new mom

Fitting it all in! How to integrate baby exercise into your busy day!

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As a mother of three children four years old and under and working out of the home full time, it is difficult to fit eveything in. I leave the house at 7:15 and arrive home at 5:30. By the time I leave in the morning at 7:15, I have worked out, pumped once, nursed the baby once, dressed three kids, made four beds, fetched a number of snacks, gave morning kisses, wiped morning tears, got myself ready and packed a lunch. My work day is like a breath of fresh air, even though I work with kids, it is predictable, I know exactly what is going to happen that day (mostly). By the end of my work day, I have pumped twice and seen 9 patients. I then get in my car, strap on the pump and pump in the car and make any appointments, phone calls necessary in order to not waste any time with my kids. I walk in the door at 5:30 to a number of demands on my time, barely putting my bags away, I am asked for any number of things from wiping noses to wiping bottoms to cleaning spilled milk to playing outside which is then followed by making dinner, cleaning after dinner, getting snacks, bath time, reading books, playtime, snuggle time with the big ones and nursing the baby. . . My day is no different from any other mother or father with children, working in or out of the home, full! . . . So the question I get often is how are we collectively as parents expected to fit every thing in and exercise our babies and toddlers? The answer is simple . . . have the tools to exercise baby available to you at all times in a dedicated area and integrate it into your day.

Here are a few tips to integrate exercise with your baby into your busy day . . .
1. If you bathe your baby and diaper your baby . . . you can exercise your baby.

Exercise with baby can  be paired with your every day activities with baby. For example, doing some visual tracking exercises side to side to help baby strengthen her neck during bath.  After bath, doing a bit of massage while putting on baby’s lotion is a great way to bond with baby and does not add too much extra time into your day. Further, if your baby always tends to look to one side, during diaper changes position yourself so that you are to the non preferred side will help baby look in all directions and does not take any extra time, just being efficient and effective with your time.
2. If you carry your baby . . . you can exercise your baby.

Specific carrying positions can be great ways to exercise baby. Holding baby belly down in the first few months is a great way to work on strengthening the neck.  Holding baby facing out after four months is a great way to strengthen the back of the neck and the lateral (side) muscles of the neck. Using a front carrier helps baby get stronger by making him respond to your movements with neck and trunk muscle activation.
3. If you sit and play with your baby . . . you can exercise your baby.

Having the exercise equipment available to you in the baby’s play area if the key here, making sure that you have a dedicated area for baby to play and have her exercise equipment available so that it is easy for you to play with baby in an effective manner. For example, if you are working on getting baby to reach for a toys when on his or her back, be sure to have the play gym always set up in the baby’s area so that you can put the baby under the play gym and work on active reaching. If an exercise ball is used in your baby’s exercises, have it handy in your baby’s play area, so you can bring it out for a few minutes each day.

004 Create stations in baby’s play area where you work on different activities in different areas. For example, make a busy box to use to work on sitting by hanging toys on the edge of a square fabric box with links, place a mirror in the area where baby works on tummy time and a play gym in the area where baby does back time.

4. If you pick up your baby . . . you can exercise your baby

Being more deliberate when you pick your baby up from a layng down position, can help your baby strengthen his neck and trunk muscles.  Rolling baby from back to tummy after a diaper change or whenever you are picking him up can strengthen baby’s lateral neck and trunk muscles.  click on this post to see how, Baby Time: Is there a best way to pick up baby?

There are so many daily care techniques that we already do with our baby, doing these activities deliberately with intention can help us exercise our baby and have fun and bond with baby at the same time.  Stay tuned for all of the great exercises you can do with baby!

My Gassy Baby! Tips for easing gas pain for infants

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The other day my littlest love, Jenna (2 1/2 months), was fussier than normal.  I wanted to think that she was really sad that I was returning to work the next day . . . as I was . . . but I realized it was just that she was a bit gassy!  Abdominal massage is a wonderful technique to ease gas pain, to improve digestion and to aide in constipation issues for little ones.

In my practice as a pediatric physical therapist, I never thought I would be so concerned about pooping and gassiness.  But it does affect how a baby acts and how happy they are, therefore it is a main concern of mine that babies are elimintating effectively and that the mommy/baby couplet are happy together!  I am often instructing abdominal massage to new moms, whether it is in the NICU to help a fussy baby or a baby with constipation or in the outpatient clinic to provide a technique to help a Mom who is sad and upset that her baby is always gassy and fussy.   I also provide screeings for babies at the breastfeeding support group at the hospital where I work.  More often than not, one Mom expresses concern that her baby is gassy and I have a group of Moms that join in for the instruction because they have the same concern.

It is important to know why abdominal massage works.  It is not magic . . . it is just anatomy!  The ascending colon runs from right above the pelvis to under the rib cage.  The transverse runs across the belly below the rib cage and the descending colon runs from under the left side of the rib cage to the left side just above the pelvis. (click here to see an anatomical view!).  An infant’s rib cage is elevated and compact, so the belly is just waiting to be massaged!

So, even though I, of course, had a number of other things to do that night, I hunkered down for a few minutes and helped Jenna to ease her pain.  It really does only take a few minutes . . .

General instructions –

  • I have found abdominal massage effective over clothes or on skin.  I have found it is effective without oil or lotion, but if you are massaging your baby otherwise, or lotioning baby after a bath, it is great to use the lotion in the massage.
  • If possible try to avoid these massages just after baby eats as it does put a lot of pressure on the abdominal area and can make the baby spit up.
  • Make sure you read your baby, if your baby is fussing more than normal, check your pressure, maybe you are too tense and pressing too hard.  The pressure used should be a firm, but gentle touch.
  • Do each exercise for 2 minutes for 2-3 times per day.
  • You may hear release of gas or stool while doing these techniques . .  . hooray for you (and baby). .  . it’s working!

1. Rainbow Massage (AKA I love you massage)- In this technique you are massaging the descending, transverse and ascending colon in order to help push the gas or other contents out.

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You  start by placing one hand on the upper left abdomen just under the rib cage and massage down toward the left pelvis.  Then you massage from the right upper abdomen just below the rib cage across to the left abdomen below the rib cage and follow the first line. Finally, you massage from the right lower abdomen just above the pelvis, to the right upper abdomen just below the rib cage, across to the left upper adomen and then down to the left lower abdomen.  So, you are massaging the descending colonfirst, the transverse and descending colon second and finally ascending, transverse and descending colon.  You want to use a firm, but gentle pressure with three fingers.  When doing this technique, you want to be sure you are constant with your touch, alternating hands with each stroke.

2.  Waterfall – Make a C with your hands.

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Use the pinky side of your hands to gently but firmly massage from the baby’s rib cage down to his or her pelvis.  If your baby still has his or her umblilical cord, you may want to wait a few days for this one until the cord falls off. If your baby has an umbilical hernia, on the other hand, it is ok to do this technique.  Alternate your hands so that you have continuous pressure.

3.  Knees to belly – Bring baby’s legs up toward the right side of the abdomen, keep pressure across the abdomen as you press baby’s legs into his or her belly toward the left side and then bring legs down toward the surface.

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4. Bicycles – Pelvic rotation is the key to elimination . . . bicycles help baby to rotate his or her pelvis in order to eliminate effectively. Infants do a lot of random kicking, this random kicking helps to rotate their pelvis and helps baby to elimiate effectlvey and get rid of gas.  You can facilitate more of the pelvic rotation by doing bicycles with baby.

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To do this, hold around the lower leg of baby with your palms facing up or down.  Bring baby’s legs toward her belly and give gentle but firm pressure to the belly, then switch.

5. Snuggle – The last but most important step is to snuggle with baby.  These massages can be uncomfortable and sometimes stressful for baby. So be sure to give a bit of love afterwards. If done regularly, your baby will be regular and more comfortable.

If your baby is often gassy, do these exercises 2-3 times per day. If your baby is sometimes gassy, do these exercises 2-3 times per day on bad days.  If your baby is constipated one day, these exercises will help until your baby eliminates, done every few hours.

Happy tooting and pooping!

What is a baby container . . . and why is it bad?

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I’m not sure where it started, and I have searched the web to determine who coined the phrase “containment syndrome” but I cannot find who started this phrase. (If you know . . . please tell me!) Anyway, containment syndrome is the description for babies who are in some sort of a container all the time. Containers are car seats, bouncy seats and swings (I would also add exersaucers).  These are helpful devices and are not bad all the time . . . but they are bad when used all the time!

Containment devices do not allow babies to move with the freedom of movement that they need.  None of these devices, if you think about it, allow a baby to do any sort of extension (movement into a straight position of the spine).  With the exception of the exersaucer, they all put baby in a position where the spine is rounded into flexion.  I had a baby once that was adopted from a mother who sadlyneglected the baby.  The baby was never moved out of the carseat.  The baby’s spine was exactly the shape of the carseat and was stuck there. It took a lot of therapy to improve the spinal alignment.  It does not have to be that severe though, I have had many well intentioned families sleep their babies in the carseat and the baby’s head is very misshapen and the baby has a lot of unnecessary tight muscles as a result.  Some families just don’t know that every product out there is not necessarily good for baby.  My least favorite product that was out a few years ago was a swing base made for the carseat.  This meant that a baby never had to get out of their carseat!

So, as parents, we cannot avoid carseats, swings and bouncy seats altogether.  We definately need them!  But, how can we allow our babies varied movement experiences even though we use them?

First, make sure that your containment devices have varied footprints.  Make sure the bouncy seat, swing and the carseat do not all have the same angle of rounding.  A flatter seat (like a sling bouncy seat) will make the baby work a bit harder, allow more extension movement patterns and be less passive than the deep bucket of a carseat.

Second, use an upright baby carrier like a BabyBjorn or Ergo Baby Carrier.  Both of these allow the baby the unique experience to adjust their body in relation to what you are doing.  For example, if you bend over the baby will activate their flexor muscles a bit more to attempt to stay upright if the baby is facing toward you. If facing out (BabyBjorn), the baby will activate extensor muscles to stay upright (outward facing should only be done when baby has independent head control).

Finally, and most importantly, I always tell my families to follow the TBS rule whenever you have a put a baby down.

TBS Rule

T – Tummy First

B – Back Second

S – Swing (or Bouncy Seat) next

Basically what this means is that if you have to put a baby down (which is a lot), try to put the baby on tummy first, then if they fuss try back then try a bouncy seat or swing.  This ensures that the baby is allowed sufficient time in the day to move his or her body with appropriate freedom and no restrictions.

 

Welcome to Babies First Fitness

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Image Welcome to my blog about fitness for babies!  This is the place to be if you are interested in putting the fitness for babies (and toddlers) first.  I am a pediatric physical therapist that treats primarily infants and toddlers.  I work in the hospital NICU, an outpatient setting as well as in family’s homes. I am also a devoted mom to three lovely (very) young children.

I have been inspired to write a blog that shares tips and tricks to exercise with baby.  When searching for exercises with baby, the internet is flooded with exercises for mom, perhaps with the baby, but mostly for Mom . . .  I guess perhaps it is mom searching for the exercises!  Some sites will talk about how important tummy time is, but they lack in telling you how to do it if your baby hates it.  Other sites talk about how important it is to be active with your toddlers, but they do not provide games and activities that will improve their balance and coordination. 

Parents who are involved in pediatric therapy for one reason or another have an advantage, they have someone telling them how to exericise their babies and toddlers.  However, typically, most parents do not have this benefit.   I am here to provide my services to offer tips and tricks from a professional baby and toddler exerciser on how to really exercise your children so that they strengthen the muscles they need to create coordinated and efficient movement patterns.  Does this mean that baby is going to crawl early or walk early . . . no. . . talk to any therapist they don’t want that, but their movement will be smooth and coordinated and delays may be averted if the baby is exercised effectively. 

So, follow along and learn ideas on how to exercise our babies effectively.