Feature Baby: Nate

We are very excited to celebrate our next feature baby - Nate!  We first met Nate and his parents in Mini Movers class when he was four month old.  He already loved tummy time, but was able to learn some other fun challenges when on his tummy and back.  By the time we saw him the next month in class, he was starting to get his hands free for sitting! After three months of Mini Movers classes, Nate was ready to take on a Master Movers series!  He started crawling, pulling up to stand, and cruising.  By the end, he was taking a few independent steps and had his first birthday!!  We really enjoyed getting to know Nate and his village.  We had the pleasure of seeing him, his parents, and many other family members along the way!  This little guy is thriving with all the love that surrounds him, and he loves to be the center of attention! 

“We love Babies On The Move! We started going to classes when Nathaniel was about 4 months old and we loved it ever since (he just celebrated his first birthday). Nate was already a tummy time champion, but as first time parents, we wanted to encourage his motor development further (while keeping it fun). Mini and Master Movers classes were exactly what we were looking for. Every class we learned something new - how do some advance tummy time, how to practice sitting, correctly position our son for standing and what muscles our LO is strengthening (just to mention a few). We learned all the different little things our son needed to master before moving to the next milestone. We were amazed to suddenly notice all the small movements that he was so tirelessly practicing - without us even realizing it!

Becca and Rachel always answered all of our questions and showed us what we can practice at home throughout the month. They always had some new fun excercise in mind, and it was always tailored specifically to Nate and his personality.

Most important, Nate had a great time every class as both Becca and Rachel are incredibly engaging and affectionate! We cannot recommend these classes enough! They eased us into the parenting learning curve and truly gave us a new perspective on our son’s development.

Thanks for having us and teaching us so much!

”

— Hanna & Erez Cohen (and Nate!)

Feature Baby: Nora

We are excited to announce our next feature baby -- Nora!  We first met Nora and her mother Johanna at Baby + Co's new mom's group.  She and Nora's father Vince signed her up for her first Mini Movers series when she was not yet 3 months old.  Nora became a pro at tummy time and was learning how to sit and take weight for standing during that three-month series.  She started her next series the following month, and soon had mastered sitting and became mobile on her tummy, switching over to Master Movers by the final class in that series!  She has a few more Master Movers classes under her belt now, and last time we saw her, she was crawling, pulling up to stand, and starting to stand without support!  It's only a matter of time before this little one is taking off walking independently!!  

Feature Baby: Charlie

This month, we are featuring our adorable friend Charlie! We first met Charlie and his parents, Ray and Ashley, in December 2016 when Charlie had just turned three months old. Charlie was a show off from the start, enjoying being on his tummy from that first Mini Movers class. They signed up for a Mini Movers series, and over the next three months, we watched Charlie progress in his rolling and sitting. Charlie was also a big 'talker' and always made sure that he was heard in class! :) 

Charlie moved up to the Master Movers class in May, and came with a whole new set of tricks!  He was crawling on his belly, pulling up to stand, and playing in standing. Over the new few Master Movers classes, Charlie perfected his squatting, standing with his feet flat, cruising between surfaces, and standing without support. He came to class in August ready to show off his newest feat - walking independently!  Charlie was so proud of himself and we were all so proud of him too!! He was also happy to show off his amazing throwing skills, which will hopefully serve him well in his future baseball career ;) It was such a pleasure having Charlie and his parents in our classes and having the opportunity to help them ensure that he had a strong foundation of motor development in the first year!

“We’ve had so much fun at Babies on the MOVE (Charlie’s “Workout Class” as we call it)! Through both Mini Movers and Master Movers, it’s been great getting tips on helping Charlie learn his next new skill. As he’s gone from rolling over to sitting to crawling to almost-walking, we’ve loved learning about all of the little steps between the major milestones that babies learn and practice in order to move on to the next big one (e.g. standing on his tip-toes means strengthening those calf muscles for walking!). Being able to recognize those little things that he was working on made playtime that much more fun at home. As first-time parents, we had no idea about all of the little progressions that would eventually build up to him taking his first steps. Having Becca and Rachel point out what Charlie was trying to do, and give us tips on how we could help him, has allowed us to contribute to his development in ways we otherwise wouldn’t have been able to. Thank you!”

— Ray and Ashley Sweeney

Feature Baby: Asher

Time to feature another one of the adorable babies we have met in classes, and this time it is Asher!  We first met Asher and his awesome mom, Ali, at the Baby + Co new mom's group.  They started attending Babies On The MOVE classes when Asher was 4.5 months old, with the Mini Movers series.  Unlike some babies, Asher has been a fan of tummy time from early on.  He progressed quickly to crawling, and switched over to the Master Movers class when he was 6.5 months old.  All that tummy time he did early on, in combination with his strong curiosity and desire to explore, built the foundation to be an early crawler!  In classes, Asher was never one to sit on the sidelines.  He loved to check everything out and get into the mix with all the other babies!  After a few more Master Movers classes, Asher was pulling up, cruising, and starting to stand without holding on!  We were excited to hear, but not a bit surprised, that this little adventurer was walking well before his first birthday!  This month we wish a Happy Birthday to Asher and good luck to Ali in keeping up with this adorable & active baby on the move!!!

“I love Babies on the Move! I have been going since my son was 4.5 months old and have learned a bunch about how to help my son progress in a healthy way, felt well supported in challenges and enjoyed meeting other moms, dads and babies :) It’s definitely worth attending at least once!”

— Ali, mom of Asher

Feature Baby: Dottie

We are very excited to announce the next feature baby, Dottie!  

Dottie and her mom Sarah started coming to Babies On The MOVE Mini Movers classes in July 2016, when she was three months old.  Sarah works really close to Open Arts Studio in Morrisville where our monthly classes are held and is able to bring Dottie to work with her, so our classes were super-convenient for them to come almost every month!  Here are some early tummy time pics that show how determined this little one was to move from early on!

They switched over to Master Movers classes in November when Dottie was turning 7 months old, could sit well by herself, and was ready for a new challenge!  While attending Master Movers classes, Dottie learned how to move out of sitting by going over each side, get on to hands and knees, creep, pull up to stand, squat to pick up toys, and walk holding on to furniture!  In March 2017, at 11 months old, she came to class and showed off her cool new trick --- Taking steps all by herself!!!  We are excited for their family on this next chapter in their lives and thank them for sharing the first year with us!  We look forward to having them stop by the studio every so often to see what she's up to along the way!

“As first time parents, we wanted to start our child off on the right foot (GROAN). We weren’t quite sure how to encourage Dottie to move correctly. We questioned if we were picking her up, positioning her, and playing with her in ways that ensured that we were helping, not harming. Becca and Rachel were really great at identifying milestones and suggesting methods to help Dottie flourish.”

— Sarah, Dottie's mother

October Babies On The MOVE Baby Classes

October brought the beginning of a new series of classes at Babies On The MOVE.  In our Master Mover classes, we talked about standing and getting into standing.  It brought us to the conversation about shoe recommendations for little feet.  We recommended babies be barefoot at home and talked about the type of shoes that are best for new walkers when they are outside. The Mini Mover classes brought lots of new little babes.  We talked about what's important about playing on your back and side, as well as how to make tummy time more fun!  There was an impressive showing of dads at the Sunday classes!  We frequently have more of a mommy & me showing to class, but dads are of course always welcome and encouraged to come too (or instead)! Looking forward to our November classes which are right around the corner. 

Why MOVE?

MOVE: Movement ~ Opportunity ~ Variety ~ Experience

During our baby’s first year of life we are constantly thinking about growth, development, and milestones. At Babies On The MOVE, we know that infant development can be a total unknown for new parents. Why is it really so important that our babies MOVE?

As parents, we want to encourage MOVEMENT in our babies. Helping your baby strengthen their muscles now will help them to learn to roll, sit, crawl, stand and walk in the coming months.

Babies have an innate drive to move. When we give them the OPPORTUNITY to spend time in different positions, we allow them to learn about their world from a new perspective.

For infants, VARIETY is the spice of life, just as it is for adults. Spending time on his back helps a baby to strengthen his muscles differently than he does when spending time on his tummy. Sitting up gives a new vantage point compared to being on your side, and standing opens a whole new world of possibilities for your infant.

Moving your infant through a variety of positions throughout the day not only keeps boredom at bay but it is also provides them with the EXPERIENCE they need to learn and master new skills.  

Every developmental position provides your infant with opportunities to strengthen their muscles, get different sensory information, and see their world in a new way.  Without all of these experiences, the path for motor development can be bumpy, with babies having difficulty mastering new skills. Our mommy and me motor development classes provide parents and babies with activities to encourage all infants to spend time in a variety of positions and strengthen their bodies for the future.  So the next time you are playing with your baby, don’t forget to MOVE!

August Babies On The MOVE Baby Classes

We have had a busy month at Babies On The MOVE!  The studio that we have been hosting classes at - Open Arts - underwent major renovation and now has two wonderful large studios that we can use to host classes.  In MINI MOVERS class, we learned a trick to enjoying tummy time from one of our little friends - just sleep through it!  Disclaimer: tummy time is not a recommended sleeping position, but his awesome mom doesn't mind if he takes a little nap on his tummy as long as she is there to keep an eye on him.  MINI MOVERS also learned ideas to try if your baby doesn't want to put weight on their arms when they are on their tummy or if they don't want to put weight on their legs in standing.  MASTER MOVERS was a big party with lots of fun babies and parents.  The babies were all working on something different developmentally, but still had fun playing together!  We can't wait to see what everyone is up to next month! 

Feature Baby: Caleb

We at Babies On The MOVE decided that we need to showcase these beautiful babies that are attending our classes as they grow and develop into expert movers!  We are delighted to introduce you all to Caleb, our first feature baby!  Caleb and his mother, Erin, have been attending our classes since our very first class in March 2016 when he was almost 5 months old.  At that first class, Erin shared with us that she did not have any experience with babies before becoming a mom.   In our classes, we provide ideas, tips, and hands-on practice of ways to position and play with your baby to promote their motor development.  Our goal is to increase parents' confidence with handling their baby in this way.  After that first class, Erin and Caleb signed up for a 3-class series.  On his first of three classes, Caleb was already starting to roll and move around on his tummy!  At the second class, he was sitting and starting to get up on his hands and knees and pull himself up to standing!  By the third class, he was crawling over things and cruising (taking steps holding on to furniture)!  It never ceases to amaze me how fast babies grow and change!  Here is a shot of Caleb on the move at one of our classes:

 I asked Erin if she would be willing to share her experience with attending the Babies On The MOVE classes, and here is what she had to say:

"I was so excited to see in my local moms group that two physical therapists were offering a ‘Babies on the Move’ class.  As a first time mom I had tons of questions about my babies mobility and fears that he wouldn’t hit milestones in development.  Like most babies, my son hated tummy time.  After going to the first class, I learned that there are different ways to incorporate tummy time besides the traditional laying your baby on a play mat and listening to them cry. I learned how important it is for a baby to build a strong core.  I returned to the next class and my son was already starting to roll over.  Rachel and Rebecca taught me how to help my son roll if he got stuck half way through.  The next class my son was already starting to sit up so I learned how to place some of the larger toys I had that made noise on the floor so I could sit him in front of them and he could lean in and reach for things.  I really think that this class changed things for my baby.  He loved sitting and playing with his activity center and 2-3 weeks after this class he was literally on the move…he started to crawl.  I feel like the 4 classes I attended put him ahead of the curve, at 9 months and 6 days he is standing and walking with very little assistance.  I am so appreciative for everything I learned and highly recommend these classes."    

Thank you so much for your kind words Erin!  We absolutely love teaching these classes, and it is because of the amazing parents and their sweet little babies that we get to work with!  Also big thanks for sharing more 'On the MOVE' pics of Caleb at home!  We are so proud of you and your little mover!!  Enjoy chasing him around ;) 

July Babies On The MOVE Baby Classes

Summer is in full swing and so are our Babies On The MOVE baby movement classes in Morrisville, North Carolina!  Families are escaping the heat to get inside and learn about ways to play with their babies to help them build strength and progress to the next motor milestone.  We love to do tummy time and teach parents ways to make it fun for everyone, but that's not the only thing you can do to help your little one build their muscles!  All of the developmental positions are important for building your baby's foundation for future movement - lying on their back, lying on their tummy, lying on their side, sitting, and standing.  Playing with your baby in all of these positions with the correct alignment will help them gain strength and master new skills.   

June Babies On The MOVE Baby Classes

We had a great weekend of classes at Babies On The MOVE!  The groups were smaller than usual this month, so all the babies got lots of personalized attention.  Once again we were reminded of the wide variation that exists in normal baby development.  It is so fun to see babies that are the same age choosing to move in different ways based on their personalities, exposures, and interests!  Our classes this weekend also reminded me of the differences in the way a dad interacts with baby as compared to mom.  Mom tends to be the safe spot, the home base.  Dad helps show baby the world outside of mom.  I love seeing dads interacting with their baby in a more adventurous way - upside down baby, airplane baby, and football carry are all great ways for dad to play with baby!  Looking forward to seeing new friends and old at our classes in July!

Babies On The MOVE at Grow, The Family Boutique

Babies On The MOVE classes will be offered at Grow, The Family Boutique in Raleigh, NC this Saturday, May 21st.  Join us for a MINI MOVERS class for babies age 0-6 months at 10:30 AM or a MASTER MOVERS class for babies from age 7 months up until they start taking their first steps at 11:30 AM.  

Babies begin building strength from the day that they are born.  Parents can help their babies master new skills and learn to enjoy movement from an early age.  These classes will teach you how to position, carry, and play with your baby to encourage them to move and progress to the next milestone.  The casual and comfortable environment encourages parent and child interaction while learning from expert physical therapists in a social setting.  Classes are customized to the needs of the parents and the developmental stage of the infants attending. 

Grow is located at 2885 Jones Franklin Road in Raleigh, NC.  Contact Grow directly at 919-803-3521 to register for these events.