Parenthood is one of the most blessed periods of a person's life. Carrying a child within you is indeed a miraculous experience for most mothers. However, having the child right in front of you is a whole new experience altogether. At this point, the bond that you experienced over the past nine months is shared by your partner as well. While this is indeed a pleasant experience, the fact is that this simple act brings in an entire surge of responsibilities. You and your partner now have a tiny little baby to care for. It is obvious that from this point onwards, the baby becomes the centre of your universe.
While this is indeed a great experience and you deserve to be congratulated for the same, the fact is that this entire thing might seem a little scary for both of you. This is all the way truer if the child in question is your firstborn. However, there is nothing to worry about here and with a little bit of guidance, you can easily ace this role as well.
One of the first major challenges that parents face do not know how to lift the child. Indeed, right after birth, the child is more like a mass of delicate flesh and one small mistake on your part may cost the child its life (or at times a lifetime of impairment). Since you would not want such a thing to happen to you and your child, it will be wise on your part to take appropriate precautions regarding the same. This article talks to you about the appropriate way to lift a child.
- Understand The Baby's Anatomy
- Talk To Your Baby
- Use Your Palms
- Cover The Bottom
- Placing The Child Back
Understand The Baby's Anatomy
When a baby is born, she or he has no muscle control over the neck. This makes his or her head one of the most vulnerable parts of the body. It is important to realize that the baby's neck and head must be supported at all times. When the baby is lying down, the bed does the job. However, when you or his partner lift the baby (either for feeding or for caressing) it loses the support. Thus, at all times it is important for you to support your baby by providing its neck and head the required support through your hands. Having understood the basic anatomy of a child's body, read on to know more about how you should lift a child.
Talk To Your Baby
Most first time parents feel that talking to a baby at this point is not of much use since the baby is incapable of understanding your words. However, realize that the baby can understand feelings and voices. Try to talk to him or her in a soothing voice. Soon you will be happy to realize that your baby recognizes your voice and calms down when spoken to.
In such a situation, if you make it a practice to talk to your baby for a few minutes before picking him or her up, it will make the little one feel comfortable. That will make them identify your touch and feel safe about it. That way the child will know that you are there before they feel the touch. This will make the act of lifting the baby an easier task for both of you.
Use Your Palms
This is the first step to the lifting of a baby. Gently slide the palm of your hands underneath the child's neck. If you are right-handed, use your right hands for the same and vice versa. Make sure that the entire neck region of your child is well covered with your hands. Any negligence here might result in long-term injury for your child.
Cover The Bottom
Now, using the other hand, place that on your child's bottom. By now you have him or her securely and are in a position to lift the child. Gently lift him or her and place the child close to your bosom. Do not worry about the child's safety as he or she is completely secure here. Even if you carry the child like this for hours, the child would be comfortable.
Placing The Child Back
As is obvious from the nature of lifting, placing the child back on the bed will require a motion that is the exact reverse of lifting the child. Here, once you are certain that the child's entire body is touching the bed, you should slide off the hand that is supporting his or her bottom. Once that is done, remove the other hand that is supporting the neck. Remember that the neck is the most delicate part and support from that part must be removed only after you are absolutely certain of contact of your child's neck with the bed.
