When you move your baby, the action must be as slow, gentle, and quiet as possible. You’ll find that you instinctively hold your baby close, look into her eyes, and talk soothingly to her. Not surprisingly it has been proven that all children benefit from intimate physical contact, particularly being in a position to hear the familiar sound of your heartbeat. Premature babies, for example, gain more weight when they are laid on fleecy sheets, which give them the sensation of being touched, than when they are laid on smooth ones. Your newborn baby will find comfort in any kind of skin-to-skin contact, but the best way to give her this is for both of you to lie naked in bed. Here she can smell and feel your skin, and hear your heart beating. In this way, too, you can make sure that she becomes familiar with the smell of her father’s skin.

A doctor will check your baby’s hips for excessive mobility as part of routine tests after birth. Treatment such as manipulation and splinting can prevent trouble in later infancy. In severe cases, an operation may be needed.