Side Lying Play

Side Lying Play

Along with tummy time there is another position called side lying which is equally important but often gets overlooked. Have your baby lie sides, alternating between left and right and play in the given position.
Side lying gives your baby unique opportunities for head control, eye – hand coordination and visual coordination in those early months of life. The numerous benefits of laying your baby in side lying position include –

 Improves head control
Improves head control by strengthening the muscles of the neck. Encourage your little one practice turning their head to look up at you when they are lying on their sides

 Fosters midline awareness
Side lying play helps babies learn how to hold their hands in midline (symmetrically in front of them). It also helps them learn where their body is in space and where the midline of their body is. This midline body awareness is very important to improve balance and coordination which is needed for nearly every activity. Give your baby a rattle and encourage them to hold it with both hands to improve mid line awareness

 Visual coordination
Side lying supports and stabilizes your baby’s little wobbly head, allowing your baby to bring both eyes into focus and also helps isolate eye movement from head movement at an early age. Better eye control helps develop balance in your baby. While lying in a side line posture, make eye contact and talk to your baby to enhance visual coordination

 Initiates bilateral hand play
It helps your babies learn to transfer objects from one hand to another since it may be too challenging to overcome the gravity when they are lying on their backs

 Encourages hand to mouth play
It makes it easier for babies to hold their hands up in the air or bring their hands to their mouths to play as this position gives your baby a better view of his hands moving in the air. Wrist rattles greatly help in initiating this play.

 Improves eye hand coordination
Side lying allows your babies to look and study their hands more, than they would if they don’t have the strength to hold their hands with their line of vision

 Relieves discomfort in colicky babies
Side lying or stomach position is the best position for calming your crying baby. So when your baby is crying while lying on the back, try picking him up in your arms and roll him to the side. Alternate between sides and gently rub your baby to soothe them

 Maintains head shape
Positioning your baby in side lying relieves pressure on the back of the head and hence reduces the chance of developing a flattened head or plagiocephaly

 Great position to practice rolling
Laying your baby on either side provides sensory information pertaining to their body parts and your baby may use this information move.

Side lying safety
Never leave your baby alone in side lying; supervised play is safest!
Side lying is most effective if you fold up a soft towel or blanket into a thickness that is approximately the width from your baby’s shoulder to their neck, and slide it under their neck and cheek to help get everything appropriately aligned

Play with Purpose !!

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