Warm Heart Parenting

I “should” be checking things off my list…instead I think I’ll be here for a while. My heart is full and the list can wait.

Happy New Year to those who celebrate!

Arthritis is defined as an acute or chronic joint inflammation. Symptoms can include pain, swelling, stiffness, and redness which may contribute to reduced function and dexterity.

Arthritis isn’t a single condition; there are many different types. It can affect people of all ages and physical fitness – including children, teenagers, and athletes. Some forms of arthritis are more common in older people.

Regular physical activity and exercise are important in the management of all forms of inflammatory arthritis (IA), including rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and axial spondyloarthritis (axial SpA), and offer numerous health benefits.
Physiotherapy is an important part of your overall treatment.

Arthritis is often associated with older people, but it can also affect children. Most types of childhood arthritis are known as juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Physiotherapy forms an important role in the management of the symptoms of JIA and will help you/your child do the activities you like doing.

When we are born our body works as one big unit. Over time we disassociate our body parts…head from trunk, left from right, upper body from lower. Doing bicycle movements with your baby can help begin this process.

The foundation for all higher level movement is rotation. Think about when you walk, how your arms swing. Or when you throw a ball, you twist your body to get momentum to throw that ball forward. Or when you write and move your hand across the page.

Doing cross body movements with your baby early on can help encourage early rotation. Taking your baby’s arms and cross them over their chest is a fun and easy way to help them discover this essential movement pattern.

Is your baby constipated or gassy? An immature digestive system makes these pretty common in littles. Knees to chest combined with infant massage strokes can work wonders to provide some relief!

It’s also a great way to help your baby discover their legs and loosen up any stiffness they may have. If baby resists you can try giving the legs a gentle shake as you bend them up towards the abdomen.

Baby yoga is a great activity that you can do with your baby. It takes just a few minutes and there’s just a few simple sequences.

Baby yoga helps your child connect the left and right side of their body, as well as the top and bottom of their body. Making significant connections in their brain.

Weekends are for ❤️ In my family we prioritize getting and as much as possible. Exercise and moving our bodies help with stress reduction, improved mood and illness prevention.

What’s important to your family??

Watching your little be besties with your bestie’s littles = priceless

Your baby is their own unique human being. Teaching body autonomy and positivity from the beginning is a powerful part of parenting. As part of infant massage you learn to ask permission to touch and massage your baby. This helps you learn your baby’s states and cues and to respect your baby’s response. It also teaches your baby that you respect them as a separate entity from yourself and that you will always respect their boundaries. A powerful lesson indeed.

Can you imagine if everyone across the world experienced positive touch as a child? We would see an increase in empathy and respect. A reduction of abuse and violence. And even a decrease in health costs due to an overall healthier society!

I believe that all this is possible through something as simple as infant massage. Try it today and give me a call at 508-202-0702 to get started.

Infant massage can also benefit the entire family. By involving siblings in the process, we can decrease sibling rivalry, and create an environment of respect.

You can also involve extended family such as grandparents and other caretakers. This can lead to better sleep and in a reduction of conflicts for everyone.

Infant massage has similar benefits for the parents. It provides designated quality time each day when you can bond with your baby. This helps you better understand your baby by reading and respecting their cues. You can improve your self-esteem and confidence as a parent.

And just like for your baby, you increase your relaxation hormones and decrease your stress hormones and subsequently improving sleep, supporting lactation, and even decreasing your risk of postnatal depression.

Why not try infant massage today?

Is your baby not a baby anymore? Infant massage can also be used with toddlers and preschoolers and even beyond.

Infant massage promotes relaxation throughout the body. It supports self-regulation and regulation of behavior states. It can even improve your baby’s sleep patterns.

Infant massage works to increase your baby’s anti-stress hormones (oxytocin and serotonin) and decrease stress hormones (such as cortisol).

Finally, infant massage relaxes your baby’s muscles and increases flexibility.

What’s not to love about infant massage!?

Infant massage can aid in relieving gas, colic, and constipation. It can help with drainage of excess mucus and relieve discomfort from teething.

Infant massage reprieves muscle tension , decreases growing pains and helps organize the nervous system.

How can infant massage help your baby??

Infant massage stimulates many of the body’s systems including the lymphatic, circulatory, digestive, hormonal, nervous, respiratory and vestibular (coordination and balance) system.

In addition, infant massage helps build early body awareness by supporting muscle development and tone as well as sensory integration. Infant massage promotes the connection between neurons in the brain by stimulating the growth of the myelin sheath.

Infant massage also helps with physical growth by stimulating digestion and supporting elimination.

Infant massage supports the interaction between you and your baby. This includes supporting the bond you have with your baby and may help create a secure attachment.

This interaction builds pre-linguistic communication through eye contact, imitation and providing undivided attention to your baby while massaging them.

Additionally, infant massage creates a feeling of respect, tolerance and empathy between a parent and child.

Infant massage is a wonderful way to support your baby’s development. There are four main benefits to your baby including interaction, stimulation, relief and relaxation. There are also benefits for you as a parent, for the entire family and for society as a whole.

Over the next week I will delve into each of the benefits and how infant massage may support your family. As a physical therapist I can offer massage as part of treatment and I can also teach you how to massage your baby.

Stay tuned as we explore this powerful modality.

Wrapping up our 3 positions of play! Varying the position your baby plays in encourages them to learn about both sides of their body as well as build the head control necessary to start looking around their world.

A few minutes in each position multiple times a day (think after each diaper change) can help build the foundation of your baby’s motor skills for years to come.

What questions do you have about playing with your infant?? How can I support your parenting journey?

Www.warmheartparenting.com

Sometimes we make hard decisions in life. Today was one of those days. Today I commit myself to living my dreams out loud. For myself, my husband and my children.

Updated website is live! Check it out at www.warmheartparenting.com

Updated website is live!! Check it out

Warm Heart Parenting/Pediatric Physical Therapist and Parent Support Clinician In-home Pediatric Physical Therapy and Parent Support Services to families located in Middlesex and Norfolk County, MA. Warm Heart Parenting also offers Infant Cranial Sacral & Massage, Neonatal Behavior Observation, Developmental Assessments, and Energy Healing.

Welcome to the world Marcus Temwa!

My favorite part of winter and shorter days is that I get to witness the sunrise and sunset regularly ☀️ Welcoming each day as it comes and thankful for what happens each day.

As we embark on this new year I am thankful for simple pleasures such as these. Those moments when I can snuggle with my family and read a book for the billionth time 😂 When I wake up in the middle of the night and the people I love are soundly asleep and so peaceful in their dreams 😴

Life is not always easy but these moments of simplicity make it so sweet and wonderful. My wish for each of you is that you find joy in these small moments. Warm Heart Parenting is here to support your journey in finding calm through the chaos while being confident in the choices you make for your family. All while learning how to support your child’s development and learning. Find out more at www.warmheartparenting.com

Happy New Year from Warm Heart Parenting! May you year be filled with love and joy ❤️

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

References:
1. American Academy of Pediatrics (2020) https://www.aap.org/en-us/advocacy-and-policy/aap-health-initiatives/safe-sleep/Pages/Safe-Sleep-Recommendations.aspx
2. Wiesenger et al. (2014) Sweet sleep: Nighttime and naptime strategies for the breastfeeding family. Ballantine Books, New York.
3. Blair, P et al. (2020) Bedsharing and breastfeeding: the academy of breastfeeding medicine protocol #6, revision 2019. Breastfeeding Medicine, 15(1), 1-12.

Warm Heart Parenting, LLC has an official position in support of the AAP recommendations as a health care provider in the state of Massachusetts. However, we understand that sleep is a personal and cultural decision and will provide support to families in whatever sleep situation they choose. Our main mission is to promote safe sleep habits for all of our clients. Warm Heart Parenting, LLC does not accept any liability due to injury or accident that may occur in any sleep situation.