How to lift a baby?

[notcitrus]

Sounds a stupid question but getting only odd or clueless answers from HVs...

A is 4 months, an average-shaped 16 pounds. My hands, wrists and forearms are pretty buggered. I managed to bf with a Brest Friend cushion as I couldn't hold him in place with my forearm.

Now he's got too heavy for me to lift just by putting my hands round his torso (as you do when lifting baby in the air during sing-songs). To get him out of his cot I scoop him up with both arms. I used to pull him to a handy place first by his legs, but the HV said never to do that as a hip could dislocate. But that's how everyone I know changes nappies - lift baby's bum up by their legs with one hand, slide new nappy underneath!

Also wondering about lifting him with the backs of my hands under his arms and if that's putting too much pressure on his shoulders. He doesn't complain so I assume it doesn't hurt, but now I'm all paranoid I'm going to pull a limb off in my efforts to keep my hands functional...

Hi

Not a stupid question at all I can see your point. Sometimes I don't think HV's live in the real blooy world. I and everyone else I know changes nappies like you describe although I used to roll him onto his side when he was really small .

Could you manage to get your forearms and hands under his head and legs as if you were cradling him? I am racking my brains here trying to think of other ways LOL.

Me again.

LOL brainwave (tell me if it's shit ) could you move him to the handy place in cot by kind of pulling the sheets up around him and dragging him up the cot, that sounds rough but I know what I mean hope you do too

You'd have to be really quite rough to dislocate a hip unless there was some underlying problem already. HVs can be a daft bunch sometimes. So long as you're gentle and ds doesn't complain thats fine. Can you ask for a referral to an occupational therapist, they may have ideas or aids to help you.

Lifting up by the feet with ankles together is ok, but pulling down the cot by the feet can cause hip dislocation as a baby's hip socket is so shallow. Ok it's very unlikely to happen but it's possible.

Caan you place him on something soft and a bit silky, so you can slide him on the material?

He slides over the sheet just fine - I've been grabbing the grobag or clothes instead recently though.
I do get him out of the cotbed by getting my arms under neck and thighs, cradle style (wish I had a cot with adjustable height, but the cotbed doesnt).

A bfc assured me there's no reason not to carry/hold him squeezed under my upper arm like a set of bagpipes, and I'm good at balancing him over my shoulder, so it's just getting him up off the floor/bouncer/babygym/cot/swing that's a bit tricky if I can't put any pull on his arms or legs.

Out of interest, from when is it OK to carry your kid upside-down by the ankles to bed? My dad used to check I'd brush my teeth like that and then carry me to bed - until I was 10 and my head brushed the floor!

nocitrus poor you this sounds awful. Have you seen a Dr about your wrists/arms? You may have sprained them, -it maybe that they can suggest a wrist support or something to help. I had a similar problem with DS1 and wrist bandages did help just to give my arms a chance to heal.

the other thing I thought was maybe bring him to a sitting position by gently pulling him up on his arms and then you have more of him to get you body close to before wrapping your arms around him to lift him. I should be easier on you back then.

Are you being serious about the carrying by the ankles? its fine until you drop them on their head! (as my friend did by accident to DS1, he was fine but it was a shock to see)

at the upside down thing LOL, I would say much, much older although personally why you would want to do that I don't know? LOL That'd be a fair bit harder on wrists I imagine. Hoping you are joking have to admit

Is this a permanent problem with your hands?

Maybe a cot with height adjustment would be a good idea, but only until DS can pull himself up.

My cotbed has height adjustment it was one of the cheaper ones from mothercare it's the aylesbury one in antique pine has only 2 positions though, other thing would be a travel cot with basinette bit would be cheaper but would advise to buy a travel cot mattress.

The hand thing is permanent, probably. Started as RSI when I worked in a lab, and better ergonomics and osteopathy etc has got it to the level where I can do most things I need to do.

It's only very specific weight-bearing movements that are a problem - eg I can swing a sledgehammer and chisel tiles all day, because I don't need much grip, but can't peel off masking tape. Holding something quite heavy in a hand is fine, as long as I don't need to grip it - hmm, could be interesting when A gets more wriggly.