here's what you can say: “You're so sweet to want to hold her, but since she's so little, I'd rather just hold her myself.” “Awww…we're actually not letting anyone else hold her until she gets a little older.” “I really would, but she's so little and I don't want her getting sick.
How can you gracefully tell someone you don't want her to hold your baby? Explain that if the baby gets a cold, he will be admitted to the hospital. Say, "We really can't pass the baby around in case someone doesn't realize she's sick." If that doesn't work, blame the pediatrician.
Ultimately, it's up to you to decide who gets to touch your newborn—and even who gets to be close enough to breath on them. Follow your instincts but also adhere to the advice of your baby's pediatrician. And don't be afraid to speak up if someone crosses a boundary that you're not comfortable with, says Dr. Hasson.
Babies do not form their blood-brain barrier for about two months and so they are at risk for more serious infections until that point. Obviously, this doesn't mean you cannot have anyone see your baby, but it does mean you should practice having visitors see them safely.”
When a new baby arrives, it's an exciting event for everyone. So, it's safe to say that you'll probably have a few people keen to visit once you get home. The good news is that as soon as you're ready for visitors, it's completely fine to let friends and family hold your newborn baby.
Parents should try to limit the number of visitors their babies come in close contact with overall. Consider having extended family and friends wait two to three months until your baby's immune system is stronger to plan their visits.
Gestational surrogacy
In this type of pregnancy, an embryo is transferred into the surrogate's uterus. The embryo is formed from the egg and sperm of the intended parents or from donors, using IVF.
However, if you find yourself physically ill, panicked or distraught when others step in to offer care to your baby, you may be dealing with postpartum anxiety. Postpartum anxiety can be very tricky since it feels really normal to be protective.
As baby ages, the time spent away from Mum can increase. By 1 year of age, baby might be able to spend a full day, from 9am until 5pm with Dad. Again, it's important to ensure the routine set in one home is followed in the other home.
It's all up to the parents, though, in the end. “If the person or people who come to your home to visit are going to help, that might outweigh the risk of exposing baby to potential illness,” she says. “If not, parents might want to hold off on the visit until baby is about 3 months old.”
The Bottom Line
As long as your baby's essential needs are being met and you actively engage them in a loving way, how much or how little you hold them is entirely up to you. If you want to hold them, do. If you want to put them down, even if they cry, that's fine as well.
Many children who have not had ample physical and emotional attention are at higher risk for behavioral, emotional and social problems as they grow up. These trends point to the lasting effects of early infancy environments and the changes that the brain undergoes during that period.
The phase can start as early as six to eight months and continues until around age two – when object permanence is fully established. “Separation anxiety is most common from ten to 18 months. But new research is saying Piaget's theory underestimates the development of the toddler mind.
In particular, parental involvement from birth through 7 months is essential, as this is the time frame when attachments form. Introducing overnight visits when the child is between 8 – 18 months is likely to be very difficult for both the child and parent because this is when stranger anxiety peaks.
“Our research shows that infants 'catch' and embody the physiological residue of their mothers' stressful experiences,” says lead researcher Sara Waters, PhD, a postdoctoral scholar in the UCSF Department of Psychiatry.
While infants vary in their sensitivity, research shows that babies do, indeed, sense and react to their parents' emotional cues. Generally speaking, they're picking up on what you're giving off.
Baby blues are feelings of sadness that you may have in the first few days after having a baby. Up to 4 in 5 new parents (80 percent) have the baby blues. It can affect new parents of any race, age, income, culture or education level.
In short, yes: Babies do feel love. Even though it will be quite a while before they're able to verbalize their feelings, they can and do understand emotional attachment. Affection, for example can be felt.
Babies form their main attachments to the people who care for them most – especially their parents. Your newborn baby can also form attachments to other people who regularly and lovingly care for them and make them feel safe. These people might include your baby's grandparents, paid carers and older children.
4. The hospital explained in a statement that the $39 charge is due to the need for an extra nurse. “In the case of a C-section, where the bedside caregiver is occupied caring for the mother during surgery, an additional nurse is brought into the OR to allow the infant to remain in the OR suite with the mother.
If you do hold the baby…
Wash your hands first. Always hold the head and keep safety in mind. Use both hands and arms. Never hold a hot drink.