4
Exercises to Help Baby Get Stronger
These simple exercises will help
your little one grow up big and strong.
By Tamekia Reece
from Parents Magazine
Shutterstock
It may seem like your baby spends a
lot of time lying around, but she actually gets in a vigorous workout every
day. Whether she’s batting at an object, kicking her legs, or squirming during
a diaper change, she’s exercising her little muscles. And all that
strength-building is essential to her motor development: She’ll need strong
muscles to hold up her head, roll over, sit up, crawl, and eventually walk. In
addition, physical activity pays off in the form of more restful sleep, less
fussiness, and a happy infant who is eager to play and learn, says Meena
Chintapalli, M.D., a pediatrician in San Antonio. These easy exercises will
help you become your baby’s own personal trainer.
Tummy
Time
Your infant spends the majority of
his time on his back. Turning him over onto his stomach helps build the muscles
in his neck, arms, shoulders, back, and stomach, says Robert Pantell, M.D.,
author of Taking Care of Your Child. Daily, supervised tummy time
can begin as early as his first day home from the hospital, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Start with a couple of three to five minute sessions. After you place
your baby tummy down on a blanket or playmat on the floor, get down on
your own stomach to keep him company. Smile, talk, sing, make funny faces,
jiggle a set of keys, or put a toy within his grasp. Engaging your baby makes
him want to look around, reach, and kick, which is what helps build the muscles
he’ll need to roll over, sit up, and eventually crawl, says Dr. Pantell. At
first, he may fuss during tummy time, but with practice and stronger muscles,
he should begin to enjoy it. As his strength and tolerance increases, gradually
work up to at least 20 minutes of tummy play each day. Continue even after he’s
able to roll over on his own.
Playing With Baby: Tummy Time
Sit-Ups
Pulling your baby up into a sitting
position is another good way to strengthen the muscles in her shoulders, core,
arms, and back, says Steve Sanders, Ed.D., author of Encouraging
Physical Activity in Infants. Even though you’re doing the pulling, your
baby will naturally flex her abdominal muscles and work to keep her head in
alignment with her body, which helps strengthen the muscles and build balance.
While your baby is on her back, grasp her forearms and gently pull her toward
you. You can start doing sit-up exercises around 6 weeks; if she’s too young to
support her head, instead of pulling her by the forearms, place your arms
behind her shoulders with your hands behind her head to keep it from flopping back.
You may only be able to pull your baby up an inch or two at first, Dr. Sanders
says, but as she gets older she’ll go farther, eventually advancing into a full
sitting position. This exercise is fun for your baby since she’s getting closer
to your face, but you can make it even more entertaining by being extra
animated and giving her a kiss at the top of each sit-up.
Bicycling
Did your mom ever tell you to cycle
your baby’s legs to help relieve gas? Well, it’s not only a
natural method for pushing air out of his system—it’s also a good way to work
the legs, hips, knees, and abs. This move helps increase flexibility as well as
his range of motion. “Put your baby on his back and gently move his legs up and
around, as if he were pedaling a bicycle,” says Dr. Chintapalli. Coo, smile,
sing, or make choo-choo or vroom noises while
you do the motion. Repeat the movement three to five times, take a break, and
then repeat. Keep going as long as your baby shows interest by smiling, making
eye contact, and kicking.
Weight
Lifting
Picking up objects is a great way to
build your baby’s grasping ability, improve hand-eye coordination, and help
develop the muscles in her shoulders, arms, and hands, says Angela Thacker,
regional director of The Little Gym, a national chain of children’s gyms. As
soon as she starts grasping at items, usually around 3 or 4 months, use what
you have around the house—rattles, small toys, and other objects of varying
sizes and shapes—as her personal weights. Sit your baby in her high chair or
bouncy seat and place a small assortment of these items in front of her.
Encourage her to lift one, check it out, put it down, and then lift it again or
move on to a different one. You may have to demonstrate how it’s done the first
few times, but she’ll get the idea quickly, especially if her “weights” make a
sound, light up, or offer some other reward for a job well done.
I did not write this article. For the original and others like it please visit https://www.parents.com/baby/development/physical/4-exercises-to-help-baby-get-stronger/
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