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!)

FREE Educational Sessions @ Buy Buy Baby in Morrisville, NC

Babies On The MOVE will be offering FREE educational sessions in January, February, and March 2018 at the Buy Buy Baby store located at Park West shopping center in Morrisville, NC.  Come out to learn about topics related to infant motor development in a comfortable environment and have your questions answered by physical therapists who are experts in infant motor development.  Here is the schedule:

1/9/18: The Importance of Movement and Fostering Early Motor Development for Your Baby (6:30 PM)

2/6/18: Developmental Milestones in the First Year (6:30 PM)

3/6/18: The Importance of Movement and Fostering Early Motor Development for Your Baby (6:30 PM)

Motor Development: Basics and Beyond Series @ Baby + Co

The Motor Development: Basics and Beyond Series of classes is returning to Baby + Co in Cary, NC for January - February 2018!  Whether your infant needs help learning to enjoy tummy time or find his way to hands and knees for crawling, these skill specific classes offer a variety of ways to help your baby master motor development.   

1/5/18: SITTING & ROLLING (9:30 - 10:30 AM)

1/26/18: TUMMY TIME (9:30 - 10:30 AM)

2/9/18: CRAWLING (9:30 - 10:30 AM)

2/23/18: STANDING & WALKING (9:30 - 10:30 AM)

Each class reviews typical infant development and provides hands on teaching with opportunities for parent practice. The casual and comfortable environment encourages parent and child interaction while learning from expert pediatric physical therapists in a social setting. 

Pre-registration is required: www.babiesonthemoverdu.com/register

Motor Development: Basics and Beyond Series @ Baby + Co

The Motor Development: Basics and Beyond Series of classes is returning to Baby + Co in Cary, NC for September - November 2017!  Whether your infant needs help learning to enjoy tummy time or find his way to hands and knees for crawling, these skill specific classes offer a variety of ways to help your baby master motor development.   

9/29/17: CRAWLING (1:30 - 2:30 PM)

10/13/17: TUMMY TIME (1:30 - 2:30 PM)

10/27/17: SITTING & ROLLING (1:30 - 2:30 PM)

11/10/17: STANDING & WALKING (1:30 - 2:30 PM)

Each class reviews typical infant development and provides hands on teaching with opportunities for parent practice. The casual and comfortable environment encourages parent and child interaction while learning from expert pediatric physical therapists in a social setting. 

Pre-registration is required: www.babiesonthemoverdu.com/register

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

Babies On The MOVE at Baby + Co

We visited with the new mom's group at Baby + Co again this week.  We love having the opportunity to share our knowledge on infant development with new parents, so they can feel confident in providing their tiny babies with opportunities to promote movement and motor development.  Early movement helps form the foundation for their baby's motor skills and achievement of developmental milestones.  Thanks to Baby + Co for providing us with the opportunity to come talk to the new moms!

Feature Baby: Sydney

This month we are featuring our adorable little friend Sydney!  We first met Sydney in September when she was almost four months old.  At that point, she was comfortable doing some tummy time, but we showed her parents Danielle and Matt ways to make it a little easier by getting her weight back off her chest a bit.  We also showed them how to help her roll over and support her in sitting with good alignment.  After their first Babies On The MOVE class, they signed up for a three-month series of classes.  At her next class, we could see how much stronger Sydney was getting!  She was doing really well on her tummy, propping on her arms and lifting them up off the floor.  Not only could she lift her head really well on her tummy, but she was also lifting it really well when she was lying on her sides and when she was lying on her back!  Her parents held her in sitting with great alignment, just as they had learned in class.  At the class the following month, she was able to sit without them holding on to her, just being there for when she lost her balance!  We taught her parents things to encourage when she was on her tummy to help her work towards crawling.  In the last class of their three class series, Sydney was starting to move onto her tummy from sitting all by herself!  She had good balance when her parents held her supported in standing, using techniques we taught them to keep her from going up on her toes.  Sydney was also starting to move towards getting on her hands and knees by moving over the sides is sitting.  By the time we saw Sydney next, she was crawling all over and pulling up to standing on furniture!  We gave her parents ideas of things to help her be more stable on her feet and get her on her way to walking.  We can't believe this sweet little girl is going to be walking all over the place in the next few months!       

“Babies on the Move has been such a great experience for our family. Sydney is our first child and I’m sure as most first time parents we fly by the seat of our pants. Even with my ABA background and understanding of developmental milestones, I was in uncharted territory when it came to helping Sydney with her motor development. Rebecca and Rachel do such a great job, explaining and training the parents on how to help their children develop their mobility while having fun at the same time. Each month Sydney seemed to be emerging into the next motor milestone, and after going to class and working with Rebecca and Rachel she developed more confidence in her ability to meet those milestones. It was just incredible to see. They also helped my husband and I feel more confident and capable with our ability to help Sydney grow. We would recommend these classes to every parent, first time or veterans!”

— Sydney's mom Danielle

What to Do When Your Baby Hates Tummy Time

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that you put your baby on their tummy to play during supervised awake time to strengthen their muscles. Tummy time helps your baby strengthen the muscles in their neck, shoulders, back, and hips that they use to achieve developmental milestones on time including rolling, crawling, sitting, standing, and walking. It can also help in the prevention of flat head syndrome. Back to sleep, tummy to play: sounds easy enough, but not all babies love doing tummy time. What can you do if your baby is not a fan?

1. Start Tummy Time early

If you are coming to this post for advice, we may already be a bit late, but it is important to know. Babies can, and should, do tummy time from day one. In fact, most babies do get tummy time on day one, by laying skin to skin on mom's chest right after birth. That's a great position for tummy time in the early days when your baby wants to be close. The American Academy of Pediatrics encourages parents to do tummy time with their baby from the first day home from the hospital. Babies who start tummy time from the first days of life are more likely to tolerate and enjoy being in the position. That being said, it's never too late to start!

2. Provide Many opportunities for tummy time throughout the day

In the beginning, it's not important to give your baby one long tummy time session every day. Tummy time should be done many times throughout the day, even if it's only for a minute at a time. All those minutes add up. Take advantage of using the things you are already doing to incorporate tummy time throughout the day: Time to burp? lay your baby on their tummy over your lap to pat out that burp. Need to carry baby to the next room with you? Carry baby in a tummy down carrying position. Changing baby's diaper or getting her dressed? Roll her over afterwards to get some tummy time in.  

3. Make Tummy Time interesting

Get down on your baby's level to see what he can see from that perspective. Put an interesting book or toy at his eye level so he has something fun to look at. If you are down on your baby's level, your face will be motivation for him to pick up his head. Sing songs and talk to your baby to make it fun. Use a baby mirror so baby can lift his head to see the most fun person of all - himself!

4. Make Tummy Time Easier

If your baby is having a hard time picking her head up when she is on her tummy, you can help make it easier by putting a small rolled up towel or blanket under her chest. You can also use tummy down carrying positions to help her practice lifting her head up and strengthen her muscles to make it easier when she is down on the floor on her tummy.

Tummy time should be a fun way to play with your baby and help them strengthen their muscles for the next milestones to come. With a little practice, babies learn to love being on their tummy to play!  

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!

Feature Baby: Jane Marie

It's time to showcase another one of our adorable babies!  This time, we want to highlight the journey of Jane Marie.  

Jane was born at 34 weeks growth restricted.  She was a tiny 4 pounds and stayed in the NICU for 3 weeks until she was able to go home.  Her parents, Kenneth and Deanna, were prepared for her to develop at a slower rate than her peers and were told that there was a possibility that she would need Physical Therapy.  They were proactive and signed up for our MINI MOVERS series of classes then continued on with MASTER MOVERS classes as she grew.  At the first class, she did a great job with tummy time, but her parents were concerned that she was not able to roll from her tummy to her back yet.  One month later, she was lifting her head to help with rolling and sitting well with support, but her parents were concerned that she was still not rolling and she was not sitting up by herself.  Despite their concerns, they knew that Jane's determined spirit would help her get where she needed to be developmentally.  Then, Jane had an explosion of growth and development where she learned how to roll over, sit by herself, and crawl!  We were very impressed with how great Jane's motor skills looked!  She was no longer moving along her own curve, she was a true MASTER MOVER!  Jane was able to avoid needing Physical Therapy and is a thriving, active little MOVER!    

We asked Deanna and Kenneth to share their experiences with Babies On The MOVE classes, and here's what they had to say:

"Becca and Rachel were so helpful in helping me feel secure in Jane's development and they assured me that I was doing the right things.  I asked questions about how to encourage her to roll.  I was taught how to help her sit up from a side position.  Becca and Rachel assured me that we didn't need to purchase expensive equipment or toys, but that Jane was on her own time table.  Babies On The MOVE helps us to know what to expect developmentally and gives Jane time to interact with others who are near her age."  

- Deanna

"As a first-time father, I wanted to be informed and feel comfortable about my own parenting. I knew that Jane would develop fairly well, and the pediatrician was confident about Jane's growth also. Attending some of the MINI MOVER classes was a great way to become more informed, dispel myths, and socialize with Jane and other parents. Rachel and Becca were welcoming of having a father in the group, and never created confusion or left unanswered questions. I'm also very pleased that having the added consult helped Deanna and I sort through motor development without feeling overwhelmed or guilty. Jane has made appropriate progress, and seems very happy when she succeeds at practicing movement. I feel it was an overall great socialization for the family and good information to develop our parenting."  

- Kenneth

Thank you Deanna and Kenneth for sharing your experiences.  We have a passion for helping parents confidently guide their children on the path of early movement success!  We have enjoyed watching Jane blossom into the active little girl that she is and can't wait to see her taking her first steps!!

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.

 

May MASTER MOVERS Baby Classes

Thanks to all who came out for the MASTER MOVERS baby classes this weekend on Friday and Sunday in Morrisville, NC.  We had a great time seeing old friends and meeting new ones!  This class really highlights for me the wide range of typical development that happens from 7 months until babies start taking their first steps.  It is truly amazing to see how much and how fast babies change!  We offer the Babies On The MOVE classes monthly for this reason. The babies in the MASTER MOVERS classes this weekend were a prime example of the range of typical development.  In one class, we had an almost 7 month old moving and grooving in tummy time while an 11 month old was taking some independent steps - oh how things can change in four short months!