Tips for a young mother: how to hold a newborn baby correctly. How to hold and carry newborns: different ways of support You can lift the baby after a caesarean section

What could be more fragile than a little person just born into the world? It has such thin arms and legs and such a miniature head that it seems like if you pick it up in your hands you will definitely break something!

How to hold a newborn correctly so that he is comfortable? How to protect your baby as much as possible from possible damage? Finally, how can you hold your baby when bathing and, for example, when feeding?

Why do you need to hold your baby in your arms?

The question is interesting and extremely important, because the “manual” method of raising a child has many supporters and opponents. And the disputes concern not only the moment of “getting used” to the child’s hands: the conflicting parties are trying to understand whether, by picking up a baby, it is possible to damage his bones? They are so soft and fragile!

In this regard, I would like to say this: everything needs moderation.

1. Firstly, if you do not hold the baby in your arms, he will not be able to adapt to the world around him, since he is accustomed to the mother’s womb and is now scared in a large air space.
2. Secondly, mother’s hugs help the baby cope with tummy pain.
3. Thirdly, if the mother does not hold the baby in her arms after he has eaten, it will be difficult for the baby to burp the excess air that entered the stomach during the meal. The consequence of this is bloating, gas, colic, and excessive regurgitation, as a result of which the child may choke.

How to lift?

The most difficult thing for most parents is to lift the baby out of bed or from any horizontal surface. This must be done carefully, but not with shaking hands, but confidently.

When the baby is lying on his back, you need to put your palm under the back of his head and put the other under his butt. After this, you can safely lift the baby above the surface, but only gently and without sudden movements.

If the baby is on his stomach, you need to put your palm under his chest and the other under his stomach. At first, you should simply turn the baby onto his back and use the first grasping method until you get used to the second “lifting” option.

How to put it?

And here some mothers have difficulties associated with uncertainty and fear of harming the child and accidentally dropping him. To avoid accidental falls, you need to bend over the bed on which you want to put the baby, then carefully lay the child on it and lock in the “overhanging” position for a couple of seconds.

If possible, hold the baby close to your chest and do not take your hands off him too quickly: the baby should have time to adjust from your soft hugs to a “firm” lying position.

Has the baby relaxed and settled down? Feel free to raise your hands! At the same time, if you want to put him on his tummy, just turn the baby over on his belly.

Hold during feeding

How to properly hold a newborn while feeding? To do this, you first need to take the child in your arms, and then just as carefully place him on your lap.

The back of the child's head is fixed on your elbow, and with the other hand you grab his back. The toddler's legs should not dangle chaotically. Now slide your hand under his butt and carefully place his head on your shoulder. You can start feeding.

It just seems like the difficulties are insurmountable. In fact, you can master the technique of proper lifting, feeding and putting down quite quickly. And the baby will gain weight every day and become stronger.

Methods of retention

You need to carry a newborn in your arms every day and several times a day, and not only when he is capricious or feels unwell. Thus, his mother lets him know that she is nearby and will protect him from all dangers.

At the same time, it is not at all necessary to hold the baby correctly in only one formal position - horizontal. Mom can resort to several methods of holding at once.

In the cradle

The classic method of holding the child in a horizontal position. In this case, his head is located on the elbow, and you hold the baby tightly with your hand. Don't forget to alternate hands - this way you won't get tired and avoid stress on your baby's spine.

Column

This is how babies “walk” immediately after a hearty feeding, because this position guards a good afternoon burp and relieves the child of air accumulated in the stomach. The main thing in this matter is to fix the child’s head and his spine.

As a result, your little one stands like a gopher and “looks” at you, resting his chin on his shoulder. You can change the angle of the “examination” and turn the child away from you - he will definitely like it.

Remember that being in such a “pillar” position for a long time is harmful to the baby, therefore it is necessary to carry the little one vertically in doses (about five minutes).

On the stomach

Babies love to lie spread out in their father's and mother's arms, looking down. They incredibly like the feeling of flying and the gases move away much better at this time.

To properly hold the baby in this position, you need to put your hand on his chest and pass the other between his legs. Thanks to such “flights,” infants begin to hold their heads up much earlier than their peers who do not “walk” around the apartment lying on their stomachs.

Buddha

The baby looks a lot like a philosophizing sitting Buddha when he rests his back and head on your chest and puts his feet together. It just seems that he is very “crooked”: the position of the Buddha is natural and correct for a newborn, because he floated in a similar state in his mother’s stomach for 9 months.

The Buddhist pose with the hips apart also provides good prevention of pelvic joint dysplasia. So you can safely hold your baby in this position a couple of times a day.

Two ways to support

Underarm grip

You can use the method whenever you want to pick up your baby and simply move him to another place. It is believed that this particular method is one of the safest for supporting a child, since during the carrying process the entire body of the toddler is in the mother’s strong embrace. Just make sure that the baby's head rests on your chest, leaning forward slightly.

"Frog"

This type of picking up and carrying your baby can be used after he or she is 4 months old. To do this, the little one should hug you with his legs bent at the knees and sit as if at an angle. The baby's butt is pressed tightly against your mother's body, and the head is tilted away from it by about 30°.

We wash and bathe

To wash your baby and not harm him during an intimate moment, you need to carefully lay him down with his stomach up. The baby’s head rests comfortably on your elbow, and you (with the same hand) take him by the thigh - so that the baby’s butt and body seem to “hang” while washing.

When you are about to bathe your baby, place him in the bath with the back of his head on your wrist and hold him by the shoulder. At the same time, your fingers (except for the thumb) firmly grasp the bathing baby under the armpit.

What not to do?

• under no circumstances should you suddenly grab the child or pull him by the wrists (this often causes dislocation);
• you cannot lift your child without holding his head, because his neck muscles are so weak that when lifting, it will automatically fall back;
• allow the baby’s limbs to “dangle” while being carried;
• do not support the child’s spine if you place it vertically (extra load will lead to curvature of the baby’s back);

• take it sharply;
• holding the baby too tightly to the chest;
• do not “warn” the baby that you want to pick him up: the little one should not be afraid of a sudden change in position;
• hold a newborn in only one arm - you need to change hands while carrying so that the baby’s spine does not bend;
• neglect carrying the child in your arms: the more time you spend and talk with him, the better your child will develop;
• rock the child in your arms: when the baby falls asleep, you need to put him in bed.

The formation of a full-term baby remains in the perinatal period; after birth, the baby actively adapts to the environment and continues its development. During the newborn period (during the first month), young parents are tormented by doubts about how to properly hold a newborn boy and girl and evaluate his behavior.

Mothers often experience postpartum depression, accompanied by ignorance of techniques for handling a baby. At this stage, several important rules should be highlighted that will help you ideally pick up the baby in your arms without causing him discomfort.

Let us note in advance that young parents should also prepare diapers and panties for the newborn. By the way, you can purchase these products at a low price on the page https://vammarket.ru/mama-i-malysh/podguzniki-trus of the popular online store VAMmarket.ru. Here you can easily find all the necessary products for babies.

Memo to parents! Children who suffered from muscular dystonia as newborns are not recommended to be carried in one position all the time.

• The baby is in a lying position. Before you pick him up, you need to place one hand under his butt, gently support the back of his head with the other and lift him towards you. Make sure that the baby's head is above the level of the hip joint.
• The baby lies on his stomach. In this situation, the left hand should be passed under the newborn’s chest, and the right palm should be taken by the tummy. Remember, you should lift a newborn very gently and gradually; the baby should not be afraid of sudden movements. A newly born baby needs to support his chin with his index finger and thumb. Such requirements should not be ignored, because it is still difficult for the baby to hold the head in the correct position.
• If you are going to put the baby down, first hold him close to you, lower him into the crib slowly, try to lower yourself with him to the maximum possible position. You should not leave the baby right away; hold your hand a little, the baby should get used to the surface. If the baby falls asleep, you can cover him with a blanket.

You can learn more about how to properly hold a newborn baby in the video below.

For convenience, instructions are included on how to properly hold a newborn baby in the photo.

How to properly hold a newborn baby upright?

Carry your baby in your arms more at an early age. By doing this you not only show him warmth and attention, but also take care of the correct formation of the back and neck muscles. Proper support of a monthly baby during the newborn period has a beneficial effect on the indicators of further development. For example, the risk of scoliosis, stretching of soft tissues in the neck and spinal area is significantly reduced. In addition, the baby feels better in this position after feeding. He manages to burp air, and as a result, the sensation of intestinal colic decreases.

It is not difficult to ensure such a position for a newborn, but no one has yet canceled accuracy and attentiveness. Taking the baby in your arms, hold him tightly to you, first you should smoothly lift the baby to an upright position. The baby's head in this position should rest on your shoulder. With one hand, grab the baby’s butt and legs, with the other, gently support the baby’s back and butt. The main thing is that the load is uniform along the entire length of the newborn’s spine.

As we have already said, this situation is to prevent the appearance of gases. While in this position, the baby clings tightly to the mother’s body and feels warmth, which relieves pain in the intestines and stomach.

When doing this, try not to pick it up by the affected areas.

Correct baby position when washing

In addition to the main moments when the baby is picked up, there are also mandatory procedures, during which it is also important to know how to hold the baby more comfortably. Any mother washes her baby several times a day, so here it is also necessary to highlight several explanations that will help carry out the procedure with maximum comfort for the newborn.

We place the baby on the forearm of one hand so that the tummy looks up. Hold the baby's head with your palm and wash it with your free hand under running water, the temperature of which should not exceed 37 °C. After four weeks of age, it is advisable to keep the baby tummy down. This position is convenient for both parents and the newborn.

How to properly hold a newborn baby when bathing?

The question of proper support for a baby during bathing is perhaps one of the most common, therefore, you will have to clarify several rules for an appropriate posture. First, watch the video of Dr. Komarovsky below.

Before bathing, you should take the baby comfortably, namely, place one hand under the back of the baby’s head and hold the head, and hold the lumbar region with the other hand. You can also turn the baby tummy down, holding him by the armpits with one hand, and gently wash his back, legs and head with the other. It is in this sequence, since it is recommended to wash the baby’s head last.

What should the baby's position be during feeding and after?

Modern mothers are often mistaken about the correct position of the child during feeding, this is due to ignoring the requirements established by doctors in relation to infants. Many children have consequences after this: curvature of the spine, damage to ligaments, stretching of muscle tissue occurs. Therefore, you need to pay due attention to the correct posture of the baby.

Let's look at how to properly hold a newborn baby during and after feeding.

• Immediately after birth, the baby should be fed in a lying position. This is convenient for both mother and newborn. In this case, the risk of causing discomfort to the baby is eliminated.
• The baby's face should be directed toward the chest, with the nose facing the areola.
• When feeding while sitting, the hand on which the baby will lie should be placed comfortably, do not forget about the support under the elbow joint.

The correct position of the baby after feeding is described above in the article. Carry your baby in a column so that he can burp air easily.

Memo to parents! Do not forget about poses that are strictly contraindicated for holding a baby in your arms. We suggest considering a few notes on how to hold a newborn incorrectly.

When can you hold your baby's bottom?

Among all the real questions about the correct position of a newborn in the first months of life, the important thing is when the baby gets stronger and can be held under the butt. This position is quite comfortable for both the baby and his parents.

Usually healthy babies quickly gain strength from birth, and by the age of 4 months many can sit down. Others may not sit down until 7 months. From a medical point of view, it is useful to carry babies, holding them under the bottom, from the age of three weeks. Due to this position, the baby strengthens his neck muscles and will sooner begin to hold his head.

Some newborn babies hold their heads up steadily by the age of four weeks, while the rest begin to confidently lift their heads by 8 weeks. Therefore, young parents should not worry or be interested at all when the child begins to hold his head up on his own, because this indicator is individual for everyone.

At what age can you lift a child up by the arms? Completely, what would be fun in the arms?!

Comments

- 👂👂👂👂

I’ve definitely been lifting it since 2 months, maybe earlier, I don’t remember.

We are 2 and the pediatrician says to slowly lift it up, but I’m still afraid

I just started doing this at 5 and allowed my relatives to do it. Before that, she just put her hands up and let her pull herself up, but she didn’t pull, but only to the distance that she could lift herself. As for me, there is a time for everything

From about 3 months we started doing gymnastics, not only lifting on our arms, but also twirling...we rock and now we continue, I take an arm and a leg and swing, then I change it, I swing with both arms, I swing with both legs (upside down )))) are you shocked? I was there at first too, but a good swimming coach with infants, using his example with his son, calmed me down and taught me not to be afraid)

You can't do this

The pediatrician raised us like this from 2 months, a good indicator of the child’s development for neurology

From 2 months you can

I watched a program where the chief pediatrician of Moscow said that you can’t do this, neither by hands nor feet

- @fraulein, that’s why?

- @kareglazayaya, why

- @olivia34, we are 4 already on the 5th and I do it but my husband forbids it

Because in children, joints actually consist of cartilage tissue, they are very easy to dislocate and you won’t even notice visually, it will only come out with age, and the child will not be able to say that something hurts. This can only be done by a professional massage therapist, but not by the mother.

- @fraulein from the baby’s reaction, it’s clear whether it’s painful or pleasant) watch a video, for example, of Indian children, how mothers do gymnastics for their infants and in the end they then sit calmly in the lotus position, not that some cannot stretch their legs

- @olivia34 I’m not against the fact that someone does this, I’ve seen everything, thanks for the recommendation😊 I just decided not to do it myself because I’m afraid of harming the child

- @fraulein, thanks for the answer

- @fraulein you just have to be able to and not be afraid to do harm, but not say that you can’t. This is our choice

- @fraulein, I agree

- @olivia34 I didn’t claim, but wrote that I watched a program where they said this and that. That's all.

We started at 2 months old) now we are twisting and twirling the handles) the acrobat is growing)

I have been lifting by the arms since 4 months. But I'm afraid to twist and turn(((

- @darisha987, well, you’re only 4, you’re tiny 😍 and we’re big already, he has so much fun when dad tumbles with him)

- @alinaartur, at what age did you start twirling hands?

- @darisha987, from 6-7 months)

- @darisha987, like crawling)

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"The child should live in his arms!" - the doctor told me when my daughter was one day old and I timidly complained that she wanted to be held in my arms all the time, but even so she did not calm down. Despite the categorical nature of this remark, there is a large grain of truth in it. The doctor immediately showed me how to properly take the baby, and - lo and behold! — the little girl immediately fell silent. Indeed, mother’s hands are the warmest, softest and most familiar place for a baby; they will hug, warm, help, support. It is in their mother's arms that children in their first year of life spend most of their time - sleeping, eating, communicating with their mother, and learning about the world around them.

Nature intended that a woman is born with maternal instinct, it matures and wakes up at different periods of her life, and worsens during pregnancy. Experts believe that it finally starts during childbirth, or more precisely, at the end of the pushing period. This is why it is so important that immediately after birth the baby is placed on the mother’s breast - this is a kind of signal for the mother’s body: everything is fine with the baby, he is alive and needs mother’s milk. Receiving such a signal helps in the future and to avoid postpartum depression.

But you don’t just need to love the baby, giving in to instincts, you need to take care of the baby, look after him, and help him grow. This is where the concept comes into play maternal behavior. Of course, mom does some things instinctively, and does them correctly, but, oddly enough, some things can and should be learned. Just study!

A reasonable question arises: what about before? Previously: when there were no courses for young parents, no consultants on feeding and care, or even smart books for moms and dads? Answer: the continuity of generations. A little girl, and then a girl and now a future mother, was always surrounded by a large number of sisters and brothers of different ages. She learned the art of motherhood from her own mother, and as she got older, she helped her mother and older sisters with their children and, having given birth to her own child, she already knew how to handle him. In traditional cultures this is still the case, but in civilized society they say that a mother becomes truly experienced only after the birth of her fourth child.

But what should mothers who gave birth to their first child, who may not be destined to have four children, do? Should we remain inexperienced? Of course not! You can learn everything, including parenting.

Begin

So: what does a mother need to know in order to properly start carrying her baby in her arms? That a newborn does not know how to hold his head up, his spine does not yet have the bends necessary for sitting and walking upright; that the baby sees best in the first weeks of life at a distance of 30 cm (exactly the distance from the mother’s face to the chest); that a large flow of visual information can harm the baby.

First of all, the mother should learn to carry the baby in position classic cradle.The baby is turned to the mother with his tummy or slightly turned on his back, lies completely on one arm or is supported by two, but a mandatory rule: the baby’s head is slightly thrown back and lies in the elbow of the mother. This way you can sleep, stay awake, and, if necessary, suck on your mother’s breast.

It is important that the head is slightly thrown back and not tilted towards the chest - then the baby will not have difficulty breathing and the mouth opens freely to latch onto the chest. Thus, the baby’s ear, shoulder and hip should be on the same visual line.

Sometimes babies do not fall asleep at the breast, but in this position, if necessary, it is convenient to rock the baby to sleep. Most often, it is more convenient for a mother to carry the child on only one side (and this does not depend on whether the mother is left-handed or right-handed), but it is still recommended to use the right and left hands alternately. This serves to prevent curvature of the child’s spine, promotes the harmonious development of the entire skeleton and muscular system, the proper development of vision and even, as some studies show, the development of the brain. In addition, this way the baby can suckle at the same time on the left and right breasts, there is no imbalance in the amount of milk and the size of the glands, and the baby has the correct development of the jaw apparatus. Carrying it on different hands is also important for mother’s posture, health of the back, shoulders, and arms.

Another reliable and comfortable position that many babies like from birth: wearing in a column.It happens that the baby is upset, cries or screams and it is almost impossible for him to breastfeed - then this position is indispensable to calm the baby. The baby's head is placed on the mother's shoulder, she supports him first with two, and as she acquires the skill - with one hand, which frees up the second hand for.

It is important to support the newborn in the area of ​​the shoulder blades, and not from below the spine under the butt, so as not to create unwanted compression (squeezing) of the spine. If the newborn is supported with one hand (the head is supported by the index finger under the ear), it is convenient to practically place him on the shoulder, i.e. not only the baby's head, but also the hands will be on the mother's shoulder. This way you can recline with your baby, sit, stand and walk.

Babies are often soothed by rocking, the safest and most comfortable for mom’s back: twisting left and right around the spine. Such support can help the baby get rid of the uncomfortable air swallowed during feeding. (Remember that the recommendation “Hold the baby upright after feeding” is more relevant for bottle-fed babies. When air is swallowed, practically no air is swallowed.) Supporting the baby upright helps strengthen the newborn’s back muscles and the proper development of the spine.

Unusual?

Sometimes, for one reason or another, children are born with some kind of birth injuries, neurological diseases, or they may simply have pain, for example, in their ears. Then the mother looks for a position in which it is least painful for the baby to be held and suckle. And some provisions even promote faster recovery.

Example: a 2-week-old baby suffering from torticollis refused one breast and wanted to be in his mother’s arms on only one side (this can quite quickly lead to a decrease in lactation, refusal of the second breast, not to mention the mother’s depressed state of mind) . Obviously, it was simply painful for him to lie on the other side. The solution is to feed and carry the baby from under the mouse: thus, the mother changes hands and feeds with both breasts, but the baby is always on one side and does not experience discomfort despite the disease.

Let's consider this interesting and for some reason often ignored by mothers position: the baby is positioned from under the mouse, most of the baby’s body weight falls on the mother’s thigh, with one hand the mother holds the baby’s back and head, while the other hand is free. This position is very suitable for a swaddled baby. Let us remind you that in any case it should be free: the arms are folded on the baby’s chest or stomach, the legs can move freely in the diaper. You can only swaddle the arms, especially if they interfere with the baby's ability to sleep or breastfeed. Or just the legs (the diaper will then pass under the baby’s arms), especially if the mother uses reusable diapers.

Many children like this position: lying on my mother's arm with my tummy.The arm is bent at the elbow, the forearm is pressed to the mother’s stomach, the mother’s palm is under the child’s chest (for clarity: the pose is somewhat reminiscent of the sight of a leopard lying on a branch). The mother's hand can also be under the baby's ear, if it is very small and fits completely on the forearm. The second hand can be free and can also support the baby.

This position is good if the baby is capricious, and also if he sleeps too long, for example, in a crib, and needs to be woken up for feeding (many babies quickly wake up if they are picked up, turned over on their stomach and their head loses support). Note that this is a safe position if the baby is not yet holding his head up. This way you can carry your baby from birth until it fits on your forearm. Grown-up children perceive this method of carrying as a game: it’s so cool to fly in their parents’ arms, cutting through the air like a helicopter or Carlson!

On the baby's forearm, you can also place your head towards the adult's elbow, and you can also hold it or not hold it with your other hand. If you press your hand with the baby in the wearer's belly, the weight will be partly on the arm and partly on the stomach. As long as the baby fits on your forearm, this is an excellent position for walking around the house with your baby.

We mentioned that there are support methods to quickly and painlessly awaken a sleeping baby. The so-called cervical tonic gymnastics. The newborn is held vertically by an adult with both hands, the thumbs pass under the armpits and end up on the chest, the remaining fingers are directed upward, firmly supporting the head in the area of ​​the back of the head near the ears and slightly above. The baby in this position can be tilted back and forth, rocked from side to side - the little eyes will open almost immediately.

Frog on the hip

The baby grows up, begins to hold his head up more confidently, and at the age of about a month or a little later he may no longer like to stay awake in the cradle position (but feeding and sleeping like this is still very comfortable, and most importantly, reliable!). The baby wants to be vertical more and more. If the baby already agrees to spread his legs wide (from about one and a half months, and from two to three months - for sure), then it is already safe to wear it on the stomach or thigh with legs wide apart (“frog pose”).Until a baby is one month old, the legs are not spread wide apart (at least for long-term wearing) due to the characteristics of the infant circulatory system.

At first, the mother still learns to pick up and carry the baby on her stomach, you can call this support "column with spread legs".It is recommended to wear babies on the hip from about 3 months, because... on the hip it is more difficult to control the baby’s head and fragile back. At first, while the baby still doesn’t hold his back very well, you need to support the baby by directing your forearm diagonally from the shoulder blades to the baby’s legs; you can even hold the baby’s thigh with your palm. As they get older, children who are often carried in this way quickly learn to spread their legs as soon as they are picked up, and immediately “cling” to their mother, practically holding on to her themselves, helping their mother carry them.

It is easier to carry the baby on the hip (you can support him with only one hand), he sits as if on the hip, while being tightly pressed to the mother, and there is no unwanted stress on his spine and perineum. But it is convenient to carry a sleeping child on your stomach, supporting him with two hands. So the baby is relatively easy and very comfortable to carry for quite a long time, up to 3-4 years, i.e. until the age when the child needs to be held in his mother’s arms at least sometimes. The pose is safe for the adult’s back (the parent does not bend or lean to one side).

How to properly carry a newborn and show him the world?

At about the age of 3-4 months or a little earlier, many mothers notice, as they say, the baby’s desire to be only facing away from the mother. Let's figure it out: what does the child really want? Explore the world, look around you! But since the baby is not yet able to crawl or sit on his own, he has to study the world around him in his parents’ arms. What should I do?

The mother needs to understand that the child simply cannot yet express the desire to “be a face from the mother” as such - he is still too small to make such decisions. He is also small in order to perceive and process the huge flow of visual, emotional information that he will receive when facing away from an adult - especially if the mother is carrying the baby, and the “picture” is rapidly changing all the time. Yes, the children calm down, even calm down if they were crying, but is such apparent “calmness” good for their psyche?

In addition, at 3-4 months the baby’s vision is not yet fully formed. Obviously, the baby will not receive a clear, understandable image, but will receive frames flashing at high speed. This is no longer a useful study of the world, but an overload of the child’s brain, sometimes even leading to a kind of “switching off” - when the baby falls asleep in this position. But this is not a healthy dream - it is a defensive reaction, fatigue from the information received. That is, this position becomes something of a bad habit for the baby.

How to show your baby the world without harming him? Carrying positions come to the rescue when the baby has the opportunity to look around and at any moment bury his nose in his mother, hide, and rest. These are the already described methods of wearing on the hip, on the stomach of an adult, when the child is looking from behind (in a column position), lies on the arm of an adult, on the back of an adult (worn in a sling or ergonomic backpack).

It is also worth mentioning that the position in the arms “facing away from the adult” does not in any way contribute to the proper development of the child’s musculoskeletal system and can even be dangerous if there are some existing problems. It is much harder for an adult to carry a baby in this position than, for example, on a hip. The entire weight of the child’s body rests on his arms, so he has to bend backwards and lean to one side, which inevitably leads to pain and further problems in the lumbar and shoulder girdle.

It has been noticed that frequent and long-term exposure to the mother’s face can also provoke. If the baby has managed to get used to this method of carrying and is already protesting against the others, it is never too late to “retrain” him; you just need to show a little patience and parental persistence - because your child needs this!

There is a way to carry a baby, placing it on the hand (forearm) of an adult.There is nothing undesirable in this position for a child, even one who is not yet sitting up on his own, but it is quite difficult for an adult. Perhaps this method is good for briefly holding a child in your arms, but not for long-term carrying.

Note that if a child doesn’t like a particular way of wearing it, sometimes it’s worth figuring out why. Perhaps the baby's clothes are uncomfortable - for example, when a baby spreads his legs on an adult's thigh, the rompers can become too tight and put pressure on small fingers, causing discomfort. Always listen to your child; sometimes expressed dissatisfaction is a signal that the baby is in pain. When changing positions, the discomfort will decrease, but the problem may remain and needs to be addressed.

Hard?

Sometimes you can hear from a young mother something like: “My son (daughter) already weighs so much! How will I carry him in a couple of months!?” Yes, children grow, but if the mother constantly carries the baby in her arms and does it correctly, her hands get used to it, and the gradual weight gain is practically unnoticed. So, if necessary, a mother can carry even a 3-4 year old child for quite a long time (for example, if the child falls asleep). It is worth remembering this simple truth: it is always much more comfortable and easier to carry a child than something of exactly the same weight, but in one hand, for example, in a bag.

If a mother experiences difficulties with her back or suffers from diseases of the musculoskeletal system, this is a reason to take care of her health, find out the reasons, and seek help from doctors of various profiles and massage therapists. But this is not a reason not to carry the baby in your arms, since the correct (we emphasize!) ways of carrying a child cannot in any way negatively affect the health of the mother.

From my own parenting experience and in the practice of helping other mothers, I noticed that sometimes women of the older generation, even more often than young mothers, tend to either take the baby with their back to themselves (while bending unnaturally in the lower back!), or put him in their arms and carry him for a long time . And not because the child asks so, but simply because they cannot imagine other ways. Or (even worse!) they try to hold the baby in their arms less often, because they believe that carrying a child is very difficult, uncomfortable and harmful to the back. I also encountered real surprise and even delight from my grandparents: it turns out that you can carry a baby on your hip, and besides, it’s not hard at all!

So sometimes the older generation—those who will look after the baby in parental absence—can and should be involved in studying information about caring for a baby. To learn parenting skills, including how to carry a child, it is useful to seek help from experienced mothers who have raised and breastfed more than one baby or specialists in natural feeding and child care. Thus, such an important principle of continuity for humanity, of course, changes, but still does not disappear without a trace.

Photo provided by: Olga Belova, Polina Malchenko, Marina Maslakova, Alexandra (shusya3), Anastasia Polugrudova.

Recovery after caesarean section

Congratulations, you have become a mother! For some reason, you were unable to give birth on your own, and your baby was born through a caesarean section. The recommendations that you will receive from doctors upon discharge from the maternity hospital will largely coincide with those that women who gave birth through the birth canal will receive. But there will be some differences - you will learn about them from this article.

Progress of the operation

A caesarean section is an abdominal operation and is performed either under general anesthesia (general anesthesia) or epidural anesthesia1. The anterior abdominal wall is opened layer by layer: first, the surgeon cuts the skin - across, along the pubic hairline, or along, from the pubis to the navel. What kind of incision will be depends on the choice of the operating doctor and the current situation. Then the subcutaneous fatty tissue is dissected, the aponeurosis2, muscles and peritoneum are opened; An incision is made in the uterus and the baby is removed through it, and then the placenta. After this, the wound is sutured in layers in the reverse order. A thread is applied to the skin - either absorbable or non-absorbable (the latter is removed 6-7 days after surgery) - or metal staples. The choice of thread also depends on the preferences of the surgeon and on the availability of a particular suture material.

Possible complications

Like any other operation during which tissue is cut and, accordingly, blood vessels are cut, a caesarean section is associated with a certain blood loss. Normal blood loss during spontaneous labor is approximately 200-250 ml; such a volume of blood is easily restored by a woman’s body prepared for this. Caesarean section implies blood loss significantly greater than physiological: its average volume ranges from 500 to 1000 ml. Naturally, the patient’s body cannot cope with this problem on its own. Therefore, during the operation and in the postoperative period, intravenous administration of blood replacement solutions, and sometimes blood plasma, red blood cells, or whole blood is performed - this depends on the amount of blood lost during the operation and on the capabilities of the patient’s body.

During the operation, the integrity of the peritoneum is disrupted - the cover that allows the intestines to freely peristalt - move, promoting food. After surgery, as a rule, adhesions occur - adhesions between intestinal loops and other internal organs. If the adhesive process is slightly expressed, the patient will not feel it at all; if the characteristics of the body imply the development of an extensive adhesive process, problems with stool may arise and abdominal pain may appear, especially in the lower parts. Treatment in this case depends on the severity of the adhesive process. In mild cases, physical procedures are sufficient, but in severe cases, the question of surgical treatment may be raised (for example, laparoscopic surgery with thermocoagulation (“cauterization”) of adhesions).

One of the complications of cesarean section is endomyometritis - inflammation of the uterus. Naturally, in this case it occurs more often than after spontaneous childbirth. It is clear that during the operation there is direct contact of the uterine cavity with air, the complete sterility of which cannot be achieved. To prevent endomyometritis after surgery, antibiotics are prescribed. Whether the course will be short or long depends on the woman’s concomitant diseases and the traumatic nature of the operation. After a cesarean section, the uterus contracts worse than after a vaginal birth, since the uterine muscle is cut during the operation. In this regard, subinvolution (impaired contraction) of the uterus occurs more often, which requires additional therapy aimed at improving the contractility of the uterus. This therapy is carried out in the maternity hospital for 2-5 days.

After operation

After surgical delivery, the woman in labor spends the first 24 hours in a special postpartum ward (or intensive care ward). She is constantly monitored by an anesthetist (intensive care unit nurse) and an anesthesiologist. During this time, the woman adapts to postoperative existence: her blood loss is corrected, antibacterial therapy is started to prevent postoperative infectious complications, and intestinal function is stimulated.

On the first day after a cesarean section, you are only allowed to drink water with lemon juice. On the second day, you can treat yourself to chicken broth, boiled meat minced through a meat grinder, low-fat cottage cheese, yogurt without fruit fillers, and sugar-free fruit juice. You can completely return to a normal diet after the first independent bowel movement (4-5 days). But already on the 2nd day, the happy mother is transferred to the postpartum ward, where she immediately begins to lead an active lifestyle - gets up and walks, feeds her baby. Mom is allowed to sit up 2-3 days after surgery. For 7 days after a cesarean section (before removing the sutures), the procedural nurse daily treats the postoperative suture with antiseptic solutions (for example, brilliant green) and changes the bandage. If the wound was sutured with absorbable suture material, then the wound is treated in the same way, but the sutures are not removed (such threads dissolve on their own 65-80 days after surgery).

The skin scar forms approximately 7 days after surgery; therefore, already a week after a caesarean section you can shower completely calmly. Just don’t rub the seam with a washcloth - this can be done in another week.

Discharged from the maternity hospital in the absence of any complications 7-10 days after surgical delivery.

Lactation

If after a spontaneous birth milk comes in 3-4 days, then after a cesarean section it comes in 4-5. This is due to the fact that when a woman goes into labor on her own, certain hormones are released into her blood, which, among other things, stimulate the production of breast milk. If a cesarean section is performed as planned, that is, before the development of labor, the hormone that stimulates lactation begins to enter the blood delayed, after delivery. But this has practically no effect on the baby’s weight and condition, since, if necessary, he is fed with special adapted formulas.

Necessary restrictions

Patients and their relatives often ask whether after surgery it is possible to lift weights, play sports, and in general - what can and cannot be done during this period. The answer to the first question is not clear-cut. Surgeons, for example, after abdominal operations do not allow their patients to lift more than 2 kg for 2 months. But how can you say this to a woman who has to take care of a baby? Therefore, we do not recommend that postpartum women after a cesarean section lift more than 3-4 kg during the first time (2-3 months), that is, more than the weight of the child.

Women after spontaneous childbirth can immediately work on all the muscles of their body (ideally, if the expectant mother did this during pregnancy). Patients who have undergone a cesarean section can work on their abdominal muscles no earlier than a month after giving birth.

As for the resumption of sexual relations after surgical delivery, this period is the same for both operated patients and women who gave birth through the birth canal. After childbirth, the uterus is an extensive wound surface (at the site of attachment of the placenta and fetal membranes). And as you know, any wound can easily become infected. The healing process of the wound surface is accompanied by discharge, the so-called lochia. At first they are bloody, then bloody and mucous. Lochia is released within 6-8 weeks after birth. Complete restoration of the mucous membrane of the uterine cavity is characterized by the cessation of these secretions. After this, you can resume sexual relations, but do not forget about contraception to avoid an unplanned pregnancy.

Regarding postpartum bandages, we can say that there is no need to abuse them: your abdominal muscles should work themselves.

It should be remembered that after a cesarean section a scar remains on the uterus, which can affect the course of subsequent pregnancies. It has been proven that the scar reaches its optimal state for carrying a pregnancy 2-3 years after surgery. At this point, the woman’s body is recovering from the previous pregnancy. Therefore, it is better to think about a brother or sister for your first-born after this time has passed.

Obstetricians have still not come to a consensus on the possibility of spontaneous childbirth in patients who have previously undergone a cesarean section and have a scar on the uterus. As a rule, a scar on the uterus in itself is an indication for a repeat cesarean section. But sometimes exceptions are possible. In any case, if you would like to give birth on your own, this problem is solved individually, depending on your state of health, the condition of the scar (it is assessed by ultrasound), the course of the postoperative period and many other circumstances.

Elena Nesyaeva
Obstetrician-gynecologist, Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic of MMA named after. I.M.Sechenova