How To Hold A Newborn Baby

Can You Spoil A Newborn

How to Hold a Newborn – Basic Holds

So, nope I dont think you can spoil a newborn.

Did I hold my newborns all the time. Heck no.

Honestly, thats just not me. Its not my instinct!

I followed an adjusted Babywise schedule that was basically, eat, play, sleep. It worked for me. It worked for my babies. They were happy and healthy. I wasnt losing my mind. I was grateful for it.

My daughter enjoyed being held more than my boys did, I used baby wearing a lot with her. I adjusted to a spot where we could both be happy. Often in those early weeks youre just getting to know each other and figure it out. Dont feel a lot of pressure to have a plan right away!

How To Hold A Baby When Burping

Here are three different ways you can hold your baby for a burping session :

  • Hold your baby upright while you rest his head on your shoulder and support his head and back. Use your other hand to softly pat his back.

  • Sit your baby on your lap while you support her head, chin, and chest with one hand. Use your other hand to gently pat her back.

  • Lay your baby in your lap on his tummy you while you support his head so that itâs higher than his chest. Use your other hand to gently pat or rub his back.

  • When Holding Your Baby Choose The Position

    Holding begins with picking the baby up. When you are going to lift your baby, place one hand under his head and another under his bottom. Then, raise their body to your chest level.

    As long as you are supporting the babys head and neck, the position is up to you. There are many types of holds you and your baby might enjoy. Some of these positions are also good for breast-feeding. You can experiment by trying different positions to see what feels the best to you and your little one.

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    Additional Tips To Consider On How To Hold A Newborn

    As delicate as it may seem, holding a baby does not require rocket science at all. There are several ways to hold her, and we have just provided you with tips and instructions on how to hold your child properly.

    Just a couple of additional instructions. Always keep her head free that will enable her to breathe and move with ease, You also need to ensure skin contact that will keep your child warm as you carry her.

    And if youre new to holding a baby, you can always do it while sitting. Support the neck and head with your one hand and put the other on her bottom.

    Tired of holding your little one too long? You can always use a support pillow that also doubles as a support during feeding time.

    Get ready!

    With all of these things in mind, you should be ready to hold your child like a pro and without any hesitation or fear at all.

    Basics Of Holding A Newborn

    How to pick up and hold a newborn

    Any first time parents will tell you what a daunting thought it is to hold a baby for the first time. Add to that the tiny neck and the pressure of holding it in the right way is another big tension. You will get a lot of tips and instructions on how to hold a newborn the right way, even before the baby is handed over to you for the first time. It is obvious that your nerves will do the talking then, but at the same time it is important that you keep calm and go with the flow.

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    • Common Mistakes That New Parents Make

    Read Also: How To Make Newborn Baby Sleep At Night

    Rock Your Little One To Sleep With A Relaxing Cradle Hold

    Whether your little one is scheduled for a nap or you want to make her feel more relaxed, a cradle hold is perfect for these purposes.

    This is also a natural position to hold your little one, so babies are often very much comfortable and at ease.

    Hold your child securely at a chest level as you slide your one arm right under her head and use your other arm to support her hips and bottom.

    The idea is to allow your childs neck to rest securely on the crook or bend of your elbow. Shell be dozing off in no time in this soothing position.

    Things To Do Before Getting Ready To Pick A Newborn Up In Your Arms

    While carrying a baby in your arms might not be difficult, some prerequisites need to be considered.

    • Wash Your Hands Babies are more susceptible to catching infections as compared to elders. And we can be carriers of those infections. Thus, it is important to properly wash and sanitize your hands before holding a newborn baby.
    • Make Yourself Comfortable Before you pick up the baby, you must be seated in a comfortable position yourself. This will also help you in gaining some confidence before holding that little bundle of you.
    • Offer Support – Babies are not able to hold their necks till a few weeks. Therefore, newborn baby neck care is extremely important, especially while the baby is picked up and in arms or being held. Thus, offering proper support while holding them is also something you will need to be mindful of.

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    Place Your Baby On Your Lap For A Comfortable Position

    When feeding your baby, the lap hold position is a good choice for you and your childs comfort. Be sure your feet are firmly planted on the ground and position your child on your lap.

    Keep her head near your knee and be sure she is facing upwards. Put both of your hands right under her head while resting your forearms underneath her body.

    6 Let Your Child See The Front With A Chair Hold.

    This position is excellent for curious babies who want to see the front as you hold her. In this position, simply let her body rest against your chest that can help her get a good amount of head support.

    Put your one hand on her chest and keep the other one on her bottom. This should give her a good level of support while checking out the world around her.

    Support Babys Head And Neck

    How to Hold a Newborn Baby – 5 Easy Baby Holds for New Parents | DadWell

    This is where things can get a little awkward. Unlike adults, newborn babies arent able to lift their heads just yet. Thats a skill theyll build through development and tummy time. For right now, youll want to make sure the babys head and neck are both well supported. A babys soft spots, known as their fontanels, help their skulls change shape during labor and delivery. They also help the babys skull grow. Youll want to be careful with them, but theyre not something a new mom should fear.

    Once you figure out how to hold a baby, youll grow more confident. Newborn babies wont be as squirmy as babies who are a few months older, making it easy to adjust your hold as they get older.

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    Can You Hold A Baby Too Much

    Can you spoil a baby ? Honestly, after watching moms in the last 21 years that Ive been a mom. I think you can. But, I also think they can pretty easily be un-spoiled. And also think you should ignore most of what family members say to you.

    It is easy, in all facets of parenting, to get your child into a routine that you dont want to continue.

    Things like: Kids not doing their jobs, kids staying up late. All of those are problems that youll have to fix at some point, if you dont want them to continue.

    Again, is what is going on working for you? If its not, make a change.

    Babies do need lots of hugs and attention. They need lots of YOU. But, you also need to live your life. If something youre doing or they seem to demand isnt working for you. Make a change.

    Babies can be put down and they may cry. That is OK. I had one baby who had to cry for 3 minutes every night before he went to bed. As a teenager, he needed to argue with me for a few minutes before bed 2 or 3 times every week. Its just the way he was wired, just wants to get it out.

    Hes now on a full-ride in college, I hope his roommate is prepared.

    Babies mostly need a happy mom who is enjoying raising them and their journey together.

    If you liked this post, please consider signing up for my practical parenting series :

    Do I Have To Hold My Newborn Upright After Feeding

    Its not essential to hold a newborn upright after eating, only recommended. All newborns are different some may be able to lie down shortly after a feed, no problem at all but for most this will likely cause discomfort. Any trapped wind will stay trapped and be pushed down into the lower gut causing pain and more discomfort.

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    Best Position For A Baby

    Knowing how to put a baby down is just as important as understanding how to hold them. Infants arent ready to be in sitting positions and should not sit until theyve started crawling. Sitting babies up too early can negatively affect their growth. It may hurt your little ones spine and result in a weak backbone. Placing them on their stomachs is best because tummy time helps babies build muscles.

    How Long Should You Hold A Baby Upright After Feeding

    How to Hold Your Newborn

    Again, all babies are different. As a rule of thumb, aim to hold a newborn upright for 15 minutes after eating. During this time you want to get a good few burps out.

    According to Philippa Murphy, whos done a wealth of research into the digestive biology of infants and is the founder of BabyCues you want to aim for the following number of burps during/after a feed :

    • 0 to 2 weeks: minimum of 10 burps
    • 2 to 6 weeks: minimum of 10 burps but aim for 20
    • 6 to 12 weeks: minimum of 15 burps but aim for 25

    You may want to hold your newborn upright for longer if your baby is particularly gassy, spits up a lot or suffers from acid reflux. Or your newborn may find some of the other positions more comfortable. Its just trial and error.

    Read Also: Why Do Newborns Cry A Lot

    Quick Aside: Where To Get A Top Hat Potty

    If you do not yet have a top hat potty, you can now get them on pre-order! You see, they completely disappeared from the market for a while and I’m bringing them back .

    Please click here to reserve your potty by Sunday, February 18 – and to ensure that they remain available to ECing parents of 0-12 month babies, everywhere.

    Okay, onward to the most popular newborn EC positions.

    Pottying While Nursing/breastfeeding Position:

    Many newborn babies poop while nursing, and the signal they typically give right beforehand is called “popping off the breast” – in other words, the baby can not stay latched and her head bobs off and on. It doesn’t mean your milk supply is too high, or your let down is too strong…it sometimes means that baby just doesn’t want to use the bathroom while having his tasty meal!

    If your baby pops off the breast while nursing, and you see her grimace or bear down or push , you can continue nursing over a pad or pull baby off for a moment to potty over a pad to relieve herself and then return to the breast – to finish the full meal.

    Again, best to aim a boy’s parts into the top hat potty or toward the pad by tilting the potty, positioning the pad, and/or aiming at either receptacle with your finger.

    Here is one image of nursing over a pad , and one of nursing over a top hat potty in the car :

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    When Can You Stop Supporting A Baby’s Head

    During the newborn phase, you must support your baby’s head whenever hes not lying down. Slide your palm behind his head, neck, and upper spine when picking him up. Also check that hes securely fastened into strollers, car seats, bouncers, and other accessories to prevent head flopping.

    You can stop supporting your baby’s head once he gains sufficient neck strength ask your pediatrician if youre unsure. By this point, hes on his way to reaching other important developmental milestones: sitting up by himself, rolling over, cruising, and crawling!

    How To Hold A Baby To Stop Crying

    Newborn Care: How to Hold a Newborn Baby

    There is a technique known as The Hold, demonstrated by Dr. Robert Hamilton, a practitioner at Pacific Ocean Pediatrics in California. He showed a live demo of the hold that consists of four steps.

    • Pick up the crying baby and fold her arms gently across her chest.
    • Secure the arms by holding them with your hand. This hand will also support her chin.
    • Now support the babys bottom with your other hand. Use the fleshy part of your hand but not the fingers for a comfortable hold.
    • Keep the baby at a 45-degree angle and move her gently. You can slightly swing her up and down but avoid jerky movements.

    This technique is suitable for babies below three months. After that, they are heavy to hold in this position. Here is the video to demonstrate the position, which makes the babies stop crying in seconds.

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    How To Hold Your Baby Upright

    You might want to hold your baby upright after a feed to ease the symptoms of reflux or while burping, or just to give him or her a great view of the world.

    To hold your infant in this position, support the head and neck with one hand while resting your baby on your chest and shoulder. Support your babyâs bottom with your other hand.

    In Summary

    When picking up, carrying or holding your baby, the most important thing is to support the head and neck. Two easy ways of holding your baby are: cradled lengthways in your arms and upright against your chest. Cradling your baby in your arms is perfect for making eye contact, talking and bonding with your baby. The upright position gives your child a great view and can also help with digestion.

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