Handling a Newborn – Dear new and expecting parent

Handling a Newborn – Dear new and expecting parent…

If you haven’t spent a lot of time around newborns, their fragility may be intimidating.

Here are a few basics to remember, as given to us by a Paediatrician;

1. Wash your hands (or use a hand sanitiser) before handling your baby. Newborns don’t have a strong immune system yet, so they’re at risk for infection. Make sure that everyone who handles your baby has clean hands.
2. Support your baby’s head and neck. Cradle the head when carrying your baby and support the head when carrying the baby upright or when you lay your baby down.
3. Never shake your newborn, whether in play or frustration. Shaking can cause bleeding in the brain. If you need to wake your infant, don’t do it by shaking — instead, tickle your baby’s feet or blow gently on a cheek.