How to hold a baby: rules for caring for a baby, necessary knowledge and skills, tips

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

The birth of a child is a very touching and crucial moment. If this is the first child for 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 a child in their arms until the baby gets stronger, that is, in the first 2-3 months. But by learning a few simple rules and guidelines for caring for a newborn, you can enjoy the positive moments without fear.

Benefits of Carrying

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, a baby seems to be a very fragile and defenseless creature. Don't worry, it's not exactly like that. In the process of birth, the child experiences a number of difficulties, after which the awkward movements of the parents are not so much for him.scary.

There is an opinion that it is extremely rare to take a child in your arms, and only when necessary (to feed, wash, move). Grandmothers scare young mothers with scary stories that the child will get used to being in her arms, and then will not want to be left unattended. Does the baby really need motherly affection? Can I hold my baby for a long time?

Let's consider a few facts:

• The baby's need for close bodily contact with the mother is not a fantasy at all. Thus, she confirms her love, because it is not in vain that immediately after the birth of a newborn, they put it on the mother’s stomach to strengthen mutual affection.
• Contact with the parent ensures the full emotional development of the child.
• Carrying on the hands promotes proper physical development.
• In the hands of a 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 learn how to hold your baby in different situations.

We take the baby in our arms

A particular difficulty for inexperienced parents is the process of lifting a child from a hard horizontal surface. This is not difficult, but there are some rules that you must always follow so as not to scare the baby and not harm him.

Here are some of them:

• Raisebaby need both hands.
• Pushing your hands under the baby's body, you need to hold the back of the head with one hand, and the buttocks with the other.
• It is important to carry out all manipulations with smooth movements.

Of course, you need to follow the rules of hygiene, and wash your hands before approaching the baby.

How to lay down the baby?

Put your baby in the crib or on the changing table with great care. Movements must be accurate, otherwise you can lose balance and drop the child. It is important to hold the baby by the back of the head and buttocks, while you need to bend over the crib and gently lay the baby down. Then you need to release the hand that supports the baby's buttocks. After a few seconds, you can release the second hand, but you need to do this very carefully so that the baby is not scared.

In the first minutes of being in a crib or stroller, a child may begin to cry. This is due to the fact that he has not yet had time to get used to the new surface. It is advisable to warm the diaper with your hands before placing the baby on it. They do this so that the baby does not wake up from the coolness and is not afraid.

How to hold a baby?

The positions in which a child can be in the arms of an adult are different. Alternating positions is useful not only for parents, but also for the baby. For adults - for the prevention of muscle strain, because each option for supporting the baby involves different muscles of the body. Benefits for the child - training different muscles and the opportunity to exploreworld from new angles. Here are some popular ways to support your baby.

Cradle

How to keep a baby in a horizontal position? The name speaks for itself, which means that the child should be comfortable and cozy in such a position as in the cradle. The baby's head should be on the adult's elbow, and the body should be supported with the second hand. The baby himself in this position should be turned so that his stomach is in contact with the adult's stomach.

Parents are often interested in how to hold the baby in the first month, how to hold the head and whether it is harmful. “Cradle” is considered a classic and basic support, and if an adult wants to contact a newborn, then he definitely needs to learn this technique. Any position of the newborn must change. In this case, parents can alternate hands, then the baby's head will be either on the left or on the right hand. The importance of following this rule stems from the fact that the bones of the child are still very soft and pliable, they can form incorrectly, forming a curvature of the spine or torticollis.

Column

How to hold the baby after feeding? The column is an equally popular way to support a child. In this position, it is much easier for the baby to burp excess air or milk. This is very important, because during feeding, the newborn swallows a lot of air, which can then cause him to bloat and feel pain.

If an adult is cautiousand poorly supports the line of the child's spine, then he risks harming the baby. It will be correct to turn the baby to face him, lift him higher and press him so that the child's chin is higher than the adult's shoulder. With one hand you need to support the neck and the back of the head, and the second - the area of \u200b\u200bthe lower back or sacrum. It is forbidden to sit a child on your arm or support under the buttocks, as this can create a strong load on the spine and damage it.

How long to keep a baby in 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, hold the baby in a column for at least 10 minutes.

On the stomach

The favorite position of children in the arms of their parents is the “flight” position. It is useful for a child to be on a hard surface, lying on his stomach, because this contributes to the discharge of accumulated gases. But often some parents are afraid to put the baby in such a position, especially if the navel has not yet fallen off, others are afraid that the child will hit his nose. The “flying” pose is mostly liked by parents, because babies behave very calmly in this position.

To correctly recreate this pose, you need:

• An adult should take the baby in a column position and from this position turn the child's back to him.
• Next, you need to place the palm of one hand on the baby’s chest, while the child’s chin is in the area of the adult’s elbow.
• The other hand should go between the legs and hold the stomachbaby.

Parents need to know how to hold their baby in different situations, because the baby should not be carried in the “flying” position immediately after feeding, because the pressure exerted on the stomach can provoke vomiting.

Lotus position

The baby in this position resembles the famous lotus or seated Buddha position, as the head and back of the child rest against the chest of mom or dad. An adult should grab the child by the chest with one hand, and hold the feet of his legs folded together with the other. Another version of this position - one hand of the parent holds the baby by the chest, and the second is between the legs.

This position is quite physiological for the baby, although it looks a little strange. But if you remember in what position the child is in the womb, it becomes clear that the baby, even before his birth, was used to this position of the body. Spreading the 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 not to do?

In addition to recommendations and advice on how to handle a child, parents need to learn and precautions. Below we will consider the rules that help to understand what not to do with a child:

• Don't pull the baby by the arms or wrists as the newborn's joints are very weak.
• You can not lift the child without holding the head. In this case, the headleans back, because the baby's neck muscles are not yet strong.
• If the child is in the arms of an adult, you need to monitor the position of the baby's limbs so as not to hurt or dislocate his arm or leg.
• It is important to always control the upright position of the child, supporting the back and head. The consequences of the transferred load on the baby's spine may not appear immediately, but only after a few years.
• You need to hold the child carefully and carefully; it is important not to press him too hard.

Responsibility for a child's he alth can scare parents, but do not dwell on fears and be afraid to touch your baby. Parental feelings will take over you, and intuition will help you cope with any difficulties.