Carrying newborns up/down stairs

[DragonbornMum]

How do you do it? I can't decide which method I feel is safer.

(Before I get any "do you have any help for your anxiety", it's more curiousity that's caused me to ask. Also, baby has spent most of his life in ICU so yes, I'm a bit precious right now)

If you are feeling nervous or a bit unsteady, how about a stetchy sling. Then you know baby is secure and you have hands are free.

Honestly not too sure what you mean, what are the options?

I think you will be fine either way. In reality we can all do stairs very easily (unless you have some sort of disability?) We fall when we are rushing and not paying attention.
You are going to be paying attention in this new scenario! Down the line as you get more comfortable with carrying the baby in one hand then maybe try to hold the rail. At that point you will be less focused as it has got more familiar to you. That will be when you are more likely to mess up.
Don’t overthink it and congratulations.

I always carry her laying in one arm so I have the other arm for the banister I live in fear of falling while going down with her where as if I had her say upright I feel it would be more dangerous she would be less stable and easier to lose a grip on

Well you are better off doing it with baby in your arms than in a bassinet / moses basket because they are cumbersome and you are most likely to drop them.

Give it another few weeks you'll be doing it completely second nature

Footwear is probably more important than carrying technique, so socked feet or sturdy slippers, trousers that aren't too long that you trip over in them

Unsteadiness is probably my bigger concern! A sling is a great idea when he's bigger, but until he can hold his head up a bit the nature of his disability makes me worried a sling would hurt him

Depending on his disability OP try a fabric sling, they are literally just stretchy cloth material and fit to baby as you tie them yourself x

I used a stretchy wrap sling when mine was tiny which gave her enough support for her head. Is there a sling library near you? Then you can try one out and get advice

My logical mind totally agrees with this - unfortunately I have the squirmiest baby to have ever lived 😂😂

Honestly I can't remember (and he's only 10 months old!)

Probably not holding the bannister. He was quite a chunky wriggly baby.

I also had a NICU baby so understand totally where you are coming from! I hold baby in one hand, other hand on the bannister and I walk down backwards as our stairs are very steep so I find it easier. Can't wait to have them replaced when we build our extension in a couple of years.

With our DT’s - it’s one under each arm. Easy when they’re small - less so when they start wriggling.

Oh my days, that must have been nerve-wracking!! Mine wiggled in the womb and hasn't stopped, so I'm already at that stage

I never actually thought about it but looking back I'm sure I held with one arm and had other free for balance if needed, though sometimes 2 arms wrapper around and leaning forward a little bit. Main thing is to take the stairs slowly and carefully really. Slings are a good idea as well. Xx

If you'd like to use a sling then it might be worth getting back in touch with NICU - when we were in the physio gave us the contact details of someone who specialised in baby carrying for premature babies/ other situations where using a sling might not be straightforward. If you're in the North West I can pass on the details.

I can't remember for carrying - I think one handed with the banister - but I do remember changing my slipper socks to something with more grip!

From memory not something I thought about - we had an old four storey Victorian home so I was going up and down multiple times a day.