MADISON’S STORY: BABY SITS WITH PERFECT POSTURE
Madison recently visited the pediatrician for her check-up. He commented, “Wow! She sits very well! Most babies her age don’t sit this well.” This is what many mothers would love to hear. How did Madison acquire the baby milestone of sitting with excellent posture? Let’s take a look at her motor skill development over several months. Madison’s mother and father started bringing her for Stellar Caterpillar lessons at two months of age. We learned proprioception exercises and then tummy time soon after. The mother resisted the temptation to put her in a jumper, or to stand her on her feet, even though many mothers around her were doing these activities with their babies. When she received a jumper as a gift, she learned how it hinders development and then got rid of it. Madison’s mother learned the movements that promote optimal skill development and encouraged them with her baby. She gave her daughter plenty of floor time, for play and strengthening her muscles.
BABY POSTURE: WHAT TO AVOID
The most common mistake for developing the posture of a baby is to put her in a sitting postion when she is not strong enough to sit on her own. Parents often put a hand behind baby’s back to catch her when she falls, as she does not yet have much balance. Many parents think this is how baby learns to sit. Some parents begin trying this when a baby is only three months old. This is too early to bring the baby to a sitting position.
When the baby is not strong enough to sit up, she sits with a curve in her spine, shaped like the letter C. The head rounds forward and the spine rounds backward. The bones are not stacked on top of each other, so the muscles over work and become stiff. When a baby develops stiff torso muscles, tummy time is unpleasant and acquisition of motor skills may be delayed. Although the parents think they are helping baby learn to sit, they are actually making not only sitting, but many other motor skills more difficult and possibly delayed.
BABY POSTURE: WHAT TO ENCOURAGE
All of our stellar caterpillars to date (Madison, Zizu, Rochel, and Ivan) developed excellent posture. We can learn from their stories how to guide baby to sit with perfect posture. Through Stellar Caterpillar lessons, their parents learned the motor skills that their babies needed to learn prior to sitting. They supported baby in healthy motor skill development through giving baby plenty of time on the floor and working with her just a few minutes each day to guide her learning process. They avoided using heavily marked baby gear such as jumpers, walkers and exersaucers that may delay motor development. Most importantly, they did not rush baby to sit, stand, or walk. Each parent recognized the important learning and strengthening contained in each motor milestone, giving baby plenty of floor time to maximize the benefits of each developmental stage.
By around 7 months of age, when this photo was taken, Madison had been sitting up for just a couple of weeks. She transitioned perfectly from the floor to sitting and from sitting to the floor. By learning to roll and bend and stretch her legs, she prepared for those transitions. When she came to sit for the first time, she had perfect posture because her muscles were ready. She sat with ease and elegance. Her back and neck muscles were strong from lifting her head and rolling.
Motor skill activities that prepare baby’s muscles for the sitting position include tummy time, lifting the head and rolling. Her mother gave her supervised tummy time daily, two or three times a day for short intervals. Madison (and the other babies) could play on her tummy for long periods of time while holding her head very high. This developed head infant head control and strong back and neck muscles. Your baby, too can develop beautiful posture with this same approach.