Games Babies Play. Vicki Lansky
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Название: Games Babies Play
Автор: Vicki Lansky
Издательство: Ingram
Жанр: Секс и семейная психология
Серия: Lansky, Vicki
isbn: 9781931863650
isbn:
BABY FIRMING
Your little one can help you get back in shape and make it more fun. Once your doctor okays you resuming exercise, there are firming-up routines you can begin that can include and entertain your baby.
Kissy-Kissies
With your baby lying face up on the floor, get on all fours over your baby with your baby between your hands. Begin gently by just lowering your head to kiss your little one. Advance to lowering your straightened body—with your weight resting on your knees and hands angled slightly inward—down to kiss your baby. Don’t let your stomach sag or your back arch. Push back up and repeat. If you were able to do standard push-ups before you were pregnant, work gently back to this stage without straining yourself. If you don’t like push-ups, limit yourself to “cat curls” where you just arch your back and then relax it again.
Better Bottoms
Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet on the floor, and baby sitting on your stomach with your hands securely around the torso under his or her arms. Squeeze your buttocks tightly together and raise your hip bones upward and hold for one or two seconds. Release and lower. Next flatten the small of your back to the floor and curl your head and upper body up while keeping your back straight on the floor. Release and lie back. Alternate these two routines to build up back and abdomen strength.
BABY PARTS
Your baby’s body parts will provide the topic for many of the conversations the two of you will carry on as you interact. You’ll find your newborn is not much of a conversationalist—most of the burden of small talk will fall to you. Your repetition of such words as “nose,” “eyes,” “fingers,” “chin,” and “ears” will start your baby on a lifelong learning process.
Knock, Knock
Knock, knock. (Knock on baby’s forehead.)
Peek in. (Open eyes wider.)
Open the latch. (Push up the tip of the nose.)
And walk right in. (Walk fingers into mouth.)
How do you do, Ms. Chin-chin-chin? (Wiggle chin.)
Thumbkin, Pointer
Thumbkin, pointer, middleman big.
(Point to each of baby’s fingers.)
Silly man, wee man, rig-a-jig-jig.
(Roll baby’s hands around each other.)
Months from now, when your baby becomes well-versed in the names of the body parts, you can purposely slip in a wrong word or two so he or she can “correct ” you.
BABY PULL-UPS
When your baby is two or three months old and can raise and hold up his or her head, you can begin a wider range of games.
Infant Sit-ups
Lay your baby on the floor (or bed) in front of you, or in your lap facing you. Gently pull the baby up to a sitting position, while holding hands. Say something like, “U-u-up you go,” or “Baby sits up now.” (When you pull a two month old to a sitting position, the baby’s head may still lag a bit.)
Then slowly lower your baby back down. Say, “Dow-w-wn you go,” or “Now Baby lies down.” Repeat until one of you tires.
Infant Stand-ups
At three months or closer to four months, lay your baby against a pillow facing you or sitting on your lap. Firmly grasp his or her hands and begin counting. Let your baby know what’s coming so he or she can anticipate the excitement to come.
“Are you ready to stand up? Let’s do it! One.” (A long, drawn out count to build excitement.) “Two.” (Begin to increase the tension.) “Three!” On the count of three, slowly pull the baby to a standing position. Keep a steady patter of conversation going to lend enthusiasm to the exercise. By four months most babies enjoy being upright and you’ll feel your baby pushing down on you when the little one stands.
BATHTUB TIME-OUT
Treat yourself to a soothing bath with your baby, making bath time a cozy, relaxing playtime instead of a chore. (Put the answering machine on first.) Be sure the room is warm—heat it, if necessary, by running the shower on hot for a few minutes before or when filling the tub. Keep two large towels nearby. Put one on the rug outside the tub to place your baby on momentarily when lifting him or her in and out.
As you enjoy the water together, sing to your baby. Sing your favorite pop tunes or Sinatra classics. Music creates intimacy and connectedness.
Even in the bathtub, you can rock your baby in your arms as you sing or hum. Or you can nestle your infant on your legs or your lap—and move with the music the two of you are making together.
Keep both of you submerged in the warm bath water as much as possible because the air always feels cool to a wet baby. Or consider keeping your baby wrapped in a light cotton diaper or light cotton blanket while in the water for that feeling of being “swaddled” that some babies prefer.
BED BOUNCING BABY
Motion is often soothing as well as entertaining for an infant. Lay your baby on your bed and gently bounce the mattress. (If using a waterbed for play, never place a baby face down or leave alone; there’s danger of entrapment and suffocation.) If your baby enjoys that, help him or her to a standing position, supporting the rib cage with your hands. Gently bounce the baby so his or her knees bend. This motion should get your baby into the swing of bouncing. Even six months from now when he or she is old enough to keep balanced, hold onto hands and encourage this routine.
Certain songs lend themselves to this type of fun such as:
You Are My Sunshine
You are my sunshine, my only sunshine.
You make me happy when skies are gray.
You’ll never know, dear, how much I love you,
Please don’t take my sunshine away.
Variation: Another motion game enjoyed by newborns is a “ride” atop a washing machine during the wash and spin cycle while in an infant seat. Note, however, that a baby should NEVER be left alone during this “ride.”