Any lifting tips?

Das Kitty

Hi Folks,

Does anyone have any tips for me for lifting the baby, he shot up to 20lb in the past month and I find my body is broken by the end of the day. He's not rolling yet so has no means of propulsion so gets annoyed and noisy when he wants to move.

I'm fine once he's up I can hold him in a good position, it's just the lifting, out of his cot and off the floor, I try to hold in my core muscles but it isn't solving the problem, I bend at the knee as much as possible, but he's not a box so it's not exactly the same as you learn on a manual handling course

Thanks

January

That's a big busty boy. How's his head control?? Could you lift him up underneath the armpits at first and when you get up then control his back??

Cat Melodeon

I have a monster baby. My back is shattered. When getting him out of his cot, I would pull him up to a sitting position first, then standing and then hoist him out holding him under the arms. The cot was always the worst place to get him out of, so I'd put him down for his naps in my own (quite high) bed with pillows and a side rail to keep him in. Worked fine until I came in one afternoon to find him playing with the dust bunnies under the bed. He'd suddenly learned to roll and got himself over the barriers and off the bed. Luckily no injuries - the mountains of unwashed clothes lying on the floor saved him. So don't do that.

Since he's started pulling up and crawling, it's no longer a problem - he stands and puts his arms up to get picked up. Lowering the side of the cot helps too, and putting a hand under their bum and another under their shoulders is a good hold for picking up too. If they're on the floor, maybe kneel down first and then stand up again when you have the child clasped close to your chest. Heat packs are great too - don't wait until you're in agony to use them, they can save a niggly back from becoming savage (Aldi do cheap ones).

crazy cat lady

Could you raise the base of the cot so you're not bending in so far?

Not really sure about picking him up from the floor. I think I'm quite often on the floor playing with Megan so I'll pick her up while I'm still down there and stand with her in my arms... or I just get Chet to pick her up if I'm feeling lazy (which is quite often!)

Das Kitty

The cot base is still in the raised position, I do usually get down squatting to get him off the floor but I find that I'm twisting my back.

I like the idea of sitting him up first.

I think the problem might be the baby gym, it forces me to go for him from the side to slide him out from underneath, same with the cot, I approach from the side.

I was getting stronger as he grew but a huge growth spurt saw the end of that. Every bit of me is sore, even my feet!

Khannie

Suggestion for from the floor:
Get yourself into a "goblet squat" position (video below) then get him to a standing position (I find just getting the little one to hold my index fingers and putting some resistance on her / pulling her gently makes her want to stand up). With the goblet squat your arse is nearly on the ground, your feet are flat on the ground, weight on your heels (important), legs slightly apart, feet pointing slightly away from each other. If you can get your hands under his arm pits then you should be looking at a much much easier lift.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLv3anoeC7w

The cot's a killer alright. Try to use your lower back as little as possible though. If you're bending very far over you're going to do yourself some damage. I'd try to lift more from the side (so that you're facing more the length of the cot rather than across it).

Lastly, while your own strength is adjusting to the extra weight, a bit more protein in your diet (meat, eggs, fish, etc.) is not gonna do you any harm (unless you have any kidney issues).

Das Kitty

Thanks for all of the advice. I've been using the tips for the past couple of days and I'm feeling way WAY better.

You guys rock.