Baby hands

Babies are handsy creatures. Their vision is not fully developed at birth and they rely on touch and smell to help them navigate the world. As a newborn, they will use their hands to reach for the breast and nipple to know where it is and help them latch. Kneading and grabbing the breast helps the nipple to pop out for an easier latch. While the instinct is to put mittens on a newborn to prevent themselves from scratching, this can disorient the baby and actually prevent a good latch! Using a glass nail file to smooth their nails after a bath can help keep the claws to a minimum. Wrapping their arms around the breast like a hug can also help while you get the latch down and then they can have their hands free. Babies can also use their hands to help trigger more let downs and increase or decrease flow of milk from the breast. As they get older and more aware of their surroundings, they will start to play with their hands during feeding. Older babies may pinch and grab because they’re experimenting with what their hands can do. Happy, clappy hands may express their joy at being with you and exploring hands may reveal their boredom of starring at your breast for hours a day, every day. Giving little hands something to play with can help keep them from scratching or pinching. Or hold their hand and talk with them. What a great opportunity to communicate with your baby with songs, reading books, or talking about your day!
Is your baby handsy?
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smart babieees