All About Babies

1. Babies head shape:

   It’s a myth that an odd shaped babies head is of no concern and will right itself. However anomalies of shape can be the first indication that your child is susceptible to developmental delay. If the babies head looks uneven or you notice flat areas, this can indicate restrictions between the skull and the soft layers that cover the brain and spinal cord.SELF CHECK: Babies and Children that have spinal distress will result in a head tilt to one side so one ear sits higher than the other (refer to next picture). At times the head can be rotated or turned to one side which is usually the side a baby prefers to rotate their head when lying down or sleeping.

   If your child’s head is odd shaped, have their skeletal system checked by a Chiropractor as early as possible. The focus is not aesthetics but to help increase the neurological function of your child.

2.  Good Posture is essential in babies too!
   

   
   Our awesome grandmothers were right ✅
   Our children need reminding to
   -Stand up straight
   -Sit up straight
   -Look up from phonesWith the evolving lifestyle, most children are neglecting to strengthen certain muscles as the grow and develop. They need to particularly concentrate on strengthening the mid back SIMPLE TIPS

   -Rub the back of your child’s neck along their hairline
   -Tickle their back regularly
   -Write letters and numbers on their back in the bath
   -Play on all fours (horse rides and piggy backs)

3. Importance of tummy time
   

   
   From a neurological perspective, it is important babies have short periods of TUMMY TIME which is time spent lying on their tummies and holding their own heads upThis simple act builds up the neck muscles and activates the brainstem pathways which are critical for healthy brain development.

   For the first few weeks, pay attention – the baby will get tired easily in this position.

   SELF CHECK: If your baby does not appear to like lying on their stomach this could be an indication of spine or nerve irritation, so have them checked by a Chiropractor.

4. Baby Massage

    

   Massage provides wonderful stimulus and feedback to the brain. When performing all over body massage make sure your child is warm (after a bath is perfect) and use gentle, broad contact If your child is irritable, particularly if they are over stimulated when it is time for sleep. Firmer pressure holds are fabulous to calm the nervous system down. Use your hand to apply medium – firm pressure for the count of three and move your hand slightly and apply pressure again.Baby massage helps your baby gently transition into their new world It has been shown to support baby’s sleeping, settling and soothing abilities, growth and development and enhance their immune system. Not only is it a tool that helps maintain your babies health and well being. But a wonderful experience to share with your baby. You and your baby will be communicating with gentle touch, rhythm, eye contact, voice and body language. It gives you one on one time where you will learn to calm yourself and your baby, confidently communicate with your baby and tune into your own natural instinct.

5. Baby sleep

    

   It can be hard to realize how much sleep a new born baby or a child requires to be healthy. If a baby or child does not wake up easily and with energy each morning, this could indicate they are not getting enough quality sleep. Parents can often miss child ‘tired cues’ causing difficulty trying to put them to bed when their brain is firing up in fourth gear A set routine for dinner and bedtime makes life easier. Start activities well before your child is likely to be tired and ready for sleep  It’s likely that your baby won’t stay asleep for more than one hour to three hours  at a time in her first few months.Total sleep required for your baby in a 24 hour period is as follows
   ▪️New born 17 hours
   ?1 – 3 Months 16 hours
   ▪️ 6 months 14 hours
   ?9 – 12 months 13 hours

6. Sensory stimulation for your baby

    

   Whenever possible introduce new sensory experiences to your child. Let them play with a range of objects which have different textures, temperatures or sounds. Use the everyday world to excite their senses; have them run barefoot on the grass, sand, dip their fingers and toes in water or play with rustling leaves. Just because babies and young children cannot articulate themselves, they can still understand your intent and feelings. You can extend their lingual and comprehension skills using language.For example: Rather than pointing to a dog  and saying ‘puppy dog’ you could say ‘there is a puppy dog, he barks and says woof woof’

   As your child grows, ask them questions that test their short and long term memory.

7. Milestones

    

   Help your children through their milestones! The movement , behaviour and language  your baby should ideally be demonstrating at different ages are called age-appropriate developmental milestones.  By knowing these milestones, you can help ensure that your child’s brain is working as it should and when to take action if your child needs additional help ‍‍‍We need to have the courage to “tickle out” the weak links as early as possible to prevent them becoming major hurdles in life. Keep an eye  on your baby’s vision, hearing and motor skills as they move from newborn to toddler, our children all have areas where they excel, and where they lag and as parents and carers it is our job to compare children to themselves, and help them along the way.

8. Early signs

    

   As parents, we must observe our children to see that they are integrating their world around them. There are sure signs  to look out for that may indicate that your child is not thriving  as well as they can. Early signs of a body out of balance include; head tilted to one side, ears and eyes  uneven, uneven head shape, flat or pointed ears, body looks uneven; for example shoulders are not level, baby lies on an angle, obvious muscle tension where baby may not look relaxed  or a lack of muscle tone, where baby looks floppy. If you notice any of these signs in your baby, consider having them checked by a chiropractor.

9. Importance of playtime for babies

    

   Babies spend nearly half of their waking time doing things like waving their arms kicking and bouncing. While it may appear all this activity is pointless, it is actually benefiting the child’s development in some way. With this is mind, allow children plenty of time to play independently – this is vital for motor and cognitive development Whenever possible allow your child to move about, explore their world  and entertain themselves with a variety of objects such as cups, spoons, balls, string, a plastic mirror etc.Each time a child experiences a new object or texture new neurological synapses connect. Eventually building circuits that are strong enough to trigger the next developmental milestone. As your child grows older, teach them more stimulating activities such as blowing bubbles or balloons, building with blocks, doing puzzles and counting beads.

10. Importance of WATER

     

    Help your children develop the habit of drinking lots of water!  Water should constitute one of the single most essential elements in our child’s diet . Just as a car  cannot run without gas and oil, water is important to the mechanics of the human body all cell and organ function depends upon water!A  2% drop in our body’s water supply can trigger dehydration: fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on smaller print, such as a computer screen. Mild dehydration is also one of the most common causes of daytime fatigue. Many children are frequently dehydrated, suffering from concentration issues, constipation and digestive problems.

Chiropractor Auckland

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