BABY COMES HOME - WHAT NOW?
I remember bringing my first baby home from hospital and thinking 'what on earth do I do now?' Here were some of the things going through my mind...
Should I set an alarm to wake up to feed him?
Do I have to hold him all the time?
What clothes should I put on him?
Is it ok if I leave him on the floor?
I really had no idea what I was doing! I don't think anybody does!
Here is what to look for and do from a gross motor perspective.
What to expect in the first three months
Movements start out jerky and uncoordinated and by 3 months become more purposeful and babies start to bring hands together and hands to mouth.
When babies are born they have that gorgeous newborn curl - in physio terms this is called physiological flexion and is there for a reason. By three months baby will stretch out and lose the newborn scrunch.
You will need to support babies head during the first six weeks but by three months baby should be able to hold their head up and look from side to side.
play ideas
MONTH ONE
MONTH TWO
MONTH THREE
TAKEAWAY
Enjoy skin to skin snuggles with your child - it regulates your babies heart rate, breathing and temperature and helps with bonding and the beginnings of a secure attachment.
Make sure baby gets lots of time on the floor - here they have lots of freedom to work out all the soft tissue restrictions from being squished up in the womb. A good rule of thumb is that baby spends more time out of a container (car seat, bouncer, swing etc) than in one.
As baby becomes more active and engaged with the world around them let them experience different positions ie lying on their back, their side, their tummy and supported sitting and in different places - on the floor, on mummy and daddy, on the bed, on the sofa - anywhere which is safe.
If you have concerns about your babies development please get in touch. When it comes to development its always better to be proactive than to wait and see...you might regret waiting but you won't regret getting help for you baby if its needed.
MOVE WELL
PLAY WELL
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