59A - Fit and Well Column for Feb 15th, 2004

TITLE: "Baby Workouts!"

Dear David and Trish,

I know it might sound like I’ve gone over the “deep end”… but here goes…

I have a six month old baby, and he’s doing great. He seems to be developing very well. However, I am wondering if he should be exercising more than he is!

There is a tendency in my family to “put on the pounds”. And, of course, I want to do everything I can to prevent this from happening to my son.

Are there exercise programs specifically designed for infants and children? And, if so, are they effective? Or am I just an over-concerned anxious parent?

Sincerely,

Anxious Annie in Annapolis

Dear Anxious Annie,

As most of you know (Trish and I are anything but low profile!), our first daughter, Angelica, was born four months ago. She’s doing great! She has more than doubled her original birth weight of four pounds.

Besides providing her with the best nutrition through breast feeding, showering her with love and affection, and giving her small tastes of Dairy Queen, we have begun a program of exercise and movement that we are convinced will assist in her development, both physical, mental, mental, and spiritual. The program is taken from “Brain Gym”, which we will talk about later.

First, let’s answer your questions…

Yes, even infants need a formal exercise program! They wiggle, and giggle, and move around a lot on their own. But we, as parents and caregivers, can assist them in their process of growth.

Exercise helps advance muscle development and coordination, and body awareness. Exercise helps children achieve body awareness while they're developing skills. It assists in mastering initial motor skills. Even in very young children, performing certain basic mat exercises helps develop the stomach muscles, as those muscles are necessary to master such feats as sitting, rolling, and crawling.

Physical activity guidelines for infants and toddlers has been developed by the National Association of Sports and Physical Education (NASPE). The guidelines were not only developed out of concern for childhood obesity, but also for the concern of correct physical and cognitive development of our infants, toddlers and preschoolers. Many professionals believe that sedentary activities can delay developmental milestones such as rolling over, climbing, and hand-eye coordination, just to name a few. Therefore, infants should be encouraged to be physically active from the beginning of life.

In this most recent study, NASPE has provided 5 guidelines in two age categories, for the parents, caregivers, teachers and health care professions of infants and children under three. These guidelines address the types of physical activity and environments children should exposed to.

Infants:

Toddlers and Preschoolers:

Obviously, there are many ways to promote healthy activity for your child. Moving to music is wonderful. Assisting with “range of motion’ nonresistant movement is very beneficial. Legs, arms, body… it all helps!

Years before Angelica was born, Trish had discovered and studied a program called the Brain Gym^®“

The Brain Gym^® develops the brain's neural pathways the way nature does: through movement.

It is essentially simple yet powerful activities to enhance learning. These techniques are taught in a variety of settings, including schools, corporations, and athletic training programs. It has been taught worldwide in thousands of public and private schools. Go to your library or local bookstore and find out about this exciting program!

Yes, there ARE group exercise classes for infants and toddlers. And they are SO cute!

Children as young as two-and-a-half enrolled in gymnastics classes learn moves such as forward and backward rolls, cartwheels, and balancing. These skills aid in the development of muscles that are important for all sports. In classes for toddlers, children learn to manipulate their bodies safely on basic equipment such as tunnels and obstacle courses.

Another method of soothing and connecting with your baby's mind and body is to try infant yoga classes, which benefit the parent as well as baby. Moms begin by centering themselves with some relaxing breathing exercises and some simple yoga postures. Once the mom is relaxed, she can pay more attention to her breathing as well as her baby's. The baby is then introduced to a variety of traditional Hatha postures, all gently modified to soothe and nurture the baby.

The benefits of infant yoga classes to your baby include increased immunity; better sleep, digestion and circulation; neuromuscular development; and better regulated emotions and relaxation. Infants as young as three weeks old are participating. Typically, they use music, dimmed lights, and colorful fleece blankets to create a comforting atmosphere.

Trish and I can attest to the fact that these yoga classes are beautiful, and amazingly effective.

Another important rule to always keep in mind, the activities performed should be age appropriate for your child. To help you know what physical and play activities are best for your baby/child, many professionals have put together this information and offer it in a variety of formats.

Touch bonds, and heals!