New babies can't support their own heads or manage their own limbs, and if they're allowed to flop unexpectedly, it arouses an instinctual fear of being dropped. So when you pick your baby up or put him down, treat him like a wrapped package that's got string around the middle, but is loose at both ends. Get one hand under his shoulders with spread fingers under his head, the other hand under his hips with the fingers for his thighs. Once he's securely lying on your hands, lift him slowly, straight to your shoulder. • When you put him down again, make sure he's lying on your hands on the mattress before you pull your hands out, that way, he never feels unsupported. He'll feel safest if you carry him face-to-face against your shoulder. • When he's on your lap, remember, he'll mind more if his head whiplashes back than if it drops forward. If you prop his head in the crook of your arm, you can have both hands free. Until he begins to stretch and kick spontaneously, keep him wrapped and on soft surfaces. • If he cries whenever you undress him, a thicker pad underneath him and a soft towel draped over his tummy may help him feel protected and calm.
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