When you pick up your child, are you giving them support? Or tensing them up? Aiming for the bony parts can help keep your child feeling safe. The pelvis is a great place to start. In this post I’ll show you how to find the right part of the pelvis quickly when picking up your child.
The parent in this image is using the top of the pelvis as a handle to hold their child: it’s called the iliac crest. You can find your iliac crests right now just by putting your hands on your hips–what you’re actually putting your hands on is the iliac crest. When you pick up your child in a side hold, using their iliac crest and pelvis as your starting point will protect their fragile internal organs, because all the pressure will be on a bony part that has evolved to handle it.
Now put the heel of your hand on your iliac crest and let your fingers point downward on your body. Both the heel of your hand and the tips of your fingers should both be resting on strong, bony places that are great for holding kids: the top of your pelvis, or iliac crest, and the top of your thigh bone, or femur.
What’s your favorite way to pick up your child? How did you decide on it?