Your Baby – July 2019

JULY & AUGUST 2019 | 93

WHAT TO DO

• Lie on the ground with your knees bent and your feet hip
  width apart.


• Let your baby sit directly on your hips, and hold his hands
  or hold him under his armpits, depending on his age.


• Start by taking a deep breath while expanding your
  ribcage and relaxing your shoulders.


• Draw your belly button to your spine and tighten your
  pelvic floor (it should feel as if you have a full bladder).


• Tilt your pelvis up, so that your pubic bone is higher than
  your hip bones and your lower back is touching the floor.


• Exhale and gently roll your pelvis up, leading with your
  pubic bone and rolling right through your spine.


• Gently bounce up and down while singing your little one’s
  favourite nursery rhyme.


• Resist the temptation to arch your back simply because it
  makes the exercise easier, as it will place undue pressure on
  your lower back. Instead, concentrate on pushing your ribs
  into the mat.


• Complete one verse of your nursery rhyme, and roll back
  down again, placing each vertebra down separately.

LOOK OUT FOR

• Keep your belly button tight toward your spine so as not to
  arch your back, and always watch that your ribs don’t pop
  up while you are completing the movement.


• Make sure your knees stay in line with your feet and hips,
  especially avoiding the tendency to roll out with your knees.

WHAT TO DO

• Put your baby on his back on a soft mat or blanket, and
  place your hands on either side of him.


• Assume a lady’s push-up position.


• Remember to tuck in your bum and place most of your
  body weight on your arms.


• Cross your ankles behind you, and lift your feet off the
  ground.


• Before bending your elbows, pull your belly button to your
  spine and your upper thighs toward each other. You are
  supporting your back in this way and ensuring your arms
  are doing most of the work.


• Once you’re in position, bend your elbows until your lips
  meet your baby’s forehead or cheek.


• If you find that action strenuous, then come up after each
  kiss. But if you’re strong enough, linger and give butterfly
  kisses all over his face, or sing a song while you hold
  the position.

LOOK OUT FOR

• Be careful not to arch your back or stick your bottom out.


• Pull your shoulders away from your ears, and don’t drop
  your head down to meet your baby.


• Your body should act like a fixed unit – almost as if
  there is a rod tied to your spine from your head down to
  your coccyx.

TIP Think about pulling your upper thighs together as you
bounce – this will protect your lower back and work your glutes
more. Create variety with your bounces, so go slow, quick or
alternate. The variety in types of movements can help with your
baby’s vestibular stimulation.

TIP Your baby is processing sensory information as his eyes move

while he follows your up-and-down movement, so interact with him

as you do your push-ups. Create anticipation as you move closer,

sing or count out aloud as you approach him. All these verbal cues

are helpful to your baby.

THE HORSE-RIDE BRIDGE

This exercise is an excellent way to warm up. With

baby as an extra weight, it also forms a brilliant toning

workout for your hamstrings and glutes

KISSING TOUCHES

During this exercise you will tone your pecs and

triceps while building core muscle strength

If the push-ups are too strenuous, try BABY BENCH PRESSES

• Simply lie on your back and pick your baby up directly
  above you while you bend your arms up and down. Sing if you
  like or just say, ”up”, ”down” as you move.


• The only thing to remember is to keep your knees bent and
  pull your tummy in tightly while your arms do the work.