Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-23
TO CARRY AN INFANT.
Place Hand Firmly on Spine to Sup.
port Back and Keep It Straight.

Carrying q baby SO that 1t will be most
comfortable and at the same time SO that
its tiny frame will not be injured, is
thing that you young mothers cannot learn
too quickly. Like everything else, 1t is
quite simple when one knows how, but
often think Of a woman who said that she
was really afraid to take her infant from
the nurse for fear if she held him tight
enough not to drop the grip would be so
| strong 1t would hurt him.
To hold a small child properly take him
firmly but not tightly in your arms. There
is much difference between these two, and
the right way must be learned. With this
knowledge there should be also the right
idea how to support the spine, otherwise
baby may have not only a bad fall, but
may be strained.
At birth the spinal column of a normal
child Is quite straight, but 1t is also very
soft and will bend in any direction that
1t may be pressed. Instinct of the mother
most lacking in the maternal tells her
that In taking up her baby from a lying
position she must put her hand under its
back. But all mothers do not realize that
when carrying baby the back must still
be supported by a hand against it just
little above the shoulder blades. reaching
to the back of the head. You frequently
see women holding quite young babies by
simply having the arms just below the
trunk Of the child. Now. even after it is
many months old 1t needs help to hold its
body erect. and this Is given by a hand
placed at the back. Another and most
important reason for putting the hand
against the spinal column is that all babies
have way of jumping unexpectedly, or
throwing themselves, and can easily pitch
themselves out Of the arms unless there
Is this rear guard. as 1t were. This should
be firmly impressed upon older children
when they are holding baby.
If an infant is lying down he should be
most carefully taken up that the head may
not be jerked and the spine pulled. To
do this as 1t should be. put the right hand
under the body so that 1t rests fiat against
the back directly above the shoulders. The
left hand Is put over and then slipped
under the loins. By this method the en-
tire body is given support. because as the
child Is raised. its little legs will slip them
selves under the arm. In carrying a very
young baby the head should rest In the
curve of one arm and the other should be
In raising baby to the shoulder let it
sit In one hand and hold the other firmly
against the back of the head for support.
Carefully carried in this way after a few
support the head when being lifted. but
even then a hand is needed against the
spine that cannot yet bear the weight of
the entire body.
In carrying an infant about the house
or anywhere. for the matter of that-it is
well to change the body more or less fire.
quently from one arm to the other. This
rests the mother, and incidentally gives
stead of one-a form of equal development
that IL very desirable.
Much better than holding a baby some
times Ia to let him lie on the bed and kick.
when he Is old enough. putting him first
on his back and then on his stomach. The
long clothes should be pulled up. and he
will then get a good deal of exercise for
his little legs To rest him build a little
barricade Of pillows at back and sides and
then raise him to q half-sitting angle. He
cannot get away from this, and the change
is good. 1t should not be for more than If
teen minutes at first, and should not be
done at all until the child is four or five
months old.
Any strong, active infant, when eight or
nine months old, tries to walk, and begins
by making gigantic efforts to pull itself to
its feet when sitting on the floor. A little
Of this Is all right, but do not believe in
allowing one to do this too soon, for the
bones are not hand or strong enough and
will feel the strain. Babies should not be
permitted to stand alone before they are
ten months old, and mothers should not
feel worried II they make no effort to
| stand before reaching the age OF q year.
This IL time enough
walking usually begins gradually after
the little one has become accustomed to
standing, but occasionally some child who
has been very backward about getting on
its feet will suddenly take q couple of
steps, but this Is out of the ordinary. A
small child should be thoroughly accus-
toned to standing with the aid of q chair,
etc.. before 1t - allowed to stand alone.