Tummy Time

< Week 2 Tummy Time Tummy time is an incredibly important part of your infant's development. Tummy time not only prepares your baby for rolling over and crawling, but it also (perhaps more importantly) will help to strengthen your baby's neck and back muscles. Having good neck control will allow your baby to move her head, which will reduce the risk of SIDS. Additionally, these muscles are key for other large motor activities, such as sitting up, and eventually walking. For more information, please review the following tummy time videos from Pathways: Five Essential Tummy Time Moves Original source: Pathways.org Five Essential Tummy Time Moves Original source: Pathways.org Pathways.org is an incredible non-profit that utilizes evidence-based practice and multimedia as tools to promote each child’s fullest inclusion. They strive to empower parents with knowledge of the benefit of early detection and early intervention for children’s sensory, motor, and...

Brain Building Activities: Birth to 3 Months

 >Weeks 0-8 Overview Bicycle Put your baby on her back and move her legs like she is riding a bicycle. Note: Never force your baby’s legs. If she resists, try something else. Sing bicycle songs like “A Bicycle is Built for Two” as you move her legs, or make up a simple song. Here’s an idea that can be sung to the tune of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”:   Ride, ride, ride your bike Up and down the street. Happily, happily, happily, happily This is such a treat. What Brain Research Says: An infant’s brain thrives on feedback from its environment and “wires” itself into a thinking and emotional organ based on early experiences.   Switching Pitches According to brain research, when a baby hears a high-pitched voice, her rate increases, indicating that she feels secure and cheerful. When you speak in a lower pitched voice, your baby feels soothed and content. Try singing a song in a high voice and then repeat the same song in a low voice....

Tummy Time

Tummy time is an incredibly important part of your infant's development. Tummy time not only prepares your baby for rolling over and crawling, but it also (perhaps more importantly) will help to strengthen your baby's neck and back muscles. Having good neck control will allow your baby to move her head, which will reduce the risk of SIDS. Additionally, these muscles are key for other large motor activities, such as sitting up, and eventually walking. For more information, please review the following tummy time videos from Pathways: Five Essential Tummy Time Moves Original source: Pathways.org Five Essential Tummy Time Moves Original source: Pathways.org Pathways.org is an incredible non-profit that utilizes evidence-based practice and multimedia as tools to promote each child’s fullest inclusion. They strive to empower parents with knowledge of the benefit of early detection and early intervention for children’s sensory, motor, and communication development. Pathways...

The Importance of Routine

Routines are an important part of your baby’s life. When your baby was first born he came into a world that is new and unfamiliar. In utero, everything was fairly simple and consistent. Your baby was in a warm environment, fed constantly and comforted by the soothing sound of mom’s heartbeat. After birth, his new big world is filled with sights, sounds and smells that he has never experienced. It’s a lot for him to take in, and can be very overwhelming to his very fragile nervous systems. Building familiar and consistent routines around his days and nights will help him transition easier and fall into more predictable patterns. We all have routines to our days. We usually eat at the same times, go to work at certain hours and fall asleep and wake up at predictable times. Routines bring structure to our lives and structure and predictability help us feel secure in life. Putting routines in place for your baby will do the same and bring about positive benefits for your child and...