Will I have injured my baby?

[worroedj]

I’ve been lifting my baby of 10 weeks under their arms. I’ve just read you’re not supposed to. Her head flops to one side when sitting in car seat and bouncer, have I caused this?

You haven't been supporting her head at all while lifting her?

I don't understand. Haven't u been supporting their head when holding them?

Do you mean without supporting her head and neck? I only lifted my two up under their arms when they could sit up and hold their heads up well.

If you're concerned then ask a HV or GP about it.

Have you been supporting her head after picking her up? Her neck muscles are not strong enough to support her heavy head yet.

Honestly, I very much doubt you have injured your baby. I have loads of pictures of DS sleeping on me or in his bouncer with his head leaning / turned to one side. It's totally normal.

Yes it's a good idea to support your baby's head when you lift her, and you can always double check with your health visitor if you are worried about how you have been lifting her, but I'm sure they would have noticed at one of your checks if there was anything seriously wrong!

sometimes I have held her head but often I just lift from cot etc under the arms. I am so worried. Saw the HV yesterday and they said all was fine with her but I didn’t mention this as I just read about it randomly and now I’m very worried

So you pick baby out of the cot just under their arms? Doesn’t their head flop back?

I think you should book a GP appointment.

I'm sure she's fine but how do you not know to support their head.

Their head doesn’t flop about when I lift her though because I immediately cradle her once out of the cot. The GP saw her last week for something else but I’ve booked in again for tomorrow to check
this. What could I have done?

Ok so when you have got her out you then support her head. Ah I think that's better then

OP her head should not be flopped sideways in the carseat or bouncer. Baby is at risk of positional asphyxia especially in the carseat for long periods of time. If it’s an age appropriate car seat, there should be sufficient padding to support her head so it cannot go sideways. And many bouncers are only suitable from 3 months.

This is really important for baby’s safety.

So it's just for those 5 to 10 seconds when lifting that their head hasn't been supported? And otherwise you cradle and support their head once you're holding them? I seriously doubt they could have been hurt by this, especially since I'm sure you're lifting gently as you seem so worried. Their neck muscles just aren't strong so sudden jerky movements can hurt their neck and head.
Congratulations on your baby 💐

You're lifting her under her arms to then hold her against you or supported, not carting her around the house under the arms I assume so I suspect given the size of your hands to her, you're automatically supporting her neck and head in that position

Meant lindly but I think you need a parenting course @worroedj you don’t seem to know what you are doing.
Why would you not support the head? Your car seat sounds worrying too-is it adjusted correctly?
I had never held a baby or changed a nappy before I had DD but how to hold them and pick them up was covered in classes. Did you do any?

You’ve probably got away with it but you really should check you aren’t doing anything else unsafe. Get the car seat checked, that sounds dangerous for asphyxiation from your description.

However re car seat, if she's got the right padding etc in, once she's strapped in properly she shouldn't have room for her head to flop sideways. If you're unsure, YouTube should have videos for your particular carseat

Sounds like she might be a bit small for the bouncer yet unless you can prop her head upright

Absolutely this! Who lifts a newborn up by their arms? Everyone knows how fragile their necks are...

Have a look at videos of doctors testing for the moro reflex in newborns. In this test, the baby's head does flop back for a second or two, and it's the lack of support that provokes the response (arms fly out). So as long as it's only for a few seconds I'm sure you haven't hurt her, but in future, try extending your fingers behind her head and neck as you lift her, so it's more comfortable. Also, ensure that her head is well supported in her car seat so it doesn't flop forward and squash her airway.

Congratulations on your lovely baby!

Oh I do this with my new born. You pick them up by putting your hands under their arms, but their shoulders come up and that supports their head. Then you move them into a safer cradled position. Their head is supported by the fact that their shoulders are raised. Normal. Don’t worry about it.

See a baby osteopath if you can afford £50-60 for an appointment. They will do a detailed assessment and tell you if there is any damage.

But people don't know what they don't know. This is what midwives/HVs/free easily avaliable ante natal classes should teach.

There's a difference between not being aware and being aware and not doing it. It's the latter who are bad parents. OP, it's unclear if she's actually don't anything wrong anyway, but she clearly loves her child and is trying to do her best. People telling she doesn't deserve to be a parent / should never have kids is utterly unhelpful and unkind, unless you're suggesting she puts her child up for adoption today?

This!! How else would you lift them if not with your hands under their armpits? Op I'm sure you won't have damaged your baby x

Don't worry sweetie. It sounds absolutely fine, just make sure her head is supported but I wouldn't worry at all. I'm guessing you're a first time mum?