Newborns need special support because they lack the muscle strength and motor control to hold up their heads until they’re two to three months old. “Always opt for a two-handed hold,” says Ari Brown, a pediatrician in Austin, Texas, and a coauthor of Baby 411: Clear Answers and Smart Advice for Your Baby’s First Year (www.amazon.com, $12). One way is to support the baby’s head in one hand and use the other hand to support the body. If you’re holding a newborn in your lap, place the baby’s head in the crook of one arm and let the other arm support the legs and feet. Another good method is to sit, place the back of the baby on your thighs, and use the heels of both hands with the palms facing up to support the baby’s back and head so the baby is on his back looking at you, says Helen Dresner, a certified doula in East Meadow, New York.