Dr. Tess Townsend, PT

13/10/2021

A pediatrician and occupational therapist helped us choose the best tummy time toys. Here are our favorite interactive toys and play mats for babies.

24/09/2021

: Over 3 Million The Boppy Company Original Newborn Loungers, Boppy Preferred Newborn Loungers and Pottery Barn Kids Boppy Newborn Loungers After 8 Infant Deaths; Suffocation Risk. Get refund. Contact: 800-416-1355 or www.boppy.com. Full recall notice: https://bit.ly/3lVXlYf

18/02/2021

I haven’t read this book, but I love the compassionate and mindful approach to welcoming a big sibling into the world as a family welcomes a baby too. Have you read this or another mindful parenting book that you would recommend? Please post thoughts here!

I see the word 'jealousy' thrown around so often in relation to children who have just become a new big brother or sister.

They are often described as being naughty, or difficult, because they're jealous. Pop into any online discussion group and look for a parent asking for advice for how to handle tricky behaviour from their eldest after a new baby arrives in the family and I guarantee that within the first handful of replies somebody will give advice saying something like "they're just jealous, you shouldn't give them any attention when they act up, totally ignore them and they will stop doing it". This advice couldn't be more wrong.

You see, jealousy is completely the wrong word to use in this scenario. A far better word to use is grief. Grief is a much clearer description of the big feelings that the firstborn is experiencing and it helps parents to empathise much more. Jealousy makes us think the firstborn is somehow choosing to behave this way and that their feelings - and thus them - are unpleasant. Phrasing it as jealousy pits parents against child. Phrasing it as grief helps parents to work collaboratively with their child to solve the problem.

What are they grieving? The close one-to-one relationship they had with their parent(s) before the baby arrived. The old routine they use to have. The availability of their parent(s) to respond to their needs almost instantly. Their place as the baby in the family. Their parents arms that were always there to hold them - and only them. The knowledge that they were the sole object of their parent(s) love. Grief describes these losses and the huge adjustment the firstborn must go through far more effectively than jealousy.

Of course, grief fades naturally with time (once it has initially been honored with the space it deserves). It gets replaced with new memories, relationships, joy and love. Difficult memories fade into treasured ones that make us smile...and so too, will the grief a firstborn feels fade as a new relationship with their sibling develops. Until it does, the best thing we can do as parents is to honor their grief, empathise with their feelings and support them through this tremendous transition with patience and love (the very opposite to the time outs, naughty steps, sticker charts and exclusion so many are sadly on the receiving end of in this position).

For more on the transition from one to two children, see my 'The Second Baby Book':

🇬🇧 https://amzn.to/3u5mLWA
🇺🇸 https://amzn.to/3arcT1r

10/02/2021

A great position I often teach parents for babies with reflux!

15/01/2021

Naked TummyTime is a great way to let your baby feel more. And while you’re at it, take off your shoes. You’ll experience life differently too!

07/01/2021

Animals can be a wonderful way to encourage TummyTime and relationships to blossom! Don’t forget to involve your pets in family TummyTime!

02/01/2021

TummyTime is the best time for hand to mouth exploration!

24/12/2020

Instead of forcing it have fun with it!!

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Tummy time is an essential developmental activity for babies in a back sleeping culture. It’s true that intentional tummy time wasn’t necessary when babies were sleeping in their tummies, but times have changed and babies need the position for optimal brain and body development

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24/12/2020

18/12/2020

Bonding in action!

11/12/2020

Some people naturally need more sensory stimulation, while others need less. I fall into the "less" category. That's because I feel things MORE than others. E.g. I have a low threshold for auditory input, so I notice noise more than others (I struggle to concentrate in noisy cafes, and am frightened by unexpected loud noises) and I’m sensitive to visual input (I don’t like lights being too bright).⠀
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The idea that people are more or less sensitive to visual, auditory, touch, smell, taste and movement input is part of SENSORY PROCESSING. People who are MORE sensitive, may take measures to AVOID sensory input. People who are LESS sensitive, may take measures to SEEK sensory input. This is easy for adults to do. E.g. if I'm struggling to concentrate in a noisy cafe, I put my headphones in to screen out the noise. If the sun is too bright, I put my sunglasses on. Adults also develop coping mechanisms for when they experience unwanted sensory input. E.g. when I get frightened by a loud noise, I've learned to take a few deep breaths.⠀
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Imagine being a child with sensory under- or over-sensitivity, and not having developed the measures to cope, or simply not being able to use them, because you're in an adult-controlled environment. E.g. a child who is sensitive to noise can't do much about being in a noisy classroom. A child who is less sensitive to movement, so is constantly seeking it, may have trouble sitting still on the mat and be reprimanded for this. A child who is sensitive to proprioceptive input may have a meltdown because someone brushed past them, but that brush felt like a BUMP. Or a child who is sensitive to tactile input may not be able to concentrate on painting when there’s paint on his hand. And being in these states of dysregulation, of having too much or not enough of the sensory input their bodies need to function optimally, can be very uncomfortable.⠀
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It's important to understand that we all have our preferences, and they don't necessarily need to be "fixed". However, for children especially, we need to help them, and the adults around them, understand their preferences and how best to work WITH them. This takes time and patience.

08/12/2020

“We need to recognize that too often historical traumas and implicit biases fit in the space between new mothers and her clinician.”

Love this talk and call to action!

https://www.ted.com/talks/katie_hinde_what_we_don_t_know_about_mother_s_milk

Breast milk grows babies' bodies, fuels neurodevelopment, provides essential immunofactors and safeguards against famine and disease -- why, then, does science know more about tomatoes than mother's milk? Katie Hinde shares insights into this complex, life-giving substance and discusses the major ga...

07/12/2020

This has been a big part of the secret sauce with since we officially started in 2005.

Rolling into tummy time continues to be the most popular and well loved recommendation!

07/12/2020

Are you a parent with a pre-crawling infant looking for ways to bond with your little one? Do you find it difficult to get TummyTime in every day? Or perhaps you’re just looking for some tips to keep your baby on track with milestone development?

I am privileged to again offer community TummyTime classes- though this time through 1:1 telehealth session. As with previous years, I’m bringing in the New Year by offering 5 free consults to new parents. If you’re interested, please send me a DM!

06/12/2020

Calling all parents: I’m in need of some photos of babies doing exercises you learned in physical therapy for a publication I’m working on. Please send me a photo of your baby showing of their best guppy, rollio, sleeping tongue posture hold, or playing in TummyTime! I will put all contributors into a drawing for your choice of a free session with me or a gift card to Magic Beans! Thank you!

21/11/2020

It’s a fast and power packed time! We don’t want babies to miss out on these essential
Moves