By Sue Heron Training Co-ordinator Tatty Bumpkin and Paediatric Physiotherapist
In this blog I describe a Baby Bumpkin Yoga activity and outline some of it's benefits for both you and your baby - so you can enjoy doing the activity at home.
Please remember though, for you and your baby to gain the full benefit of all the Baby Bumpkin Yoga and multi-sensory activities, find out about your local Baby Bumpkin class at http://www.tattybumpkin.com/classes/find-class.html. Our qualified Baby Bumpkin Teachers are fully trained in aspects of baby development and Baby Yoga and are kept fully up-to-date by our professional team of paediatric physiotherapists, Yoga teachers and musicians.
If you are attending Baby Bumpkin classes with your baby, this week’s Baby Bumpkin Jungle adventure will give your baby the chance to:
Progress their physical skills and ‘body confidence’ as they wriggle in Snake pose. If your baby tends to be a bit daunted by lying on their tummy – this session will be very helpful.
Enjoy a ‘rich sensory experience’ as they investigate and play with a variety of different fruits and vegetables!
Socialise with other babies whilst playing in the faster paced ‘monkey’ yoga activity and the slower paced ‘bear’ yoga activity.
Because each Baby Bumpkin adventure is carefully linked to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) the sessions not only enhance your baby’s physical skills they also develop your baby’s early communication, social and thinking skills.
Or, maybe, you are thinking of a new career, which gives you:
This week the Baby Bumpkin Yoga Activity is ‘SNAKE’ - a fun activity which brings tummy time into your baby’s day – giving them a chance to:
Progress their physical skills i.e. increasing their ability to move their body up off the floor and to reach with their hands.
Stimulate their senses especially their vision, sense of touch and their body senses.
Develop their visual skills
Gently stretch any tight tummy or hip muscles.
Firstly, here are some general tips on 'tummy time' as this can be a daunting experience for some babies.
'Tummy Time' Tips
Your baby can start tummy time soon after they are born but, remember, never leave them alone on their tummy.
Introduce your baby to tummy time ‘little and often’ during their day i.e. encourage your baby to lie on their tummy 2 – 3 times a day, for 2 -3 minutes at a time, or as long as they are happy. Then gradually work up to a total time of 40-60 mins daily. You can bring little moments of tummy time into your baby’s normal day by:
Putting them on their tummy as you dry them after a bath, or after changing their nappy.
Laying them on their tummy across your lap to ‘burp’ them.
It is never too early to begin to read to your baby. As your baby rests on their tummy on your chest – read them a story or talk to them about their Baby Bumpkin class!
To start with your baby may not like tummy time; indeed some babies never really seem to enjoy it. Usually, the more times your baby plays on their tummy, the more they will enjoy it – a chicken and egg situation! If your baby does not like tummy time:
Check with your health visitor – your baby may be experiencing reflux.
Find a comfortable chair or sofa in which you can comfortably lean back, and lay your baby on their tummy on your chest. If your baby is really anxious you can ‘grade’ your position for them i.e. start in a more upright sitting position and then gradually lean back so that your baby has a chance to get used to lying in a more horizontal position. In this position your baby can look at you, be reassured, and strengthen their bond with you.
Another great tip is to roll up a small hand towel into a little ‘sausage shaped’ bolster and place this under your baby’s shoulders whilst they are on their tummy. This will help your baby to clear their head off the floor. Make sure both your baby’s arms are over the bolster so that it is lying below their arm pit area. Do not do this activity for too long and never leave your baby alone with the bolster.
If your baby is unsettled, or becomes unsettled, in tummy time, and distraction (gentle blows down their back or toys or your smiles – see below) doesn’t calm them, always roll them onto their back. It’s horrible to feel ‘trapped’ on your tummy! Your baby needs to gradually build up their strength so they feel confident in tummy time.
As your baby plays on their tummy, keep looking out for signs that they may be tiring i.e. Intense dribbling, resting their face on the surface they are lying on or, indeed, crying. If you can stop tummy time before your baby becomes distressed then it will remain an enjoyable experience for your baby.
Distraction is key! While your baby is playing on their tummy, hold a toy in front of them to get their attention, or give them a baby mirror to look into. This will also encourage your baby to lift their head and reach (see overleaf).
From about 3- 4 mths of age your baby will most likely ‘get the idea’ of propping themselves up on their forearms.. You can guide your baby into this position by gently bringing their elbows inwards and forwards so they are directly under their shoulders. Do not do this if your baby is very young as they will not have the movement in their shoulders to be comfortable.
Remember the ‘Eye level smile’! Get down close to your baby as they lie on their tummy; smile, sing and make funny noises and faces at them! Your baby will be encouraged to lift their head, reach, and play when they see your face and hear your voice - Get the whole family involved!
As your baby becomes more confident in tummy time – spread their favourite toys around them so they are encouraged to pivot on their tummy to reach and play with them. Most babies do this ‘tummy pivoting’ with swimming actions of their arms and legs at around 4-5 mths. It is really beneficial for them as it strengthens their neck, spine, hip and leg muscles in preparation for sitting and also gives them a great sensory experience as they push up against gravity!
Baby Bumpkin Snake Yoga Activity
Wriggle as snakes!
N.B. Remember, when you are doing the Baby Bumpkin Yoga activities with your baby, never force the movements and keep looking at them to make sure they are comfortable. If you feel any resistance, or your baby becomes unsettled, do stop. Once your baby has settled, gently try the pose again, perhaps making clicking sounds or using a toy to distract them.
Sometimes babies can be taken by surprise if they are ‘suddenly’ placed on their tummy causing them to become unsettled. Let your baby feel ‘more in control’ of their tummy time whilst they are doing Snake pose by encouraging them to roll as much as they can onto their tummy i.e.
Settle your baby on their back in front you. Start by encouraging them to either look at you or their favourite toy.
To start a roll - first encourage your baby to look at a toy.
Then, either use your eyes or the toy to encourage your baby to look over in the direction you wish them to roll. As they shift their gaze over to that side, your baby should start turn their head in that direction. If you are using a toy – hold it above your baby’s shoulder level and keep moving it in the direction of the roll.
If your baby reaches out, with their arms, to touch the toy this will usually help them to roll. If your baby does not reach out, gently move their ‘under’ arm so it is more alongside their head – this means it will not get ‘trapped’ under their body as they roll over.
As your baby starts to turn their head, use your other hand to gently support them behind their head, shoulders and back to assist them to roll. Take your time and wait to see how much support your baby needs – you may be surprised! Obviously as your baby gets older they will need less and less support o roll.
To encourage your baby to stay and play in Snake pose:
Keep distracting them with their toy.
Do the ‘Eye level smile!’
Maybe, give your baby a safe mirror to look into.
Or use a little bolster to give them support - see suggestion above.
If your baby is about 3 – 4 mths, once they are in Snake pose, gently guide their elbows ‘inwards’ so they are directly under their shoulders, in this position your baby can start to push their head up using their forearms.
If your baby is 5- 6 mths or older they may be starting to push themselves up off their tummy with their elbows straight. This is a good activity to encourage, if your baby wants to do this, as it helps them to strengthen their shoulders and arms so they can support themselves in the sitting position.
Games to Play Around Snake Pose
‘Smiley Snakes!’
Eye Level Smile!
Your baby will love to do Snake pose with you and will be reassured by your smiles. Lie down opposite your baby so you can smile at them, and give them encouragement whilst looking directly at them.
If your baby is older, and is starting to play confidently on their tummy, scatter a few cushions, of a suitable size, on the floor and encourage them to wriggle like a Snake over them. N.B. if your baby is younger, and is still finding tummy time ‘hard work’ do not use cushions as they will find it easier to push up from a firmer surface. NEVER leave your baby alone with the cushions on the floor, because if your baby tires they could find it hard to clear their head from the cushion to breathe.
Wriggling Snakes to Tatty Bumpkin Snake Song
If your baby is about 3 mths, or older, or has good control of their head, they may enjoy lying on their tummy on your outstretched thighs with their arms over the side of your legs - as in Tatty Bumpkin Cat pose. In this position your baby can feel close to you and can start to push up against the floor with their hands – this is great for the development of their hands.
If your baby is settled you can gently move your thighs up and down under your baby so they can experience the feeling of movement whilst being on their tummy – to be ‘wriggling snakes!’
Doing the games suggested above to the 'Tatty Bumpkin Snake Song' can help both you and your baby relax as you wriggle to the rhythm of the song. By adding this further auditory sensation you will be making the whole activity more multi-sensory and hence engaging for your baby. However keep watching your baby as some babies find the music and the tummy time movement too overwhelming to start with. Snake Song can be downloaded from Itunes see http://bit.ly/1D6ZFPA
Why Snake Pose is Good for Your Baby
As your baby does Snake pose with you, they will have the opportunity to:
1. Develop their ‘postural control’ and balance ‘Postural control’ is a complex mechanism that enables us to hold ourselves up against gravity and position ourselves to do all that we need to do. We develop this control of our body from our head downwards and from the middle of our body - outwards. Throughout our live we continue to develop our ‘postural control’ but the major changes occur when we are very young. As babies we learn to lift our head and body off the floor, roll, sit, stand and walk. As young children we continue to refine these balance skills. Snake pose (tummy time) is a great position for your baby to develop and their first ‘postural control’ skills so they can learn to:
Move their head whilst keeping their body still. Encourage your baby to look to either side whilst they are in Snake pose. Eventually this skill will be refined by your child so they can learn to look quickly up at a white board and then down at their work!
Hold their head steady whilst their body is moving. Encourage your baby wriggle side to side or forwards a little way whilst they are in Snake pose. This skill is needed for crawling, bottom shuffling or walking.
2. Strengthen their core muscles for rolling, sitting and eventually standing As your baby plays in snake pose they will be strengthening their shoulder, back, tummy and hip muscles. This core muscle strength gives your baby a firm foundation on which they can develop more complex physical skills such as rolling, sitting upright and crawling.
3. Stimulate their body senses Tummy time stimulates your baby’s ‘vestibular’, ‘proprioceptive’ senses. The vestibular and proprioceptive senses tell us about our body at any one time i.e. how tense our muscles are, whether our joints are bent or straight, where our head is in relation to our body, whether we are still or moving. Your baby will probably start to love movement activities which stimulate their body senses as, it is often, the enjoyment of these body sensations which encourage them to move and push themselves up away from the floor.
4. Stretch out their back and hip muscles If your baby has been sitting in their buggy, chair or travel seat Snake pose will allow them to stretch out their back and hip muscles. Take it slowly though, you do not want to take them by surprise!
5. Take the weight off the back of their head When your baby lies on their tummy in Snake pose their head will be ‘free’ e.g. it will not be lying against anything. As babies’ skulls are comparatively soft they may become flattened in certain spots if your baby has been laying in the same position for too long (positional plagiocephaly). So it is good for your baby to spend time playing with their head not resting against anything.
6. Develop their visual skills Being on their tummy provides your baby with a different view of the world. Whilst on their tummies, playing with toys, your baby will be developing and refining their head and eye movements. 7. Develop their hand muscles and grip Whilst in Snake pose your baby will be putting weight through their hands and gently stretching the muscles in their palms. These actions will help your baby to develop early grasping skills.
Babies with reflux Always ask your health visitor for advice if your baby suffers from reflux and consequently finds tummy time painful. Sometimes it is helpful to lay your baby on a small pillow when they are trying tummy time so their upper body is semi- reclined i.e. their shoulders are higher than their hips. Never do tummy time straight after a feed.
