lose balance and drop the child. It is important to hold the baby by the nape and buttocks, while you need to bend over the bed and neatly put the baby. Then you need to free the hand that supports the buttocks of the baby. After a few seconds, you can release the second hand, but you must do this very carefully so that the baby does not get scared.
In the first minutes of being in a crib or stroller, the child may begin to cry. This is due to the fact that he has not yet had time to get comfortable on a new surface. It is advisable to warm the diaper with your hands before putting the baby on it. They do this so that the baby does not wake up from the cool and is not afraid.
How to hold the baby in your arms?
The positions in which the child may be in the arms of an adult are different. Alternating poses is useful not only for parents, but also for the baby. Adults - to prevent muscle strain, because each version of the babyâs support uses different muscles of the body. The benefit for the child is training different muscles and the ability to explore the world from new angles. Next, consider some popular ways to support your baby.
Cradle
How to keep the child in a horizontal position? The name speaks for itself, which means that the child should be comfortable and cozy in the same position as in the cradle. The baby's head should be on the elbow of the adult, and the body must be supported with the second hand. The baby himself in this position should be deployed so that his stomach is in contact with the stomach of an adult.
Parents are often interested in how to hold the baby in the first month, how to hold the head and whether it is harmful. âCradleâ is considered a classic and basic support, and if an adult wants to communicate with a newborn, then he must learn this technique. Any position of the newborn should change. In this case, parents can alternate hands, then the babyâs head will be on his left or right hand. The importance of observing this rule stems from the fact that the childâs bones are still quite soft and supple, they can form incorrectly, forming a curvature of the spine or torticollis.
Column
How to keep the baby after feeding? Column is an equally popular way to support a child. In this position, the baby is much easier to burp excess air or milk. This is very important, because during feeding, the newborn swallows a lot of air, which then can cause bloating and pain.
If an adult is cautious and poorly supports the line of the spine of the child, then he risks harming the baby. It will be correct to turn the baby face to itself, raise it higher and hold it close to itself so that the childâs chin is above the adultâs shoulder. With one hand you need to support the neck and back of the head, and the second - the zone of the lower back or sacrum. It is forbidden to seat the child on the arm or support under the buttocks, as this can create a strong load on the spine and damage it.
How much to keep the child a column? Every parent should know the answer to this question, because any load on the baby's spine can be dangerous. After each feeding, you need to hold the baby in a column for at least 10 minutes.
On the stomach
The favorite position of the children in the arms of their parents is the âflightâ pose. It is useful for the child to be on a hard surface, lying on his stomach, because this helps to discharge the accumulated gases. But often, some parents are afraid to lay the baby in such a pose, especially if the navel has not fallen off, others are afraid that the child will hit with a nose. Parents generally like the âflightâ pose, because the kids behave very calmly in this position.
To correctly recreate this pose, you need:
- An adult should take the baby in a pose of a column and from this position turn the child's back to himself.
- Next, you need to place the palm of one hand on the babyâs chest, while the childâs chin is in the area of ââthe elbow of the adult.
- The other hand should extend between the legs and hold the babyâs stomach.
Parents should know how to keep their baby in different situations, because right after feeding you canât carry the baby in a âflightâ pose, because the pressure exerted on the stomach can provoke vomiting.
Lotus position
The baby in this position resembles the famous lotus position or sitting Buddha, since the head and back of the child rest on the chest of mom or dad. The adult should grab the childâs chest with one hand, and hold the feet of his legs folded together with the other. Another version of this posture is that one parent's hand holds the baby by the chest, and the other is between the legs.
This situation is quite physiological for the baby, although it looks a little strange. But if you remember what position the baby is in the womb, it becomes clear that the baby, even before his birth, is used to this position of the body. Breeding legs in this position is useful for preventing colic in newborns and preventing hip dysplasia. This position of the baby allows you to reduce the load on the spine, as it practically sags, and the back does not strain.
What can not be done?
In addition to recommendations and tips on how to handle the child, parents need to learn and precautions. Below weâll look at the rules to help you understand what you should not do with your child:
- Do not pull the child by the hands or wrists, as the joints of the newborn are very weak.
- You can not raise a child without holding the head. In this case, the head often throws back, because the muscles of the neck of the baby have not yet become stronger.
- If the child is in the arms of an adult, you need to monitor the position of the limbs of the baby, so as not to touch and dislocate his arm or leg.
- It is important to always control the vertical position of the child, supporting the back and head. The consequences of the transferred load on the spine of the baby may not appear immediately, but only after a few years.
- It is necessary to hold the child in her arms carefully and carefully; Itâs important not to push him too tightly.
Responsibility for the health of the child can scare parents, but do not get hung up on fears and be careful not to touch your baby. Parental feelings will prevail over you, and intuition will help to cope with any difficulties.