Madison Masters MULTIPLE Milestones!
A few months ago we watched Madison learn to lift her head. Her mother practiced with her for about 10 minutes a day. Gradually her strength increased to where she could hold her head up for long periods of time. Madison first learned tummy time and then she gradually strengthened her neck and back muscles through daily practice of short intervals, no more than 10 minutes twice a day, of lifting her head. Eventually she could spend many more minutes in tummy time. After a few weeks of skill development with “lifting the head,” she began to learn the next motor milestone of rolling. During one of her Stellar Caterpillar lessons, she learned to turn from her back to her belly and from her belly to her back. After practicing that at home for several days, she began rolling through the house!
NEXT DEVELOPMENTAL STAGE: BABY CRAWLING
What follows the developmental milestones of lifting the head and rolling? Belly crawling! Madison demonstrates the preparation for belly crawling by bending her left knee and leg so she can push off of the floor and scoot forward. This is the skill we focused on during today’s Stellar Caterpillar lesson. How does Madison need to move her body to prepare for belly crawling? She needs to lift up one side of the pelvis so the leg on that side becomes lighter in weight and the hip joint is free to bend. This drags up the leg and bends the knee. In the photo above, Madison lifted the left side of her pelvis to bend the left hip joint and drag up the left leg.
TUMMY TIME AND MOTOR SKILL DEVELOPMENT
Most of the skills Madison has learned were built from the tummy time position. This is where she learned lifting the head. She developed strong neck and back muscles as well as upper body strength. When reaching for and grasping toys in this position, she strengthens her upper body because she supports her weight with only one arm while the other one is busy playing with the toy. She learned to move her legs and pelvis in order to roll. When a baby masters tummy time, she prepares to conquer more milestones and become a true stellar caterpillar!