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Caring touch
Touching and stroking your baby is an important way of showing
him love and affection. However, babies are very sensitive to different types
of touch and generally do not enjoy light, tickling strokes.
Sometimes, touching or stroking is stressful for babies and parents may not
be able to do this as much as they would like. A very small or ill baby will
respond better if you just cup your hands around him. This is called
containment and means one hand is gently rested on the baby's head and the
other on his body or around his feet. Nurses offer containment by snuggling the
baby in a 'nest' inside the incubator. This keeps his arms and legs bent and
close to his body but also allows him to push out against something if he wants
to - this is similar to how he was within the womb. The baby's nurse will offer
parents guidance and advice.
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