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How to Hold NICU Baby in Your Arms | Games that Help Bonding and Development!
Bonding with your baby begins right after they’re born, even in the NICU! It can happen in so many ways. Bonding helps baby feel safe, secure, and loved. It’s a process that can take time, but taking little steps every day, even when they’re in the NICU, can make a big difference. Here are some … Continued
Games for Your 1 Month Old Baby | Fun Activities for Communication and Sensory Development
It’s never too early to start helping your child reach their sensory and communication milestones. Check out these simple and enjoyable activities you can try with your baby to help develop their skills! Beep Baby – Tap different parts of your baby’s body and name them. Say “beep!” with each new body part. Smile at … Continued
Premature Baby Bonding: Skin-to-Skin Contact & Massage+ 30, 10, 5 Tips
Bonding with your baby can help create a strong emotional attachment and positively impact your baby’s development! When your baby is in the NICU, holding them can feel challenging, especially with IVs, G tubes, or their small size. However, there are ways to bond with your baby that can help you feel more comfortable with … Continued
7 Ways to Encourage Your Baby’s Communication | Approved by a Speech-Language Pathologist!
When it comes to communication, baby learns by watching the people around them. Even if baby doesn’t have the vocabulary to have a conversation with you, it’s very helpful for their communication development if you talk to them! Check out these tips for encouraging your baby’s communication development: Use a High-Pitched, Sing-Song Voice: Talking in … Continued
Help Your Baby Roll Over with 8 Expert Tips | Essential Motor Milestone for 4-6 Months
Rolling over is a 4-6 month motor milestone! Rolling helps with head and trunk strength, weight shifting, and core strength—which are all important for gross motor development. You can help your baby meet this milestone with these 8 tips from expert physical therapists: Tip 1: Place a toy in the direction of the roll Tip … Continued
Supporting Your Premature Baby’s Development: Essential Tips and Activities
Was your baby born more than 3 weeks early? Premature development differs from full-term, but there’s no need to worry! Let’s explore effective ways to understand and support your baby’s growth and milestones. Premature babies are often born with more extended (straight) positions, while full-term babies get a curled up (flexed) feeling from being in … Continued
Baby’s Changing Rib Cage: How to Support Your Preemie’s Growth
One area preemies—especially those who spent time in the NICU—may need support in is rib cage shaping. Like the rest of the body, the rib cage grows as babies develop. Initially, the rib cage ends high on the chest, but it gradually moves down and ends about halfway down the core (also known as the … Continued
How to Spend Time in the NICU | Bonding Games When Sitting with Baby Private
Bonding with your baby begins right after they’re born, even in the NICU! It can happen in so many ways. Bonding helps baby feel safe, secure, and loved. It’s a process that can take time, but taking little steps every day, even when they’re in the NICU, can make a big difference. Here are some … Continued
Baby Sleep Safety and Importance | Essential Tips for Baby Development
Sleep safety is very important for babies, and it’s as easy as A, B, C: Alone, Back, and Crib. A: Baby should always sleep ALONE. Parents and caregivers should never sleep in the same bed as baby. Nothing else should be in the crib; no blankets or loose bedding, bumpers, toys, or any other items. … Continued
What to Do with Baby in the NICU | Bond with and Calm Baby in Their Crib
Bonding with your baby begins right after they’re born, even in the NICU! It can happen in so many ways. Bonding helps baby feel safe, secure, and loved. It’s a process that can take time, but taking little steps every day, even when they’re in the NICU, can make a big difference. Here are some … Continued
When Do Babies Sleep Through the Night? | A Guide to Baby’s Sleep in the First Year
When you have a new baby at home, you may have a lot of questions about their sleep schedule. When should they nap? How long should they sleep for? When will they sleep through the night? This guide to baby’s sleep covers many of these topics, including how to keep baby safe while they sleep, … Continued
Is Baby Hungry? States of Alertness & Newborn Hunger Cues in the NICU
Every baby is different, and it can take time to understand what your newborn is trying to tell you. That’s why understanding the common states of alertness and baby’s hunger cues are important, especially in the NICU. Throughout the day, newborn babies move through various alert/waking states, and the amount of time they spend in … Continued
Is Baby Ready to Crawl? Here Are Common Signs of Crawling
Crawling is so important for baby’s development! Not only is it an important step in their motor development, but crawling also helps sensory development, executive function skills, play, and feeding. Is your baby close to crawling? Before they can get moving on their hands and knees, they’ll need to build strength in their core, arms, … Continued
What is My Baby Telling Me? Understanding Common Baby Cues in the NICU
A lot goes into having a new baby and it takes time to learn what they’re trying to tell you. Each baby is different. Learning your preemies’ cues is a great way to start bonding with them in the NICU and will prepare you for when you bring them home. Here are some common states … Continued
What Are Fine and Gross Motor Skills and Why They’re Important for Baby’s Development
Motor development is essential for baby’s physical strength and movement. Motor skills are broken up into two categories: fine motor skills and gross motor skills. Both begin developing after birth and will progress as baby grows. This complete motor skills guide addresses the differences between fine and gross motor skills with examples and activities, and … Continued
Beyond the Basic Senses: Explore Baby’s 8 Senses and How They Develop
We all know the 5 senses (touch, smell, taste, vision, and hearing), but there are actually three more: balance, body awareness, and internal. You use all 8 every day, and many continue to develop and change even after we’re born. Learn how all 8 of baby’s senses develop to use just like you.We all know … Continued
Tips for Using and Reducing Time in Infant Containers
Every parent uses baby containers, like car seats, bouncer seats, swings, and strollers. They’re okay in moderation, but extended use can restrict baby and place pressure on their head, leading to conditions such as Positional Plagiocephaly (also known as flat head), Positional Torticollis, and delayed motor skills. Learn tips for reducing baby’s time in containers.
How to Play With Your Newborn at 1 Month Old
Communication is the first form of play! When it comes to communication, baby learns by watching the people around them. Communication can include talking, but is also any form of message sent from one person to another, through sounds, words, or physical hints, like body language. Incorporating this into playtime can strengthen baby’s communication, play, … Continued
Why Crawling is Important and 6 Activities to Help Baby Start
Crawling is an important motor milestone for baby! It develops muscles and joints around baby’s core, back, hips, and shoulders, as well as increase strength and balance important for walking later on. When baby learns to crawl it helps more than just gross motor skills; crawling helps with sensory development, play, fine motor skills, and … Continued
10 Must-Have Developmental Toddler Toys for Outdoor Play
Help toddlers make the most of outdoor play with these 10 outdoor toys! These toy ideas are therapist approved and are great for encouraging your child’s development, from fine and gross motor, sensory, communication, social-emotional, to executive function skills. Outdoor toys can also be used to promote creativity and imaginative play, which gives your child … Continued
4 Tummy Time Positions, How to do Tummy Time with Newborns and Babies
Incorporate these 4 Tummy Time exercises into your newborn or older baby’s daily routine to encourage them to stay in this position longer. Learn more about these 4 positions: Tummy to Tummy, Tummy Down Carry, Lap Soothe and Eye Level Smile! Tummy Time is crucial for baby’s development. Babies who skip Tummy Time often experience … Continued
4 Month Baby Motor Assessment for Typical Development
What should baby’s motor development look like at 4 months old? Watch to see how baby is examined in 5 different positions: supine, prone, side lying, sitting, and standing. In each position, we will highlight the typical expectations for baby in relation to specific areas of the body: head, trunk, upper extremities, and lower extremities. … Continued
3 Month Baby Motor Assessment for Typical Development
What should baby’s motor development look like at 3 months old? Watch to see how baby is examined in 5 different positions: supine, prone, side lying, sitting, and standing. In each position, we will highlight the typical expectations for baby in relation to specific areas of the body: head, trunk, upper extremities, and lower extremities. … Continued
2 Month Baby Motor Assessment for Typical Development
What should baby’s motor development look like at 2 months old? Watch to see how baby is examined in 5 different positions: supine, prone, side lying, sitting, and standing. In each position, we will highlight the typical expectations for baby in relation to specific areas of the body: head, trunk, upper extremities, and lower extremities. … Continued
1 Month Baby Motor Assessment for Typical Development
What should baby’s motor development look like at 1 month old? Watch to see how baby is examined in 5 different positions: supine, prone, side lying, sitting, and standing. In each position, we will highlight the typical expectations for baby in relation to specific areas of the body: head, trunk, upper extremities, and lower extremities. … Continued