Holding On to Learn to Let Go: Baby’s Inherent Wisdom Osteopathy

Watching your newborn sleep is mesmerizing. As they grow and their little eyes open for longer periods of time, you will experience a moment where they see you. That moment is life-changing.

 

We handle our newborns carefully and lovingly, so as not to disrupt their startle reflex. We watch in awe as they strongly grip our fingers. We stroke their cheeks to stimulate them to turn their head towards us. We run out fingers along the bottom of their little feet and watch their toes curl up. Making the conscious choice to slow down through any stage of parenthood and to be present with our child (newborn, toddler, and yes, even those junior high years) is one of the biggest gifts that we can give ourselves – and our children.

 

All humans are born with several primitive reflexes. As time goes on and your baby becomes more alert, they start to gain control over their movements. In time, the primitive reflexes stop dictating your baby’s movements. By using reflexes repeatedly, babies begin to communicate through the nervous system to the brain. These neural pathways are eventually used to perform that “reflex” movement.

 

For example, the palmar reflex is when your baby grabs your finger. This reflex sends information to your baby’s brain to close their fingers around an object. Grasping your finger involuntarily as a newborn will help them start to grasp objects sometime between three to four months old, at which point the reflex first starts to weaken. The palmar reflex is usually integrated by the time they are six months old. You’ll notice that when your baby first starts holding toys, they can grab but can’t let go – that’s the palmar reflex at work! By the time they are six months, they are much better at picking up and letting go. So fascinating to watch this happen!

 

Ok, so how does any of this really affect my baby? Great question! Let’s dive in:

 

Sometimes primitive reflexes take longer to integrate (read: disappear) than we would like. A baby’s movement patterns give us little hints when this is happening. For example, your five month old baby’s Palmer Reflex may be hanging on a little tight (pun intended) if they are unable to release a toy that they are holding, if they keep their hands clenched in fists in tummy time, if they have difficulty bringing their hands together at their chest, and/or is reaching for a toy (or your hair, glasses, etc.) with hands balled up. You can help them at home by incorporating a few easy changes.

When your baby is enjoying floor play on their back, offer easy to grasp toys such as crinkle cloths, rattles, Oball toys (these balls are great for oral exploration… but that’s a post for another day!) at midline, meaning centre of their chest. Once they are holding the toy, stroke the back of their hand to encourage the hand to open.

 

In tummy time, if they have their hands balled up, use the same trick: stroke the back of their hands so that they uncurl their fingers. 

These simple exercises promote natural hand development through play, and are super safe!

 

As babies grow and gain more control of their movements, their natural curiosity and desire to explore takes over. How exciting it is to watch your little person unfold through this freedom!