Pediatric Potentials

Back to sleep, but tummy to play! While asleep, baby spends a lot of time on their back with their head in one position. This can cause flat spots on the back of their head. Tummy time helps to prevent this! Help your baby from the very start with development by using tummy time every day. “But my baby hates tummy time?!?” Practice every day for short periods, and your baby will gradually get used to it.

Here are some additional strategies to make tummy time easier:
*place safe objects and toys close to your baby
*Move objects from side to side in front of your babies face. This encourages your baby to move, lift and turn their head
*Put a non-breakable mirror next to your baby so they can see their reflection
*Try tummy time in different places, like outdoors on a blanket
*Get down on the floor next to your baby
*Turn pages in picture, books or magazines. This develops your babies eye strength and keeps them interested.

FINE MOTOR SKILL DEVELOPMENT: Shoulder stability provides stability and mobility to the arm and it’s so important in the development of fine motor skills. – Use vertical surfaces to write on – Use weight-bearing surfaces like lying on your stomach propped up on your elbows -Weight bearing activities like wheelbarrow, walk, snake, crawl, and frog hop are wonderful activity ideas to build shoulder stability. www.ssww.com/blog/an-active-game-of-hungry-hungry-hippos/

Check out this great built in fidget: a donut zipper pull on a weighted down vest!