Every time a baby is born, people close to the parents want to meet them as soon as possible , and many of them want to hold them. And, who can resist such tenderness? I admit that I am one of those people who see a baby and feel the urgent need to touch its little hands, legs, feet …
However, as tender as we may feel, it is not correct to approach and touch a newborn like that. Just as during pregnancy we recommend respecting and not touching the belly of a pregnant woman without permission, the same happens with the baby.
There are several reasons why we should think twice and be careful when it comes to approaching such a tiny baby. I explain why you should always ask can I touch the baby? before doing it .
First, out of respect …
When coming home with a newborn, it is normal for many people to ask parents when they can meet the baby. Once mom or dad have told us that we can go visit them (because it is not good to arrive without warning either), we will have to go and be useful visitors.
But it must be clear that the fact that they have opened the doors of their house to us does not mean that we can act freely in relation to the baby . Just as we do not invade the parents with unexpected visits, we cannot invade the baby’s space either.
During those first weeks of life, the baby is getting used to his new life outside the womb and so is Mom, so they both need calm, space and time for this. Touching the baby without first asking if we can do it can feel like disrespect for that important intimacy .
We must remember that outside of mom and dad, for the baby the rest of the people are complete strangers , who can get to make him nervous or interrupt that calm that he so much needs in those first weeks.
There is also one last thing to keep in mind in this section: that the mother simply does not want her baby to be touched and does not need to justify her decision. After all, it is your baby, not ours, and there are mothers who feel vulnerable when they see others touch their baby when it is still so small.
… but also, for health
On the other hand, in addition to the fact that we must respect the parents’ decision regarding whether or not to let others touch their baby, we have the issue of health: an extremely important factor when we talk about a newborn .
When babies are so young, their immune systems are still immature and not strong enough to protect them from certain diseases and infections, and any virus or bacteria is a great threat to a newborn baby , especially when they have not yet received the first ones. vaccines.
For this reason, the all-important recommendation to always wash your hands before touching a baby is repeated ad nauseam, and it may also be the reason why many parents do not allow anyone other than themselves or other caregivers to touch them. His life and health are more important than any hug or caress (which he already receives from mom and dad).
Finally, since we are talking about asking before touching a baby, let’s not forget another similar topic: giving kisses to a newborn. In that case we shouldn’t even think about asking and just avoid it altogether .
Photo | iStock
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