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Tummy Time is just the beginning!
Tummy Time has developed as a result of the Back to Sleep campaign that was implemented in 1992. Due to the accumulated amount of time infants are now spending laying on their backs for sleep, it is recommended that caregivers also offer plenty of opportunities for time spent on their tummy.
As I’ve taught tummy time classes over the past decade, I’ve come to understand that while time spent prone (on the tummy) is important for motor and nervous system development, much of what helps babies achieve balanced bodies and regulation is the movement aspect of spending time on the floor, experiencing and navigating gravity.
My classes helps parents and caregivers to identify what stage of development their babies are in, and support them in exploring the next stage. We go over the developmental stages, as well as when and how to facilitate next steps. It’s so fun to watch and attune to them as they play with weight shift and gain competence in moving their bodies independently.
This class offers a chance to practice engaging with your baby on their movement journey, while also learning about the developmental reflexes and nervous system implications of this critical time of motor plan acquisition. I was trained by Michelle Emanuel as a TummyTime! Method™ Tutor, and have been teaching this series since the spring of 2014. In addition to the TummyTime!Method, I’ve also studied the neurological primitive reflex system through MNRI, as well as the Haller Method. This class is a blend from all of my studies, offering context and information about the developmental process for infants from the neurological, nervous system, and structural perspective. You will gain a clearer understanding about why offering unrestrained movement opportunities throughout the day is so foundational.
Why Do Tummy Time?
Tummy time skills are the foundation for many sensory and motor skills that serve us throughout life. Babies are learning how to move their bodies outside of the womb, and in doing so, learning how to negotiate the force of gravity by weight shifting. Tummy time is not only physical exercise, but also engages the autonomic nervous system, as well as, social nervous system. Tummy Time is often part of the solution for babies that have head preferences (torticollis), babies who are developing flat areas on their heads (plagiocephaly), sleep issues and arching back/ fussiness. By strengthening neck muscles, and learning how to yield into gravity for rest and repair time, the cranium is able to rebalance and find more optimal positioning, while the nervous system is able to practice developing self regulation.
Join Us For Tummy Time
We hold class on Yoga Mats on floor, which is ideal for babies. Please bring your own yoga mat, or two. Some caregivers like to double up on mats or have one to lay on themselves next to their little ones. We will learn simple poses to help introduce tummy time to babies, alternatives to on the floor tummy time, techniques to support rolling, crawling and weight shift transitions to enhance confidence and competence. We will also learn some baby yoga moves and some baby massage techniques.
