Achieve your Baby’s Motor Milestones with our Physios
Early on, your baby is working hard just to overcome gravity… a heavy head and weighty limbs definitely feels different compared to moving within the fluid filled womb.
Spending some time lying on their side during those short, wakeful periods after a nappy change allows your baby to use gravity in their favour , helping them bring hand to hand and hands to mouth.
The trick to side lying is feeling well supported!
Use a rolled towel behind your baby’s back and tuck the end between your baby’s thighs. Next, position your baby’s top leg with knee towards chest (the towel should resemble the letter J ).
In this position, your baby will be able to bring their hands to touch and hands to mouth.
Hand to hand and hand to mouth movements are early skills that will progress to significant motor milestones, such as their ability to manipulate an object or toy, bring an object or toy to their mouth (a form of exploration) and eventually feed themselves
To encourage the action of bringing hands together and to the mouth:
• Spend some time with your baby supported in side lying
• When your baby begins to show an interest in toys, use an ‘O’ ball or rings that are easy to grasp with both hands and light enough to lift to the mouth
Contact Our Sutherland Shire Baby Physios today for more tips on achieving your baby’s motor milestones.
