The fourth trimester - Nurturing and Supporting yourself through the first few months of Motherhood.

Now, we have all heard of the first, second and third trimesters during pregnancy, each trimester represents a different stage or phase of pregnancy. Throughout these (approximately) nine months, your body and mind go through a huge change as your baby grows and develops. The fourth trimester is an extension of the three trimesters and is a term used for the first few months of a baby’s life, and perhaps more importantly, the first few months of your motherhood journey with your baby. just as your baby is growing, developing, learning, changing and adapting to his/ her new life outside the womb, you too are growing, developing, learning, changing and adapting to new life as a mum. Your body and mind are once again going through a huge change and during this critical time it’s important to listen to your body and give yourself the rest it needs and truly deserves.

As mothers, we naturally want to ‘do’. We have a continuous list as long as our arms, we have daily chores, and we have a house to run and a family to look after. But during this fourth trimester, it is vital for our own mental health and wellbeing (and the health and well-being of our family) that we take care of ourselves and just ‘be’. Here are my six top tips to supporting yourself during the fourth trimester:

Rest

Whether you’ve had a natural birth or c section, a traumatic birth or an elated birth, your body is most likely exhausted, sore and uncomfortable. Letting your body rest and recharge is helping you to heal those scars and wounds, physically and mentally.

Pelvic floor

During pregnancy, your internal body endures a lot of weight. The muscles of your pelvic floor need exercising to ensure good health following childbirth. Booking an appointment with a women’s health physio is advised, but during the early days, at home exercises are a great way to looking after your needs.

Nutrition

Healthy nutrition helps to fuel us with energy and releases those feel good hormones. Nutrition is a simple way to support you during those sleepless nights and demanding days. Of course, it’s also important not to deprive yourself of your body’s cravings, so treating yourself every now and then with your favourite snack will also give you a little ‘pick me up’.

Water

Staying hydrated is important to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Water is good for our skin, our gut and our overall health. If you are a breastfeeding mother, you will find your body craves water. Having a glass of water close by to you during those feeds will help to keep you hydrated and looked after.

Ask for support

Please don’t be too shy or embarrassed to ask for support. Support could be from a family member, a friend or even a neighbour. And it could be as simple as asking someone to hold your baby whilst you take a shower, by asking for external support, you are supporting yourself.

Baby massage

The baby massage classes I offer can be started within the fourth trimester time frame from as early as 4 weeks old. Massage helps you and your baby to connect and bond in a nurturing and supportive environment with like-minded mums and it gives you the tools to support you and your baby through the early stages of his or her development. You can learn with me online or in person.

It is so important to support yourself during those early days of motherhood. Don’t forget to physically look after yourself, stay hydrated and well nourished, ask for help when you need it and start baby massage when you can with your baby. By supporting yourself, you are supporting your baby and your whole family.

How to do Tummy Time Correctly

Tummy Time

How to do Tummy Time Correctly and Help with Baby Development

In between feeding, winding, changing and napping, it can be difficult to find time within the day to do tummy time with your baby. Then, if you do finally get around to doing it, they vomit or worse still, hate it and cry the house down. Does this sound familiar?

Tummy time seems to be the hot topic lately in discussions surrounding ‘how to help your baby reach their developmental milestones’. So, if you’re wondering what is it and why is it so important for baby development, I am here to help and hopefully offer some ways to help incorporate it into your daily routine.

Why Tummy Time is Important for Baby Development

Before I show you how to do tummy time with your baby, I want to first tell you why it is so important to try and do often I will also try and explain how not doing it may be linked to learning difficulties such as dyslexia and dyspraxia.

I am an 80s baby and when I was born, I was put to sleep on my tummy in my cot as were many millions of other children. Our average development ages were:

• for rolling was 4 months

• sitting - 6 months

• crawling - 8 months

• walking - 12 months

This has been put down to the fact that when a baby is lying face down, also known as ‘prone’, they need to use the muscles in their back, neck and tummy to try and lift their head and support themselves. By engaging these muscles regularly early in life they are better equipped to start pushing up onto their arms then hands and knees. This is the perfect position for crawling.

Since I was a baby the safety guidelines have changed and now the recommended guidelines in line with SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) is for babies to sleep in their crib/Moses basket/cot on their backs with their feet at the foot of the bed. In comparison to my generation of babies, who spent around 14 hours a day on their tummies, babies today often do not spend any time at all on their tummy. In addition, the prolonged time on their backs is causing other problems such as hair loss and flat head syndrome. It also means they can develop a real dislike for tummy time in general.

Learning Difficulties Linked to Lack of Tummy Time

But how is this connected to babies developing learning difficulties? Many babies now are skipping a vital developmental stage - crawling - and either opting for bum shuffling or going straight on to walking. When babies crawl, they use both the left and right side of their brains and build important early pathway synapses. When crawling is skipped altogether, or switched for bum shuffling, the theory is that they miss those early brain connections which later in life can affect the way they learn and process information.

If you are feeling overwhelmed with a guilty sense that you’re not doing enough tummy time with baby, do not panic! I have some top tips to incorporate a prone (tummy time) position into your daily routine!

Benefits of Tummy Time

Here are some benefits of tummy time:

• Aids digestion

• Builds muscles

• Supports more complex actions like rolling, sitting, crawling

• Builds early connections within the brain

How to Add Prone Positions to your Daily Routine

If your baby does not enjoy tummy time, it may be best to start with little and often and build gradually. They do not need to be placed flat on a hard surface to receive all of the amazing benefits. Try laying your baby in some of these positions:

1. On your chest

On your chest whilst you are slightly reclined, each day you can gradually lean further back. Support your back by reclining against cushions in a chair or in bed.

2. Across your thighs:

Across your thighs demo 1 - lay baby face down (prone) across your outstretched legs. Help them by lifting their arms over your legs. You can raise one leg slightly higher to keep their head higher than their hips if they’re struggling.

3. On your lap:

Baby on lap demo - sit on the floor bending your knees up towards you, place baby on your lap face down (prone) against your thighs with their head highest close to your knees. Support your back against cushions on a chair or in bed - you may need to recline your body slightly. Each time you practise this make your legs straighter and straighter so baby’s head is lowered and they lay flat.

4. Tiger in the tree:

this can be done either standing or sitting and is with your baby placed face down along your forearm. Their head should be in the crook of your elbow and you can either hold your elbows or use your spare hand to stroke baby’s back.

5. Fireman’s hold:

this hold involves placing your baby up high on your chest with their arms up over their shoulder - as if you are a fire person carrying them. It is also a great position for winding. The pressure of your shoulder on their tummy gives the same effect as on the floor.

Fireman’s hold side angle:

Fireman’s hold side angle

6. Tummy time on the floor:

this way can be the most frustrating for baby and even if you know they really don’t enjoy it, don’t avoid it altogether, slowly build up to it. Perhaps try a few of the other techniques first and then progress to this, it might take you a few days or weeks.

When you are ready to try the on the floor position, put something comfortable down such as a play mat, place baby down on their tummy and help them with the position by gently encouraging their arms forward as if they are in a plank position. Top tip: you can place a rolled-up towel or blanket under baby’s chest to help lift them up.

Now for baby, if they haven’t done anything like this before, it is going to be really hard - like you have to do a 60-minute plank. So be their cheerleader, really encourage them and reward them for doing so well. My trick to build up the time they spend in this position is to do a VERY over-exaggerated count to 10 as soon as they being to voice or show their discomfort. In reality, it is likely more than 10 seconds and more than 20 seconds as I speak in between eg ‘1, oh wow, you’re doing so good, 2 that’s it, baby, keep it up, 3 so close that’s it, 4 so proud of you, 5 look how strong you are!’ - You get the idea.

Add a bright and upbeat voice with smiles and ALWAYS stick to your promise and pick them up/turn them around when you reach 10. This way you are building really good trust with your baby.

Never leave baby unattended during tummy time and only practise when your baby is awake. It is also best to wait until 30-40 minutes after a feed.

At first, your baby may be face down on the mat in this position. This is normal - if your baby is really struggling, you can encourage them to turn their head slightly to the side. As time goes on, they will begin to bob their head (that’s where having a comfy mat comes in handy so they don’t face plant) and then they’ll progress to both pushing their bottom-up and pushing into their arms.

How Long Should I do Tummy Time for?

There is no right or wrong for the length of time you should do it. Some babies are quite happy to lay there for ten minutes at a time, whereas other babies struggle to do ten seconds. Start small and work towards a minute. Each time you practise (especially using the over-exaggerated cheerleader technique) you’ll notice that baby can do longer and longer Start as young as possible and do it little and often if your baby is struggling.

TheBump.com suggests 20 to 30 minutes a day for babies aged three or four months old, with WhatToExpect.com advising three sessions of around five minutes each per day, increasing as the baby becomes more accustomed to tummy time.

Have you Tried Any of These Techniques? What’s Your Favourite?

I am not a GP and in no way suggest you lay your baby on their tummy to sleep. I think it is always best to follow the current guidelines and if you have any questions, I suggest you speak with your health advisor or GP. I do, however, suggest that for those babies that don’t currently spend much time in the prone position, do use some of the exercises stated above for both play and developmental support.

If you have enjoyed learning about how to support your baby’s development through tummy time and prone positions, you might also enjoy learning Baby Yoga with us where we will show you more fun ways to support your baby’s development.

What is Baby Yoga and What are the Benefits of Baby Yoga Classes?

Baby yoga classes offer a fun opportunity to bond with your baby, make some new friends and learn some exercises that truly benefit your child’s early development all at the same time. Many parents across the country have already discovered this relaxing and enjoyable activity, but the question is, what is baby yoga and what are the benefits of baby yoga classes?

What is Baby Yoga?

Yoga has been around for thousands of years and is popular with its large number of practitioners for the physical, mental and spiritual boost it brings. Baby yoga runs along the same principles but is designed to be suitable for under ones. Babies can begin attending baby yoga classes once a doctor has checked their hips, which usually happens at around six to eight weeks. From then on, children tend to attend classes until around the time they turn one.

An instructor guides the parents to perform a series of moves, holds and stretches on their babies. Over the course of a few classes, they build on these moves and learn more, eventually gaining confidence and a better understanding of what to expect from the sessions.

What to Expect at a Baby Yoga Class?

If you have been to a baby massage class, then baby yoga will feel like a natural progression. There are usually some massage elements in a class, but the good thing is that you don’t need to have tried that to enjoy.

Baby Yoga classes begin with a warm-up, which is essential for both parents and babies as they limber up for the exercises that follow. It’s not just the babies that have to move around! When babies arrive, they either see us, smell the lovely incense we burn or hear the music we have playing and they familiarise themselves, knowing where they are and what is about to begin. This gentle opening is also ideal to get your child used to the new environment of the venue, especially after the car journey or pram ride they just endured.

The pattern we follow is very similar to those you would do at an adult’s class. It consists of a combination of light stretches and warm-ups, standing, floor stretches and rest. This is a great mixture that is not only engaging but entertaining, calming and a perfect opportunity for some quality bonding time. Many babies by the end have had proper stimulation and as a result, are so relaxed, they fall asleep at the end or shortly afterwards. You can already see the positive effects!

Each week we do different breathing techniques. This is great for being present, distressing, releasing tension and the parasympathetic nervous system, all of which both parent and child needs and benefits from.

What are the Benefits of Baby Yoga Classes?

There are so many benefits of baby yoga classes. The exercises aid circulation, posture and physical and mental development. Baby yoga helps small children begin to take control of their own movements and can even start to stir them into action when it comes to moving around and crawling as they get older. You will find that some of the baby yoga exercises include tummy time, which baby experts recommend for increasing strength and coordination.

Most babies leave the sessions feeling relaxed. Many parents report that the sessions make them calmer, happier and more positive. It’s an excellent opportunity to bond with your baby, to build your confidence in how you use your body and how you handle your baby. It gives parents the resources to tap into, should they need to soothe an unsettled baby. Many parents of very young babies see them as tiny, delicate and almost fragile. With the right guidance they will see that babies can withstand a lot more movement and really enjoy some of the lifts and swings carried out during the practice.

These social experiences can do wonders for your social life too. We have topics to discuss each week and many mothers enjoy talking about their parenting experiences and know they are not alone. It’s a really nice way to meet other local parents with similar aged children who can understand.

As an extra incentive, you might also like to know that parents often say that their baby sleeps better thanks to baby yoga. That will be music to the ears of many mums and dads of under one-year-olds

Sensory Experience

One of the benefits of baby yoga classes that really stands out is the sensory experience it provides for your child. That direct touch between parent and child is important as they develop, and yoga encourages this.

Babies are also stimulated by the visuals and sounds on display during a typical class. It aids brain development as they process their experience and gives them a real sense of their own bodies, even at the youngest end of the spectrum.

Often classes feature instruments or materials such as silk scarves, light up toys, sensory bottles, spiky balls and foil blankets all of which add to the overall sensory effect.

Why Should I Try Baby Yoga Classes?

Most parents who attend baby yoga thoroughly look forward to the next session. It is an ideal excuse to truly relax once a week but also to spend a dedicated hour just being present, not worrying if you are doing it right, stressing about the lack of time or the next chore to be done around the house. Having a small baby can be fraught and stressful at times, but baby yoga is a great way to escape that.

It is safe, fun, sociable and brings fantastic benefits to both parent and children involved. Do you want to know any more information or have any questions? Don’t hesitate to contact us today and we’d be happy to help.

“A wonderful way to spend time with your little one”

What is Baby Yoga?

What is Baby Yoga? And what happens during a baby Yoga class with Sensory Land?

A common misconception of baby yoga classes is that it is a class (usually) for mothers to attend with their small baby, where the mothers will do exercises that will help them recover from pregnancy and labour. The babies usually lay on the floor in the middle of the room and it is acceptable for mothers to take breaks during the class to feed and comfort their babies. They are mother and baby yoga/exercise classes.

This is not what baby yoga classes are. Yoga has been around for thousands of years and many people have benefited from practising these movements and breathing exercises. The class is designed to help the babies (with the assistance of their grown ups) move their bodies in stretches and holds that are beneficial to their posture, circulation and development.

During a typical baby yoga class with Sensory Land we focus on the Ying/Yang of having fun with high energy songs and sensory play/with stillness, calm and relaxation. Each week is different and we progress through different moves, holds and stretches gradually building on them. The class includes stretches for the grown ups (so to avoid over straining ourselves when lifting and moving the babies), yoga stretches and hold for the babies, songs, sensory play and relaxation for everyone. The lesson is for 60 minutes and there will be time during class to feed, socialise and in some venues there are refreshments for the grown ups.

Requirements:

• There are moves in this class that are only suitable for children once they have had their hips checked and cleared by a medical professional which is usually around 8 weeks.

• Adults need to be able to sit on the floor, lift and carry their child.

• Unfortunately it is not possible for twins to partake in public lessons, unless they’re 1-2-1 with a grown up. Alternatively Twins may do baby yoga in private lessons.

• You do not need any previous yoga experience.

• Come dressed comfortably.

• It is not advised to feed your baby within 30 minutes of the exercises beginning, we understand that sometimes this is just not possible. That is fine, please let your teacher know at the start of the class and they will make amendments for you.

• It is not possible to do Baby Yoga with your child if they have had their inoculations/jabs less than 24 hour earlier.

• You can do baby yoga with your child before an inoculation appointment.

After class: expect to leave feeling refreshed, relaxed and more positive.

Should I join?:

if you want to spend a lovely hour each week having fun with your baby, singing songs, and learning exciting new ways to stimulate them and move their bodies, whilst making friends, gaining confidence, AND leave feeling happier, more positive and relaxed, then this is the class for you.

Any more questions, please speak with a member of our team.