Stereotypies – what are they and how do they help my baby’s development?
When you watch your baby play, you'll notice they kick, push and rock. The repeated movements your baby makes help them to develop strength and control of their muscles and have interested scientists so much that they have researched them. Frequent or repetitive moments are known as stereotypies – and can tell us about the way babies learn to move.
Five tips to support rolling
Your baby is growing in confidence to roll on to their tummy. Here are five tips to support them to roll.
Why sitting using their hands for balance is an amazing step in your baby’s development
Sitting is something we don’t usually think about very much, but as you watch your baby edge towards sitting independently you might be finding the whole process much more interesting. Sitting involves your baby controlling their balance and using their muscles. It's anything but simple – in fact, it's multi-tasking on another level!
Slippery snacks – ways to make finger foods easier to grip
It is very important to ensure finger foods are safe for your baby, especially that they’re soft enough for little ones to chew easily. Foods like avocado, mango and steamed vegetables are fantastic choices... except when it comes to getting a good grip on these slippery snacks!
Close your eyes, count to 10 and then find why hide-and-seek is so good for your child!
According to Britannica.com, hide-and-seek was first described by a second-century Greek writer, Julius Pollux. It’s a game that has been around for years and is played throughout the world. But did you know, hide-and-seek isn’t just lots of fun, but is also a great way to support your child’s development? Come and find out why...
Hide-and-seek provides opportunities for:
Are you familiar with face recognition – maybe even a super-recogniser?
We often take for granted that we know what our family, friends and colleagues look like. It’s easy to forget that recognising familiar faces is a skill that children develop over time. Now your child is getting older they will become more confident at recognising people they know in crowded places.
It’s known that some people are naturally better at recognising familiar faces than others,[1] in fact a very small number of people seem to be exceptionally good at this and can spot familiar faces very easily in crowds, earning the nickname ‘super-recognisers’.
Looking after your health, as well as your baby
As a new parent it can be tricky to keep up with your health – both physically and mentally. Adapting to looking after a newborn can be overwhelming, and you can often put your own needs on the back burner, but it's important to still take care of yourself. This doesn’t have to mean gym sessions with your baby strapped to you or getting up at 4am to peel carrots before they wake up!
It's especially important to listen to your body, and take it slowly if you are the parent who has just given birth.
You'll need time for your body to recover, and often for your emotional and mental health to catch up with having created this little human as well, before you try to start doing exercise at a level you were at before.
Keeping active at this time might include a simple walk around the house or getting up and gently stretching (if it is safe to do so; if you had a tricky or caesarian birth especially, please follow advice from your midwife or doctor on when and how to be more active).
Getting out doesn’t have to mean a hike
Fitting in exercise with a new baby can be so difficult. In these early days, leaving the house is a huge achievement, no matter how far you go. Just going for a walk up and down your street with the baby in the pram is a great way to get moving – and a nice experience for baby, too!
Finding ways to eat well can make a big difference
When it comes to food, there are many options for ready prepared vegetables that can simply be thrown into a pan, steamer or on an oven tray, or even healthy prepared meals that can be easily reheated.
You might find it easier to cook only a few times a week, making bigger portions of nutritional meals that can be stored in the fridge or freezer and reheated on the days it feels like cooking is just a step too far.
Don’t underestimate the power of help
Friends and family will be fighting each other to come and see you, or more accurately in most cases see the baby. There is nothing wrong with asking them to bring some meals or snacks for you when they do – in fact, it would be perfectly fine to refuse entry to anyone not holding food when they arrive!
Thinking about shoes and when they might be worn
Now your baby is starting to stand, they may move around a little more. Could this be the right time to buy a pair of shoes? Not necessarily – there is no set time to buy shoes. Yet you may need to consider when a good time is to put shoes on your baby’s feet.
Barefoot walking
The gift and power of emotional courage – A TED talk by Psychologist Susan David
In this TED talk, psychologist Susan David shares how the way we deal with our emotions shapes everything that matters: our actions, careers, relationships, health and happiness. In this deeply moving, humorous and potentially life-changing talk, she challenges a culture that prizes positivity over emotional truth and discusses the powerful strategies of emotional agility.
