One of the things the occupational therapist suggested to us was more tummy time for the boys. Reflux babies tend to arch their backs (like a superman fly) to raise their heads. The result of that can be weak tummy muscles which can lead to bad posture when they start to walk. So, I try to do tummy time with them a few times a day. They seem to be the most awake right after they eat.
Here's Connor trying to hold up his big head!!! He usually falls asleep during tummy time, but he did really well this morning. Connor's strong point right now is laughing and responding to different stimuli. If you look in the upper left hand corner of the picture, you can see Rena watching him!
Brandon does SUPER well with tummy time. I think his neck is just a little stronger than Connor's. Brandon is much more active overall than Connor. Each boy has their strong point.
The end result of tummy time. This is what usually happens when they're done on the tummy. Brandon was being fussy yesterday, so I flipped him on his tummy in the Boppy and BAM...fast asleep! Oh yeah, for some reason, Brandon went BALD this past week. He used to have long hair all over his head, but it all fell out except for what's on top. The dr said that was totally normal. It's just weird to see clumps of baby hair on the back of your baby's shirt!!!!
One other really interesting thing we learned at their developmental appointment was that walkers and exersaucers are a no-no. I was planning on getting one of each, but not anymore. Those toys can force incorrect muscle development which could cause problems when they start to walk on their own. On a positive note, I don't have room in our itty bitty house for those big toys anyway! The therapists also said that holding a baby up to let them "pretend stand" on your lap or on the floor is also a no-no. To me, that's a totally normal thing to do! You pull them up by their arms and let them try to stand on you. That's a no-no for the same reason as the walkers and exersaucers. Once the boys start to pull themselves up, it's OK to help them stand on your lap. I don't know how much of these little tidbits apply to just preemies or to all babies. I'm not knocking these toys at all...they are just toys that won't be the best for our boys.
The boys are really starting to smile, coo, and laugh a lot. Sometimes it's hard for me to see how advanced other babies are who are about the same age as the boys. I have to keep telling myself that they are really only 2 months old developmentally because they were born 8 weeks early. Most other 4 month old babies can already hold their heads up with no other support. The boys should be caught up with other babies the same chronologic age as them by the time they are 2. For now, they are developing as if they were born on my due date, and I'm very thankful for that!
Here's Connor trying to hold up his big head!!! He usually falls asleep during tummy time, but he did really well this morning. Connor's strong point right now is laughing and responding to different stimuli. If you look in the upper left hand corner of the picture, you can see Rena watching him!
Brandon does SUPER well with tummy time. I think his neck is just a little stronger than Connor's. Brandon is much more active overall than Connor. Each boy has their strong point.
The end result of tummy time. This is what usually happens when they're done on the tummy. Brandon was being fussy yesterday, so I flipped him on his tummy in the Boppy and BAM...fast asleep! Oh yeah, for some reason, Brandon went BALD this past week. He used to have long hair all over his head, but it all fell out except for what's on top. The dr said that was totally normal. It's just weird to see clumps of baby hair on the back of your baby's shirt!!!!One other really interesting thing we learned at their developmental appointment was that walkers and exersaucers are a no-no. I was planning on getting one of each, but not anymore. Those toys can force incorrect muscle development which could cause problems when they start to walk on their own. On a positive note, I don't have room in our itty bitty house for those big toys anyway! The therapists also said that holding a baby up to let them "pretend stand" on your lap or on the floor is also a no-no. To me, that's a totally normal thing to do! You pull them up by their arms and let them try to stand on you. That's a no-no for the same reason as the walkers and exersaucers. Once the boys start to pull themselves up, it's OK to help them stand on your lap. I don't know how much of these little tidbits apply to just preemies or to all babies. I'm not knocking these toys at all...they are just toys that won't be the best for our boys.
The boys are really starting to smile, coo, and laugh a lot. Sometimes it's hard for me to see how advanced other babies are who are about the same age as the boys. I have to keep telling myself that they are really only 2 months old developmentally because they were born 8 weeks early. Most other 4 month old babies can already hold their heads up with no other support. The boys should be caught up with other babies the same chronologic age as them by the time they are 2. For now, they are developing as if they were born on my due date, and I'm very thankful for that!
3 comments:
I absolutely love hearing all the great news that you have on the boys! They really are perfect!!! Auntie Bri week has been approved so you better prepare those boys for lots of hugs, snuggles, and walks in the stroller!!!
Thanks for the updates Kate :) Cory and I are so excited to meet these little guys whenever you visit Indy next!
Don't be discouraged about their development, but I know that it is easy to compare your child to other kids. Every child develop at a different pace and norms are just averages, not absolutes. From a speech therapist's perspective, I think they are doing great. I knew that about the walkers but I was never taught that about the exersaucers, but maybe that is a preemie thing. I won't try to make him stand anymore though. Thanks for the info.!
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