A pediatrician in Santa Monica, California, claims he has a foolproof technique to calm a crying baby. Parents, you may want to take note.
Bob Hamilton, MD, FAAP, is a pediatrician at Pacific Ocean Pediatrics and has been a doctor for over 30 years. He shared a video on YouTube of what he calls “The Hold”—a technique he uses to calm babies after they are given shots.
Hamilton demonstrates The Hold in four easy steps:
1. Fold arms across the chest.
2. Secure arms gently.
3. Grasp the diaper area.
4. Rock the baby at a 45-degree angle.
First, he crosses the baby’s right arm across the chest, then the left arm. He gently holds the baby’s arms together with his left hand and supports the chin with his thumb and index finger.
With his right hand, he cradles the baby’s bottom and rocks him slowly at a 45-degree angle. Hamilton notes that parents who try this should hold their baby’s butt with the fleshy part of their hands, rather than their fingertips.
It’s important to hold the baby at a 45-degree angle because the baby could jerk their head back if they are held upright. Hamilton also says that this technique works best with babies between 2-3 months old because they become too heavy after this age range. If The Hold does not work, Hamilton says that your baby may either be ill or hungry.
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