Have you seen the recent social media parenting trends where people are posting “things I’d tell you as a [insert field of expertise here] if I wasn’t afraid to hurt your feelings”? Well, this month’s article at Being is kind of like that.
We’ve seen doctors, dentists, teachers, psychologists, health coaches, parents and influencers all sharing content in this way recently. “Here’s 10 things I’d tell you as a holistic dentist if I wasn’t afraid to hurt your feelings”.
So, we’re jumping on the bandwagon… kind of. What we don’t want to do is hurt anybody’s feelings, or make anybody feel ashamed or bad for the way they raise their kids. What we do want to do is bring awareness and provide education around some very popular and commonly used parenting steps that might actually be doing more harm than good for your child!
Here’s a few things that we wish somebody told us as new parents:
Don’t swaddle your baby
Swaddling may have some benefits very early on, but it’s a practice that should be left behind sooner than later. A baby’s growing brain – and therefore their neurodevelopment – is built on a foundation of movement. Every little wriggle, kick and arm swing that they make is an opportunity for their brain to fire and wire, building strong nerve pathways and promoting the flow of vital cerebrospinal fluid. Primitive reflexes that a baby is born with should integrate and disappear in early development, and this relies on the baby being able to move and provide their nervous system with the stimulus it needs to transition from involuntary reflexive motion to voluntary exploratory movement. Unfortunately, excessive or prolonged swaddling is likely to hinder a baby’s optimal growth and development by restricting the very movement that nourishes their nervous system.
Avoid the Jolly Jumper
As fun as it looks, and as excited as Nan & Pop might be to gift you a jolly jumper, these are a tool that should be avoided. Once again, they pose a significant risk to a child’s development, both neurological and musculoskeletal. Put simply, a child’s hips are ready for weight bearing when they naturally begin to weight bear themselves (i.e. start standing up, furniture cruising, walking). Until that point, they’re not ready, and adding weight bearing load can have consequences. That includes suspending a child in a jolly jumper (or any similar device) and letting them bounce for prolonged periods on hips and a spine that aren’t developmentally ready yet!
Your Baby is Ready For Solids When…
Two of the simplest and easiest signs to look for when deciding if your child is ready for solids are teething and sitting. These are nature’s determinants of a body that is ready to begin to engage with solid foods. When a child’s neuromuscular tone in their trunk is strong enough that they can sit unsupported, this is a great indicator that their digestive system (which relies on smooth muscle tone for gut motility) has developed enough to begin accepting solids. This often occurs around the same time that a baby starts cutting their first teeth. The timeline can vary from one child to another, and that is why some kids are ready to start solids sooner than others.
When we let the most obvious and natural signs of growth and development guide us as to what our children are ready for, we’re supporting them in the best possible way.
We could go on and on with this list, but these three would be among our most recommended things because they are such prevalent or common issues in the families that we take care of. If you’re a new parent or have recently welcomed a baby into your family and have questions or concerns over their growth and development, check out the rest of our website to see if the answers are here. Or, go ahead and reach out to us – we’re here to help!
