Pediatrician Mom: Tips for Holding Your Baby

The following article comes from Pediatrician Mom, author Xiami Mommy

Pediatrician Mom.

With the conscience of a mother with professional medical knowledge, I can speak for the babies and answer questions for the parents.

This is the 3840th article of Da Yi Xiao Hu

The skill of holding a baby is not only to hold the baby safely, but also to make the baby feel safe. Before holding the baby, let him hear your voice or see your smiling face first, because it is a scary thing to be held by a pair of invisible hands and taken to a strange place.

Holding a baby (0-3 months old) Newborns and babies may seem fragile, but they are actually much stronger than you think. If you hold them calmly and confidently, they will feel very comfortable. However, babies will feel uneasy because of sudden events. Therefore, before picking up/putting down the baby, let him know what will happen next through a soft voice and gentle eyes.

When you hold a baby whose neck cannot stand straight, you must firmly support the baby's head and neck. Holding the baby close to your chest can make him feel at ease and calm him down.

STEP1 Look at the baby gently and tell the baby in a soft tone that it is time to hold him.

STEP 2: Put one hand behind the baby's neck, open your palm, and slowly and steadily support the baby's head and neck.

STEP3: Put your other hand behind the baby's buttocks, open your palm, and slowly and steadily support the baby's back and buttocks.

STEP4 Hold the baby in front of your chest, with your palms supporting the baby's buttocks facing upwards, and support the baby's back.

STEP 5: Let the baby press against your chest, and slide the palm of your hand that is supporting the baby's head and neck forward to the baby's shoulder away from your chest, and use the inside of your elbow to support the baby's head and neck.

STEP6 Try to adjust the holding position to the most comfortable position for you. When you hold your baby in a relaxed and comfortable position, he will also feel relaxed and comfortable.

Putting down a baby: The upper body of a baby is more sensitive. If you put the upper body down first, it will easily "scare" him, so put down the baby's buttocks first.

STEP1 Look at the baby gently and tell the baby in a soft tone that it is time to put it down.

STEP 2 Move the elbow that is supporting the baby's head and neck away, and use the palm of your hand on this side to support the baby's head and neck, and quietly and steadily move the baby away from your chest.

STEP3 Hold your head and neck firmly and gently lower your hips.

STEP4 Then gently lower the back, and finally lower the head and neck steadily, and gently pull your palms out from under the baby.

STEP5 Make sure your baby is lying flat on his back, or lying on his side under adult supervision. Sleeping flat on his back reduces the risk of infant death during sleep and is safer than sleeping on his side or stomach.

Home care tips: New fathers are prone to nervousness and may not remember whether to lift/lower the head and neck or the buttocks first. There is a very easy way to remember: look at the baby's face gently. This cute face is the baby you dream about. Of course, you should be the first to lift it up and the last to put it down.

Swaddling a baby For a newborn baby, being wrapped comfortably in a soft blanket or bath towel is like returning to the mother's womb. The baby will feel more secure and behave more peacefully. Some studies have shown that wrapping the baby properly and sleeping on his back can reduce the incidence of sudden infant death syndrome. Here is how to swaddle a baby:

STEP1 Spread out a large, soft, thin, slightly elastic blanket on the crib or changing table, fold one corner inward, and place the baby diagonally in the blanket with his head resting on the folded corner.

STEP2 Pull up the corner of the blanket on the left side of the baby's body and wrap the baby's left arm and body.

STEP3 Lift the baby's right arm and tuck the corner of the blanket under the baby's right back.

STEP4 Pull up the bottom corner of the blanket to cover the baby's body and tuck it in with the folded corner.

STEP5 Pull up the corner of the blanket on the right side of the baby's body and wrap the baby's right arm and body.

STEP6 Tuck the corner of the blanket behind the baby’s left side.

Home care tips: Whether to wrap your baby depends on the specific season temperature and the baby's emotional response. Note that if you wrap your baby, make sure to wrap him/her appropriately tight so that his/her hands and legs have some space to move freely. As your baby grows older, wrapping him/her will make him/her feel uncomfortable, and you will find that the blanket can no longer wrap your active baby. Follow your baby's feelings. Once your baby becomes active and learns to roll over, stop wrapping him/her, otherwise it will become a safety hazard.

Commonly used positions for holding babies: The first is to hold the baby horizontally in your arms: one arm is slightly tilted to support the baby's back, the baby's head and neck are supported by the elbow, and the other arm supports the baby's hips and legs. In this way, the baby can see your face clearly, and you can look at each other tenderly and communicate happily.

The second method is to rest the baby on your shoulder: let the baby lean against your chest and let his head rest on your shoulder. Use one palm to support the baby's hips, and use your forearm to wrap around the baby's back, and the other palm to support the baby's head and neck. In this way, the baby's field of vision is wider and can better stimulate the development of vision.

The third way is to hold the baby face down horizontally: also called airplane hold. One arm is slightly tilted to support the baby's abdomen, the elbow supports the baby's chin and cheeks, and the other arm supports the baby's legs. For babies with intestinal gas, this way of holding will be very comfortable.

Tips for holding a baby easily Category 1 Make your baby happier - satisfy your baby's curiosity and sense of security

1. Occasionally hold your baby upright

2. Wrap your baby in a bath towel

The second category makes mothers more comfortable - reducing the burden on mothers' wrists

1. Place a cushion under your wrist

2. Use a baby carrier and sling

This article was completed in 2014