Holding a Newborn Baby FAQs

The Benefits of Holding a Newborn Baby

After the newborn’s birth, the baby left the mother’s womb in a quiet and warm, safe living environment. This baby suddenly came to the strange world full of air and light, so will feel very unaccustomed, especially when picked up by the head and neck can not support, there is a feeling of falling, will appear frightened. Therefore, the new mother and father usually have time to hug the baby, let him slowly familiar with your taste, so that he is supported, feel warm and safe, the whole body comfortable, relaxed and happy.

As a new mother and father, to learn how to hold the newborn as soon as possible, you do not think that the baby is still small, do not know anything, and believe that no matter how good for him, he will forget when he grows up. Do you know? The newborn baby’s sense of taste and smell will be particularly sensitive because vision and hearing development is not yet perfect, and very often, they use their sense of smell to judge things. When he starts to smell an odor, he reacts with a faster heart rate and change inactivity and can turn his head towards the scent’s direction, signifying that the newborn is interested in the odor. And he can distinguish the smell of his mother’s milk pad, because the mother needs to hold the little baby often to feed the baby. The baby is already familiar with the smell of the mother.

Also, newborns are born with a kind of body memory. They will subconsciously remember how good you are to him, through the body to feel your love, especially holding a newborn baby with intimate parenting behavior, will be able to make you and your little baby relationship soar! When parents hold their baby and move around, they can increase the intimacy with their baby. A cuddled baby will have a wider view and be more stimulated by his surroundings, suitable for his brain development. The newborn is lying on the bed every day, although parents save their minds, less communication with the baby, will lose the best time for early education. On the other hand, the newborn is held, for the baby is also considered a kind of exercise conducive to the body’s development.

Methods of Holding a Newborn Baby

1. Hand-holding method: use the left hand to hold the baby’s back, neck, head, the right hand to hold his small buttocks and waist. This method is more often used to pick up and put down the baby from the bed.

2. Wrist hold method: put the baby’s head in the bend of the left arm, elbow protects the baby’s head, left wrist, and left-hand covers the back and waist, a small right arm reaches over from the baby to protect the baby’s legs, right-hand holds the baby’s buttocks and waist. This method is the more commonly used posture.

3. Do not hold the baby vertically: the newborn’s head accounts for 1/4 of the whole body length. When holding the baby vertically, the baby’s head’s weight is pressed on the cervical spine. Baby in 1-2 months, the cervical muscle is not fully developed, the neck muscles are weak, should prevent this incorrect embrace position on the baby’s spine damage. These injuries are not easy to find but may affect the child’s future growth and development. So hold the baby should not be straight vertical hold.

4. Do not hold long: people’s love for the child reached an unparalleled degree, not enough kisses, love is not enough, the child was born a few days to start hugging around. This practice is contrary to infant growth and development’s natural laws, which are harmful and not beneficial.

• Newborn babies need 20 hours of sleep every day; babies around six months need about 16 hours of sleep. Therefore, do not hold the baby too much, except for special circumstances such as feeding and changing diapers.

• Due to physiological characteristics, the stomach and cardia muscles of infants are looser. Still, the pylorus muscles are tight. In this case, if the baby is held in the arms after breastfeeding or feeding and teasing, the food will easily overflow from the cardia, causing vomiting.

• The baby’s bones grow faster. If held in the arms for a long time, the child’s bones’ expected growth is exceptionally unfavorable. Usually hold out in the sun to enhance resistance is necessary, but the time should not be too long.

5. Mother-child communication style: with this way to hold the baby, mother, and baby face to face, the most conducive to parent-child communication and dialogue, and gently swing the baby in front of the body baby more relaxed, happier.

Tips for Holding a Newborn Baby

Step 1: Place your hand under the newborn’s head

Place one hand gently under the newborn’s head and wrap the palm of your hand around the entire head, taking care to hold the newborn’s neck and support his head.

Step 2: The other hand goes to the bottom.

After stabilizing the head, use the other hand to wrap it around the newborn’s entire buttocks, concentrating both wrists’ strength.

Step 3: Slowly support the newborn’s head up

At this time, you can slowly support the newborn’s head up. Note that you must hold the newborn’s neck. Otherwise, his head will be tilted back, and this will be uncomfortable. The mother should use her waist and hand strength to work together to support the newborn.

Precautions for Newborns

Before holding the baby, the mother should wash her hands, take off the rings on her hands to not scratch the baby’s delicate skin, and wait until her hands are warm before holding the baby.

When holding the baby, the movements should be gentle. The mother should always look into the baby’s eyes with a smile and not move too fast and too hard. Even when the baby is crying, do not panic. Most babies like to be held smoothly by their mothers, which makes them feel safe.

Before three months of age, your baby’s neck is weak and cannot support his or her head yet, so your mother should always be careful to keep his or her head when picking up and putting down your baby.

The safest position to put your baby down is to lay him on his back with his back down.

Most babies love to play swinging around in the air. If your baby doesn’t like it, you should immediately stop the flying game and switch to another, more secure holding position.

After each happy game, it is best to hold the baby quietly for a while so that he can quietly relax.

6 Holding Methods to Take Care of the Baby’s Emotional

1. When the mood is bad – facing the vertical hug

When the baby is in a bad mood, the noisy external environment, and audio-visual stimuli will make him feel stressed.

Experts note: in the first three months of life, the baby’s neck can not be erected. The hold should pay attention to it.

2. When learning to talk – face-to-face communication with the mother

In chatting with the mother, the baby can gradually complete the reserve of vocabulary presented.

3. When you are awake – face outward to hold vertically

Turn your baby’s face forward, hold his buttocks with one hand, and protect his chest with the other hand lightly and steadily so that his back is close to his mother’s chest.

Experts remind babies to like this holding method because they can see all around and promote the baby’s intellectual development.

4. When sleepy – lying in the mother’s arms inside

To let the baby sleep comfortably, the mother tries to use the arm’s bend to set up a small bed for the baby.

5. When crying – lying in the mother’s arms

When the baby cries, the mother can try to let the baby lie in her arms. Hum a simple nursery rhyme and gently rock the baby with the rhythm.

6. When learning to walk – give your baby support

When a baby starts to learn to walk, the legs are still strong, so the mother should help the baby and use both hands to give the baby strong support.

Points to Remember When Holding a Newborn

1. Don’t shake your baby

When the baby cries, sleeps, or wakes up, the mother will habitually hold the baby and shake it, thinking that this is what the baby wants most. However, it is difficult for you to grasp the strength of the stunning. If the strength is too much, it is likely to bring injury to the baby’s head, eyes, and other parts, and you will also feel special arm soreness.

2. Observe your baby from time to time

When holding your baby, always pay attention to his hands, feet, and back posture is natural and comfortable, avoid the baby’s hands, feet were folded, pressed, back spine backward, etc., to cause injury to the baby.

3. Correct the attitude of holding the baby

When holding the baby, the mother had better establish the attitude of “hold often, hold not long.” In other words, often hug the baby. Each time hug 3 to 5 minutes can be so that the baby feels your care for him to have a sense of security. Do not hold a long time, and even fall asleep still hold on the body, which will develop a bad habit of crying if the baby does not hold. It will also add to your future parenting process lot of trouble.

4. Pay attention to the distance

When holding the baby, the mother should not be too close to the baby because your face, hair, and mouth germs can easily pose a threat to the baby’s delicate skin.

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