Category Archives: New Moms

Tummy Time Success!

Infant Health & Safety, New Moms, ,
A bolster, a mirror: "Hey, look at that cute baby!"
A bolster, a mirror: “Hey, look at that cute baby!”

Supervised short periods when baby is placed on her belly while awake, called Tummy Time, may seem more like a struggle than a play time. Why is tummy time so important, and what can you do to encourage a baby’s participation?

  1. The main goal of tummy time is neck, shoulder and arm strengthening. This is the beginning of head control and upper trunk and balance development needed for sitting and standing.
    Help your baby by positioning her arms so she can use her forearms to press against and lift her neck. Even if she just brings her head up for a few seconds then rests it back down, she’s beginning to develop those (Sternocleidomastoid) muscles.
  2. Propped positions may work better. Many babies who fuss during tummy time on a flat surface do much better in a propped position. Try tightly rolling a blanket or towel into a firm bolster, then position baby in a kneeling position with her tummy right up the bolster, and with arms tucked up at chest level. This way she’ll have some leverage and will use her arm and shoulder muscles to push with, and be able to raise her head. You may need to reposition your baby’s arms often if she tends to bring her arms by her side and “swim”, or slides down the bolster.

  3. Engage and distract! Tummy time is a partnership activity. Encourage and tempt your baby to lift her head to see what’s going on. Use a favorite board book, rattle or toy to capture her attention and experiment with different locations for tummy time both indoors and out. Child-safe mirrors are great – who wouldn’t want to look at that beautiful baby?
  4. Brief but frequent. Instead of thinking of tummy time as a daily 15 minutes to endure, place your awake baby on her tummy for shorter sessions throughout the day, and don’t let baby get too distressed. Just like going to the gym, it’s the frequent and regular exercise that begins to build muscle strength, which eventually will make tummy time sessions much easier for your baby, and therefore, for you!
  5. Watch your baby progress! At one month, expect some brief head lifting or bobbing, at two months, her head may be held up for longer periods. Around three months, expect to see her support herself on bent arms during tummy time and at four to five months, baby may be able to push up higher, keeping shoulders and upper chest off the surface. All this prepares your baby for trunk control and tripod sitting around five to six months!

Tummy Time FAQs

My two month old really hates tummy time. We try every day but I quickly “rescue” her because she’s fussing. Should I continue or wait a few weeks and start over?

Continue, but for brief periods that (hopefully) remain mostly positive experiences. Because infants tend to spend most of their time in reclined positions like a car seat, swing or bassinet, they aren’t often encouraged to “work on” those arm/shoulder/neck muscles. Also, the passive recline position puts pressure on the back of the baby’s head, which can lead to flat spots. Vary your baby’s position many times throughout the day, and keep tummy time one of the positions in regular rotation. Hopefully the tips shared above will help her tolerate the brief sessions better and as she builds more upper body strength, it will become less of a challenge for both of you.

When do we stop doing tummy time? My 5 month old just flips right over onto his back. Can we stop now?

Congratulations! Tummy time doesn’t really go away, it just evolves into “Floor Time”. It sounds like your baby is learning how to maneuver his body and will soon be moving around more. Place your baby (on his tummy) on a clean and safe floor area a few times each day, so he can work on learning to roll and explore. When he rolls over onto his back, place some interesting toys near him just barely out of reach and soon he will work on pivoting around or rolling back onto his tummy to explore what’s around him. Because babies often move backwards before they learn to creep forward, reduce frustration by putting several toys around him in a circle so whatever direction he ends up in, there’s a reward nearby. Floor time is just as essential as tummy time, and is the best place for baby to develop his gross motor (body movement) and fine motor (hand-eye coordination) skills.

Changing Table Activities

Infant Health & Safety, New Moms, , , , ,

Changing Table Activities – Soon a favorite part of your baby’s routine!

"Hey, Let's Play!"
“Hey, Let’s Play!”

Changing Table Activities don’t involve diapers – they’re little games to build into your  baby’s daily routine.  During a diaper change, your face is the perfect visual distance from your baby, and she can see your facial expressions more clearly. Take the opportunity to “narrate” your activities and talk throughout during the diapering process. Once your baby is through the early newborn phase and stops crying during most diaper changes, chances are good that she’ll soon decide the changing table is a favorite place to play!

What are Changing Table Activities?
The few minutes of positive interaction, play and pleasant bonding time that occur before, during or after your baby’s diaper changes. They don’t involve the diapers and wipes, and don’t even require a changing table!

Build several fun little songs and simple play activities into your baby’s routine. Babies love repetition, so by using the same few rhyming games, she’ll soon recognize the activity, becoming more excited and engaged. Together you’ll begin to have special “favorite” songs and games to share.

Don’t think you know any nursery rhymes or baby games? Bet you do!
“Row, Row, Row Your Boat” with rocking movements
Cross baby’s legs one over the other, then flex them up toward her body so the legs are closer to her belly. Sing one verse of the song while slowly rocking your baby gently from side to side. Allow her legs to relax and unfold down, reverse the crossed legs so the other foot is on top now, and bring the legs back up, and sing the song again while gently rocking your baby side to side. This is also helpful for gassy babies (which are most babies!).
Even if not fitting the traditional “Nursery Rhyme” category, in a pinch, you can sing Jingle Bells, Happy Birthday, the Alphabet Song and Row Your Boat. Your baby will be thrilled as you make up little pats or bounces to go along with your song, for example, try gently “clapping” baby’s feet together in rhythm to the song.

Maybe you also remember The Itsy Bitsy Spider, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, or This Little Piggy Went to Market. These old standards even have easy hand movements built in. Also incorporate any songs or rhymes you remember from your childhood, especially if they are in a different language, and lyrics from favorite bands. Your baby will love them all if you’re singing them.

Because you’ll need to stay in hand’s distance from your baby at all times when on the changing table, use a nearby shelf to store a few playful items to explore with your baby to extend the playtime. A rattle, a board book, a brightly colored puppet or stuffed animal and a baby-safe mirror are some items that you might use to engage your infant. When singing or reading to your baby, use a high-pitched, sing-song tone of voice. Often called “Motherese” or “Parentese”, as annoying as it may be to adults, it’s been shown by research to be significantly better at holding a baby’s interest.

 

Engorgement

Breastfeeding, New Moms

Engorgement – too much of a good thing?

What is it?
A moderate to severe “over-fullness” of the breasts, especially during the first week after birth.

During the first day or two after delivering your baby, your breast tissue will probably feel firm but soft and pliant – fairly “normal”. Then, typically on day 2, 3 or 4 after a vaginal birth, or, day 3, 4 or 5 after a cesarean section, you may notice that your breasts are becoming warmer, tender and swollen. Some people describe this as “milk coming in”, as the colostrum becomes more plentiful and transitions into a thinner, yellowish milk. The breast tissue may feel very firm or even hard and extend into the armpit area. The fullness of the breast is only partly milk, it is also extra blood flow and body fluid (edema) creating the swelling. If this fullness transitions into a painful, hot, hard swollen breast, that is typically called “engorgement” as the breast is engorged, or “overfull”. Again, it’s not all milk that makes the breast so full and hard. But, frequent nursing (or expression) will provide some relief and encourage resolution of the symptoms.

Ice or Cold Packs: keep six small bags of frozen peas or corn in the freezer. These make the perfect ice packs to place around your breasts in between nursing sessions – the cold packs will help reduce swelling and provide needed comfort. Just keep refreezing and reusing, as long as needed.

Add ibuprofen. Ibuprofen is the generic name for Advil or Motrin. This NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) can help in several ways: by offering relief from discomfort, reducing a low-grade fever (if present) and by helping to reduce the inflammation or swelling of the breasts. Use the ibuprofen (400 – 600 mg) every six hours regularly for best anti-inflammatory action. This medication is approved by the American Academy of Pediatrics for use in breastfeeding women and is considered safe for most. It’s recommended to take ibuprofen with meals or a snack. As always, check with your provider for specifics about your own care.

Engorgement care plan:

  1. Use ice after and between feeding sessions. Keep 6 small bags of frozen vegs (peas, corn) in freezer to re-use/re-freeze. These adjust/form perfectly over your breasts & under armpits just where you need and want them.
  2. Use warmth just before nursing or pumping. Hot washcloth or shower may help soften breast and get milk flowing.
  3. Ibuprofen 600 mg every 6 hours with meal or snack x 48 hours. Keep it up as an anti-inflammatory; it will help to reduce swelling and discomfort.
  4. Pumping to relieve engorgement: it’s okay! As long as you don’t pump frequently, then softening or even emptying your breasts once or twice a day will NOT lead to over-supply or make engorgement worse. Rock hard breasts are NOT healthy, and don’t make it easier to breastfeed.
  5. Not all the fullness in the breast is milk. It’s also edema, interstitial fluid. So pumping may soften breasts but may not relieve all fullness.
  6. Babies will latch easier when the areola is softer. Otherwise, it’s like trying to latch onto a firm beach ball with an M&M glued to it, covered in olive oil. Good luck, and she’ll just grasp the nipple and hang on for dear life. Ouch.
  7. You can use manual (hand) expression, or a manual-pump, or your electric breastpump to soften the breast just prior to nursing. Express to relieve fullness or allow the milk to let down and spray before bringing the baby to the breast.
  8. Positioning: Baby under breast will be overwhelming if the milk is flowing fast. Have baby’s head either level to, or above, the breast especially at the beginning of a feeding session when the flow is heaviest if he tends to cough, choke or splutter with fast flow.

Babies Don’t Keep (poem)

Baby Sleep, Breastfeeding, New Moms

Song for a Fifth Child (Babies Don’t Keep) by Ruth Hulburt Hamilton

Mother, oh mother, come shake out your cloth!
Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
Hang out the washing and butter the bread,
Sew on a button and make up a bed.
Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She’s up in the nursery, blissfully rocking!

Oh, I’ve grown as shiftless as Little Boy Blue
(Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby, loo).
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due
(Pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo).
The shopping’s not done and there’s nothing for stew
And out in the yard there’s a hullabaloo
But I’m playing Kanga and this is my Roo.
Look! Aren’t her eyes the most wonderful hue?
(Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo.)

Oh, cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,
But children grow up, as I’ve learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust, go to sleep.
I’m rocking my baby. Babies don’t keep.

This poem first appeared in the Ladies’ Home Journal in 1958. Our chores and distractions may have changed a bit in the past 60 years, but the sentiments here have not…

Fine Motor Development for Babies

Infant Health & Safety, New Moms, , , ,
"She started with the pair of links - and now has graduated to the Winkel!"
“She started with the pair of links – and now has graduated to the Winkel!”

How babies find and use their hands
A baby’s grasp is reflexive, and most young babies keep their hands tightly fisted, or curled closed, when they are awake and alert. You’ll notice your baby’s fists soften and open slightly when they are relaxed, such as halfway into a feeding or asleep.

Even though their fists are closed, the grasp reflex is present. When a baby feels something on their palm, he’ll usually respond by curling his fingers and holding on. By offering appropriate objects in an intentional way, you can help your baby become more aware of their hands and arms, and explore the movements and coordination leading to hand and arm control. The increasing voluntary control of the hands and fingers is called “Fine Motor Development”. (“Gross Motor Development” are bigger body movements like sitting and pulling to a stand – Learn more about How Babies Develop)

You can help your young baby build increasing awareness of their hands and work on developing more voluntary control over the movements of arms and hands by taking advantage of the grasp reflex.

Baby’s first “toy” – Just a pair of links.

Take two simple baby toy “links”, clicked together, and place them in your baby’s palm. If his fist is closed tightly, try tapping on the small part of your baby’s exposed palm below the curled fingers. The fingers will quickly relax then tighten again. Take that moment to gently unfold his fingers to place the link in his palm, then loop it over his fingers. This way, his thumb will serve as a hook to help keep the links in his hand even if his hand opens and closes several times over the playtime.

Once your baby is holding the pair of links, he’ll randomly move arms and hands, and when doing so, the links will gently click and clack. Over time, your baby will begin to move his arms and hands more, and will also bring his hand up to the mouth. As soon as a baby can deliberately bring hands toward the mouth, he will: this isn’t necessarily a sign of hunger or an emerging tooth. It’s a very normal developmental behavior that means “Awesome! I can get my hands in my mouth now! Nom Nom!” Your baby will mouth his hands and fingers, and any portion of the links that he can bring to his mouth.

Try “playing” with the links each day. You’ll probably notice that your baby begins to seem more aware of his hands when he’s holding the links and begins to move them with more intention.

ALSO: Add additional links to the toys that dangle down from your baby’s playmat arches so that his still-very-random arm and leg movements can connect with the toy. Bring the toys down to where your baby’s natural movements happen to be. Your baby may not be able to reach out and grab at the toys dangling over him for a while yet, but if the toys are dangling close to their hands, they will become much more interested and engaged.

Often babies will flail out with an arm or hand and hit a toy over and over, making it rattle and move, while looking off in a completely different direction. Just because he’s not looking, doesn’t mean he’s not working hard to figure out how to move his body to connect with the toy. ALSO moving his head, and the cognitive steps of his understanding what he’s seeing (wow, that’s my arm, with my hand, hitting that toy, which is making that noise) is still a whole lot of information to process. If he’s swiping out with his arm to connect with a toy over and over, he’s showing you a new purposeful skill even if he’s not looking.

Texture Exploration: let your baby feel different types of textures by helping him stroke his hand or fingers over things. Touch soft, hard, shiny, fluffy, warm, cool, crunchy, velvety, scratchy textures, and verbally describe for her what it feels like (called “narrating your activities”).

– Good early/first “toys” (you’re doing most of the work) – the simple pair of links. Other perfect early toys include soft fabric books, crunchy and crinkly toys and fabrics, and easy grasp rattles that are lightweight, easy to hold and easy to clean.

What comes next? You’ll begin to see one hand to the mouth more and more often by three months. Watch to see if your baby brings hands together to midline (the center of the body) when in the carseat or sitting upright. Usually by three months, your baby will be interested in grasping and clutching his own hands together, and by four months, will be working very hard at getting both hands in the mouth at the same time. He’s got to make room in there, because around five or six months, he’ll be trying to bring his foot into his mouth. Really! Fun times ahead.

A portion of this article appeared on the Baby+Co blog

Nursing in Public

Breastfeeding, New Moms

Hi there, mammals. I mean, mamas. We are mammals, and we have mammary glands – breasts –  that serve a function: feeding babies. Whether they’re in use or not, as the saying goes, “that’s what they’re there for.”  So it’s a sad statement on our current culture that we even need to establish legal protections, fight to keep photos on Facebook, or lobby PBS to show the occasional breastfeeding baby “back” on Sesame Street to keep his bottle-feeding friends company.

If breastfeeding were the cultural norm, a nursing baby would be… well, unremarkable. They’d be everywhere. Commonplace. On the bus. In the park. At the coffee shop, in the store, at older siblings’ soccer games. Instead, we need legislation to protect a woman’s right to nurse wherever she is legally allowed to be, so that she can’t be harassed by unenlightened store clerks or hustled away by mall security.

A nursing mom usually just wants to feed and nurture her baby then get on with her day, and isn’t out to make a political statement. Yet, by breastfeeding your baby in comfortable public locations, you are doing something culturally significant each time. In addition to nourishing and nurturing your baby, you’re also doing some subtle public education reminding people that breastfeeding is, in fact, the biologically normal and expected way to feed a baby. In our bottle-feeding society, that’s an important reminder. Though initiation rates nationally are about 75%, fewer than half of American babies are breastfeeding at all by six months, and only one in four babies are nursing at all at one year. The more we, as a nation, see babies nursing, the more normal it will be, and the less fuss – and stress – will be made. So, mamas, do your part, be a mammal and feed your babies where and when you and your baby are comfortable.

My suggestions for breastfeeding when you’re out and about and away from your home:

1. Start early. Practice often.
Nursing isn’t always easy in the early days. Some moms have a very specific set-up at home with a certain chair, foot stool, pillows positioned just-so, and plenty of visibility and patience, to help get their baby latched on comfortably. It may take multiple attempts. There may be tears. The baby cries, too. It can be loud and messy. Keep at it. Get help if you need it. The first two weeks are the hardest. It gets better.

2. Get out of there.
Don’t get locked into the mindset that you need to be at home to make breastfeeding work. Even in the early days, with practice, you’ll begin to find it easier to get out of the house and feed your baby in a variety of settings. You’ll appreciate building flexibility and developing confidence into your ability to nurse on the go. You’ve got to get out of that house. Isolation is painful, and you’ll also discover that your baby is often happier and easier to care for when you’re out and about.

3. First times venturing out? Go where the moms go.
Find out what’s in your area. Breastfeeding groups, new mom gatherings or mom and baby yoga classes are perfect places to start. Being in a clean, nurturing, private location surrounded by other new mothers also focused on caring for their babies makes for a comfortable place to practice feeding. No one will notice or care if your baby fusses, or you fumble a bit.

4. Plan one outing a day with a “Rest & Refuel” in the middle.
Get out every day, but one outing is likely all that’s feasible. DO NOT attempt to rush through your errands to be back home within a two-hour window before the next feeding. Instead, PLAN IN a time and place you can sit and rest, have a snack yourself, and nurse your baby before continuing with your outing. For example, return baby gift and walk around mall, make a pit stop at coffee shop for snack/nursing/bathroom/diaper change, then continue on to the grocery store, then home.

5. Choose your spots wisely.
Select places that are family-friendly and accustomed to children, places where you will feel most comfortable. Coffee shops, book stores, and “ladies lounges” are popular spots to nurse when you’re out and about. Do not nurse in a bathroom stall! If initially you prefer more privacy, your car or a fitting room is a far cleaner alternative. Don’t ask for permission. You don’t need to give anyone power over where you may or may not feed your baby. Want to use a fitting room to nurse? Just grab something off a rack and bring it in with you to “try on”.

6. Fine Dining?
In a restaurant setting, ask for a table where you will feel most comfortable. Some women find a booth gives them more privacy; others (especially those with bigger breasts or older babies) find they don’t have enough room to maneuver and prefer a table with moveable chairs. Some women like to sit with their back to the room, and others prefer to sit facing out. Experiment and find what works best for you and your baby. As an aside, try breakfast or lunch in a restaurant rather than dinner. Young babies are often happier early in the day and tend to be a little crankier in the evening.

7. Park it. Bench it.
In a mall or park, find a bench in a quiet area and park your stroller in front of you, then put the stroller brakes on. Now you have a bit of a privacy barrier and can also prop your feet up on the wheel or basket as a makeshift foot stool. This will help you be more physically comfortable and angle your lap for easier positioning. When the weather is nice, sitting on the grass with your back against a tree for support makes for a lovely “dining al fresco” experience.

8. Used to a nursing pillow? Try these makeshift tricks for extra support and lift:
Fold up your coat or sweater and rest it in your lap as a nursing pillow.
Tuck your diaper bag under your thigh to bring your lap higher.
Roll up a receiving blanket: this may be all you need to support your baby’s head or your own wrist for a more comfortable position.

9. What to wear?
Nursing tank-tops make it easy to turn any top into a nursing shirt. Pull up your shirt from the bottom: the nursing tank will keep your belly and side (aka muffin top) completely covered and warm. A little leaky? Choose tops with patterns rather than solid silky colors, they’ll hide all sorts of splotches from you or your baby. Hint: Always keep an extra shirt for yourself, and an extra onesie and outfit for your baby in a zip seal bag at the bottom of your diaper bag. Babies spit up or have diaper blow outs at the most inopportune times!

10. Nothing to see here, folks.
When a mom and baby are nursing, there’s usually nothing too exciting to see. Take the time to get your baby settled and latched on comfortably, then adjust your clothing, pick your head up and smile. When people walk by and look at you, they’re probably hoping to get a glimpse of “the sleeping baby” in your arms. Take a look in the mirror, or ask a friend or family member to take a photo so you can see… that there’s just really nothing much to see. This might help you feel more confident when nursing in different locations.

11. Nursing Cover Ups?
Breastfeeding is normal and doesn’t need to be hidden, yet each woman has her own level of comfort or modesty. I hope there are many (most!) places where you feel very comfortable nursing, but there may be occasional times or places when you prefer more privacy. Nursing cover-ups offer privacy but allow air to circulate, the baby is not covered by a heavy blanket, and mom and baby can see each other.
Around 4 – 5 months, some babies become more distracted when feeding and a nursing cover may help them stay focused on the task at hand, though some babies refuse to feed under a cover.
Pumping? A nursing cover is also helpful if you have a semi-private place to pump at work. Everyone knows what’s going on under there – baby or pump, chances are, you’re not hiding anything – but if it makes YOU more comfortable, that’s what’s important.

 

Wean Me Gently poem

Breastfeeding, Feeding, New Moms

Wean Me Gently

I know I look so big to you,
Maybe I seem too big for the needs I have.
But no matter how big we get,
We still have needs that are important to us.
I know that our relationship is growing and changing,
But I still need you. I need your warmth and closeness,
Especially at the end of the day
When we snuggle up in bed.
Please don’t get too busy for us to nurse.
I know you think I can be patient,
Or find something to take the place of a nursing;
A book, a glass of something,
But nothing can take your place when I need you.
Sometimes just cuddling with you,
Having you near me is enough.
I guess I am growing and becoming independent,
But please be there.
This bond we have is so strong and so important to me,
Please don’t break it abruptly.
Wean me gently,
Because I am your mother,
And my heart is tender.
Credited to Cathy Cardall
Always makes me weepy. How about you?

Sore Nipple Comfort and Healing

Breastfeeding, New Moms

Here are some suggestions and useful products to help sore nipples heal and feel better quickly.

  1. Warm Soaks or Compresses – two or three times each day, apply a warm wet washcloth to your nipples, or lean forward and lower your nipples into two bowls of warm water placed on the kitchen table. After your warm soak, then apply a thin layer of lanolin cream or a few drops of expressed milk onto the nipples. This process of rehydrating the skin of the nipples speeds healing and reduces scabs. Applying breastmilk also helps prevent infection if there are any cracks or open areas on the nipple.
  1. Hydrogel Pads – these soothing pads are placed against the nipple and held in place by a bra, in between feedings. Hydrogel pads feel a bit like a cool sheet of gelatin and provide a healthy environment for the skin of the nipple to heal more quickly. They feel fantastic against tender nipples, and since many moms like using them when chilled, you may want to keep gel pads in the refrigerator between uses. Alternate using hydrogel pads with breast shells for best results.
  1. Breast Shells – one of the most helpful products for new nursing moms, these are comfortable dome-shaped small plastic cups worn over your nipples and held in place by your bra. Breast shells help the skin of the nipple heal (and provide great comfort) by preventing anything from pressing or rubbing against the nipples between feedings. They are especially helpful for women with nipple damage, since a bra or nursing pads tends to flatten or fold the nipple back into the breast tissue, interfering with healing. Breast shells should have air holes to allow for circulating air around the nipple.
  1. Ibuprofen – Ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin) can be useful to reduce swelling and provide pain relief. Ibuprofen works best when taken every 6 hours as needed. Ibuprofen is considered safe for use by breastfeeding women and is approved by the American Academy of Pediatrics for use with nursing mothers and infants. As with any medication, check with your health care provider for recommendations for your specific situation.
  1. Experiment with different pillows and chairs. You may find that a bed pillow or couch cushion works better than a traditional nursing pillow, or, you may decide you don’t need to use a pillow at all. Try different chairs, couches and positions too until you find a combination that lets you nurse without having to hunch over to feed, and make sure your body, arms, and hands are comfortably supported. A folded cloth diaper or rolled baby blanket is the perfect size to tuck under your hand for additional support.
  2. Nipple Shields These thin plastic “nipple protectors” are worn during feeding, and may be useful in certain situations, such as when a young or small baby needs help staying latched to the breast. Nipple shields are also used to help coax a non-nursing baby to the breast, or when a nipple is too sore or damaged for “direct” breastfeeding. However, nipple shields are often purchased and used without professional advice and in some situations can lead to milk production issues or poor infant weight gain. A nipple shield should never be used without guidance and requires follow up and support to gradually transition away from using the shield. Pumping after breastfeeding several times each day may be recommended to ensure stimulating a strong milk supply when a nipple shield is being used.

Some initial nipple pain or tenderness can be normal, but should improve within a few days. Severe nipple pain that makes you dread the next feeding, or nipple damage like cracks, scabs and blisters can be improved – often with small adjustments to latching and positioning.

Learning to Sit: Tripod Sitting Position

Infant Health & Safety, New Moms

Learning to sit: Tripod Position

Laila Rose tripod sit
Laila Rose shows off a lovely tripod or “propped” sit at almost five months old.

Once your baby’s neck and trunk muscles are strong enough, he’ll be ready to learn to sit up independently.

Although you can prop or support your baby in a sitting position by around three months, independent sitting doesn’t begin until your baby has sturdy head control and strong trunk and abdominal muscles to keep his head and spine in an upright, aligned position. Starting at about four months, your baby’s neck and head muscles strengthen rapidly through play, and he’ll learn to raise and hold his head up while lying on his stomach. That tummy time is important to strengthen the arm, shoulder and neck muscles that are needed for propping himself up in the sitting position, and later, to help with crawling.

At four months, your baby may have been able to prop himself up on his bent forearms for short periods of time, and at five months, he can probably push himself straight up with unbent arms and hold his chest off the ground, like a little pushup. Once he can do this, he probably also has the muscle strength to be able to practice a Tripod Sit.

Tripod Sitting is the term used for a baby who is sitting, but uses his arms as the tripod, the third “leg of the stool” to keep his body upright. Sit with your baby on a carpet or foam play mat and help position his legs with his knees pointing out toward the sides, and his feet several inches apart. Tripod sitting is also called “ring sitting” because the legs form an open ring position. This position gives him a wider base of support for more stability. Help him position his arms within the “ring” of his legs in the front, so he’s leaning slightly forward propped up on his hands.

His head is still heavy, so when tired, he’ll probably “melt” forward toward his feet, essentially folding himself in half – it looks quite uncomfortable to adults but babies don’t seem to mind much – and will either play with his toes, or end up rolling to one side and onto his back. When practicing tripod sitting and being distracted by someone walking by him in the room, he may turn his head to watch, and even that small movement may take him off balance, and over he’ll tumble!

As he practices tripod sitting at six months, you’ll see that the more you practice, the longer he’s able to maintain the position… until he decides to pick his hands up to reach for a toy or put his hands in his mouth. Then, over he will go. But after several weeks of tripod sitting, you’ll begin to see that he can lift first one hand, then both for short periods and still remain upright. Watch and notice that he is developing a sense of balance – as he feels himself tip to one side, does he begin to use that arm to stabilize himself back into an upright position? Exciting!

TLDR: Most babies can sit with support or tripod sit by the end of six months, and can sit well without support by eight months. Tummy time doesn’t go away, it transitions into floor time and is important for muscle development.

Tummy Massage for Gas

Breastfeeding, Infant Health & Safety, New Moms, , , , , ,

Tummy massage for gas

Unlike other types of infant massage, this one has very specific hand movements and a very specific purpose. To gently stimulate peristalsis, to encourage motility of intestinal contents (BM and gas),  to provide a “cueing sound”, and finally to offer something for baby to strain against.

Here’s how to do my very specific “Tummy Massage for Gas”

  • Hand-Over-Hand on the Lower Belly: Gently stroke your baby’s tummy from top to bottom using first one hand, then the other, like a paddlewheel. As the belly first tenses, then gradually relaxes, press your hand deeper using a scooping motion.
  • Whoosh! Add your ‘whooshing” sounds during the which soon baby will recognize signals relief or relaxation.
  • Straight Across: Now stroke from YOUR left to YOUR right – straight across, gentle but moderate pressure, just at or below the belly button.
  • Now, Across and Down: Continue the Straight Across stroke, but now ADD the downward stroke, now moving across and down, ending inside the baby’s thigh crease. It’s like a sideways “L” or “7”.
  • Legs Up and Hold’em In Place: Flex baby at the hips and knees toward the tummy, gently press and hold in place, counting slowly to twenty. Repeat the entire sequence two or three times.
    (video coming soon)

Many babies will pass gas during the exercise or have a BM a few minutes later – success and relief for everyone!