Do I need to MAKE my baby move?

Does my baby need bootcamp?... Won’t they just meet their milestones on their own?!

For the most part the answer to this is YES, they will get there on their own! If you are feeling overwhelmed or confused about ALL the information online about stuff you need to DO to your baby to make them meet milestones then read on…

There is SO much information online for parents to consume that suggests doing certain exercises TO your baby to MAKE them do XY and Z. At Walky Talky Baby we believe that most babies don’t actually need you to do anything TO them. You don’t need to MAKE them do stuff, they tend to develop beautifully all on their own! …. So what are we doing here you ask???

Babies experience the world based on the way you hold them, move them, and connect with them.

Newborn babies can’t move themselves. They need to be held and positioned while they learn to hold and position their own bodies. The way they play and experience the world depends on how you, their caregivers, hold and position them and which opportunities you give them!

Take tummy time for an example. We believe tummy time is not an exercise you need to do TO your baby but rather one of many positions for them to experience the world they live in. This includes experiencing playing and connecting with YOU!

When my second daughter was born my 2 year old came to the hospital to meet her little sister. The first thing she said was “Mummy can we make her do tummy time?". WHY did she ask this? Because we go on loads of play dates and my friends always ask me to look at their baby in tummy time to check they are “doing it okay”. So my daughter makes sure all her dolls do tummy time!

There is a lot of pressure around supporting baby milestones online but is my daughter right? Should we MAKE our newborns do tummy time?... We would say YES they need tummy time BUT we need to change the way we think about it, not as something we make them do, but as a position we support them in to connect and play.

We know that tummy time is important, but why?

Tummy time is very important for baby development. The 2019 World Health Organisation Guidelines on activity for children recommend babies should

“Be physically active several times a day in a variety of ways, particularly through interactive floor-based play; more is better. For those not yet mobile, this includes at least 30 minutes in prone position (tummy time) spread throughout the day while awake. “

Tummy time helps with the development of your baby’s strength, balance, vision and mobility skills like rolling and crawling…. But it can be tricky at first!

What if my baby hates it?

Should babies scream during tummy time???.... I get asked this all the time and as a physiotherapist who sees A LOT of babies on their tummies I would say NO!

YES it is hard work, YES they will complain sometimes BUT I would not recommend letting them really cry in this position. Would you like some crying free tummy time in your house? START SLOW and EARLY!

Start with short tummy time play times in very supported positions. Let your baby experience this position as something that is enjoyable and an opportunity for play and connection. The world is amazing to very young babies! Looking and listening in a comfortable supported position is what playtime looks like for newborns!

Ok so we are in tummy time… now what?

Here is the most important piece of the puzzle! Tummy time sometimes gets a bad rap as  people think of it as the thing you do to your baby instead of a position that you connect with your baby in.

What are some ways to connect with your baby during tummy time? Our instagram feed is full of ideas with photos to show them in action!

• Reading- check out this Tummy Time instagram post for tips
• Talking- check out this Time to Talk instagram post for tips
• Face to face connection- there are loads of different positions that allow you to do tummy time face to face with your baby which is often lovely and reassuring for them. Scroll through our feed and check out our Walky Tips highlights too!
• Looking together at a nice view- looking out at nature together through a window or when out and about, talking about what you see
• Investigating toys- we have a post on this too with tips for different ages.

If tummy time is something you’re interested in knowing more about for your baby then our No Tears Tummy Time e book might be for you (it is included free in our membership too). It is 48 pages of photos and tips with loads more information about why tummy time is important, how to support your baby to play happily and independently in this position, and what to do when you hit hurdles like reflux!

Tummy time is just one of many play positions that is beneficial for babies.

In our Walky Talky Baby Membership we have information on lots of other positions and movements like side lying, baby nest, rolling, holding your baby in your arms and on your lap. For each position we explain the benefits of the position or movement, then ideas for how to connect and play while your baby is in the position. THEN because we are really big on supporting play and connection, we send our members emails fortnightly with really specific examples of toys, book and songs for playtime. It is a lovely combination of… well Walky and Talky!

Do some babies need help to get moving?

Yes they do. Some babies do need some help from health professionals to meet their developmental milestones. In some cases babies do need specific exercises and won’t achieve milestones easily on their own. If you are concerned your baby might need help from a health professional you can discuss this with your child health nurse or GP.

For more information check out our free e book, Born To Play which you can download with our free Play the Week Away course. The e-book includes typical developmental milestones and indications your baby might need help from a therapist.  

Embedding opportunities for supporting your baby’s development into every day play is what Walky Talky Baby is ALL ABOUT so if you want MORE

❤️  Join us Walky Talky Baby: The Membership

❤️ Buy our Tummy Time e-book No Tears Tummy Time

❤️ Join our mailing list to receive more blogs like this!

❤️ Follow our instagram page walkytalky_baby