how fragile are babies?

damabo80 · February 2011

Whenever I hold a friend's or family member's newborn/infant (less than 2 months old), I always want to make sure I'm sitting down. I would never feel comfortable holding a little tiny floppy baby and walking around.

Is this something that you "get over" when it's your own baby? I have visions of never feeling comfortable enough to carry and walk at that same time when the baby is small...and let's face it: Immobile sucks.

duhdaisy86 · February 2011

damabo80:
Whenever I hold a friend's or family member's newborn/infant (less than 2 months old), I always want to make sure I'm sitting down. I would never feel comfortable holding a little tiny floppy baby and walking around.

Is this something that you "get over" when it's your own baby? I have visions of never feeling comfortable enough to carry and walk at that same time when the baby is small...and let's face it: Immobile sucks.

Yes you are completely different when it is your own child....when DS wasn't mobile yet, I would carry him up and down the stairs.

You get over the fear pretty fast!

mainemommy · February 2011

Its easier when its your baby. It does take a bit to get over being afraid of hurting them, especially when it comes to putting clothes on them, but they really arent as fragile as we make them out to be.

Rita092010 · February 2011

They aren't as fragile as you think

, although you do have to be careful still. I think once you get used to having a baby around and caring for it, you also become more comfortable doing things while holding the baby.

Gummybear · February 2011

LOL, good question.

You get over it REALLY QUICKLY. I don't mean you'll be manhandling your child or anything, but they are a LOT more sturdy than they appear. You'll be nursing with one arm, talking on the phone, and walking around the house and bending down to pick up dog toys in no time.

heather_09_15_07 · February 2011

mainemommy:

Its easier when its your baby. It does take a bit to get over being afraid of hurting them, especially when it comes to putting clothes on them, but they really arent as fragile as we make them out to be.

Yup. It's funny now though, when I hold friends' newborns, I treat them like china dolls. It's funny how quickly you forget how small they are.

old_time_girl · February 2011

I babysat a colicy one month old. He was a very high maintenance baby. If you weren't holding him, he was screaming....and you couldn't just hold him, you had to bounce, move, swing, pat all at the same time...You will 'get over' being scared to move around. Juggling a screaming baby while making their bottle in the other hand and trying to make the older brother a peanut butter sandwich at the same time, you'll get good at muti-tasking.

pixiejazz · February 2011

i'm scared to hold other people's babies, so now im scared that i may actually drop mine...but lots of people are saying you will get over it, something about maternal instincts.

Jay_Cee · February 2011

I want to know this, too! I always feel like young babies are so fragile and I can't do anything but sit still with them in my arms.

I assume it's something we will get over. We will be holding our babies all the time, so we'll have to get used to it.

This post has me thinking about holding tiny babies, and I can't help but "awwwww" about it. Smile

mbritto4 · February 2011

They survive the birth canal. That's a lot scarier place as far as injury goes than being safely in your arms. When they're brand new the head/neck control is the main issue, their head is huge compared to the rest of them so you have to support it. Other than that, they are much less fragile than you think.

I used to babysit so I wasn't as afraid of "breaking" DD as MH was. You quickly get over it, especially that first time they nestle into your collar bone, sigh, and go to sleep. I used to let DD nap like that and just walk around Wink and no holding her a lot when she was a newborn didn't "ruin her" like some of the older generation likes to claim.

Mrs.Leah.Maria · February 2011

Gummybear:

You get over it REALLY QUICKLY. I don't mean you'll be manhandling your child or anything, but they are a LOT more sturdy than they appear. You'll be nursing with one arm, talking on the phone, and walking around the house and bending down to pick up dog toys in no time.

LOL. I completely agree with this!

Epiphany27 · February 2011

With my niece it took me a while to get over the fragility and get stuff done while I was holding her. But then I did, and I distinctly remember whacking her head against a door frame while trying to get her a bottle when she was crying. The smack shocked her into stopping crying and I thought I had broken her.?

Thankfully she survived

kell8807 · February 2011

Watch any baby show & you will she how not-fragile the babies are. The nurses manhandle the babies after delivery.

I had never held a newborn before DD. I'd held babies a few months old, but never anything that new. So I was terrified, too. After a few days it wears off and you'll feel fine holding that baby. I remember one time sitting at the dinner table BFing DD in one arm while eating with the other. DD got whacked in the head a time or two because I wasn't paying attention to what I was doing, but they survive. It scares the crap out of you, but they will be ok.

To me the scariest thing was changing her shirts. I was terrified I was going to snap her neck trying to get the darn shirts over her head. But I watched my mom do it a few times & saw that DD didn't break or cry. I was fine after that.

damabo80 · February 2011

Thanks all!

Fear of being stuck on the couch 24 hours a day for the first two months = alleviated!

aozmomma · February 2011

I remember feeling the same way b4 DD. They are so resilient and unfragile. Just support the neck. They r bobble heads!

you will notice how the doctor and nurses handle them after delivery and see what I mean.

Abbney · February 2011

Epiphany27:

With my niece it took me a while to get over the fragility and get stuff done while I was holding her. But then I did, and I distinctly remember whacking her head against a door frame while trying to get her a bottle when she was crying. The smack shocked her into stopping crying and I thought I had broken her.

Thankfully she survived

GASP!! I DID THE SAME THING!!! Geez it was 18 years ago but I remember it clear as day...I still feel bad, she's fine and all, but...I remember that...

COMomma81 · February 2011

Yes, I think you definitely get over it when it's your own. I used to laugh at my mom when she'd try to help bathe or dress my son as a newborn...she acted like he'd break at any moment! Babies are quite resilient and not nearly as fragile as you think. Yes, of course, you have to be careful with their necks until they have good control, but I got over the feeling like he'd break very, very quickly.

graceb15 · February 2011

This thread makes me feel better. I've never even held a newborn, so I'm freaking out just a little bit

brooksygirl · February 2011

I agree with all the responses, and I had not held a newborn before DD- DH even had to show me how to change a diaper! It was a bit of a shock to see how DD was handled by the nurses, but it also reassured me that she was not as fragile as I thought. Don't be hard on yourself for the first few days/weeks, but you will quickly get used to it. DH was tossing her in the air in no time

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