family psychology 

Gymnastics of the legs for newborns. Gymnastics from the first days of a baby's life - why is it needed and how to do it? Basic principles and rules of infant gymnastics

Every mother takes care of her baby to the best of her ability. I want to give him the best. I want the newborn to be healthy, active, eat well and make small progress in his development every day. What moms just don’t agree on so that the little one, if not ahead, then at least keep up with their peers.

The most correct and safe thing that parents can do to stimulate the development of their newborn is to give him as much attention as possible. For a child, tactile contact with his mother is especially important now, because the more your touches he receives per day, the better his development will progress. And in order not to touch the newborn just like that with or without reason, you can do exercises from children's gymnastics with him.

Not only is it useful even for an adult, it is a great way to spend time with a newborn. His mother touches him - he is interested and pleased. Gymnastic exercises strengthen the still weak muscles of the arms, legs and torso. Now this success will be invisible. But by six months, you will understand that you were not in vain with the baby.

What is this gymnastics for newborns and infants, is it suitable for children at 0, 1, 2 and more months? How to do it correctly to help, and not harm the fragile body? We will examine these issues in more detail.

In the process of growth and development, a baby up to a year noticeably gains weight and height. In addition, by such a serious age, he must develop certain skills. Therefore, it is up to the first year of life that it is very important to observe certain points in caring for a newborn:

  • Proper feeding. If you are breastfeeding, it is important to initially properly attach the little one to the breast. If formula feeding, it's important to do so on a schedule and from a good bottle with a teat that doesn't leak.

  • Mom maximum. Very soon the baby will be independent, active, and it will not be easy to lure him into the arms. But right now, your hands are the best thing you can give him in terms of attention.
  • Proper bathing. A newborn needs to be bathed in a diaper. So he will not slide along the bottom of the bath and will not supercool.
  • Correct daily routine. From the very first days, it is important to form in the crumbs the concept of day and night, a more or less accurate schedule for feeding, bathing and sleeping. It’s easier for the baby, and it will be easier for you to understand what the baby wants, just by looking at the clock.

All these moments are the basis for the normal and correct development of the newborn. Of course, in the first couple of months, the little one will mainly sleep, waking up from a wet diaper or to eat. But over time, periods of sleep will be reduced, and physical activity will increase. And the child himself will require more attention and communication with him.

One of the most important aspects of your communication can be massage sessions and gymnastics for newborns. Such interaction will not only please the baby, but also have a positive effect on the development of his muscles. It will also help the baby to better know all the possibilities of his little body.

Gymnastics rules

Any gymnastic exercises should be carried out according to the most important principles:

  • exercises can be done only against the background of positive emotions in a newborn;
  • exercises must be performed correctly, adhering to a clear technique;
  • it is best to supplement gymnastics with nursery rhymes, so the baby will perceive it as a joy.

In addition to common truths, there are a number of rules for conducting gymnastics. They are aimed at ensuring that the newborn gets the maximum benefit from such activities:

  • before gymnastics, be sure to ventilate the room;
  • undress the child, clothes should not interfere with him and restrict movement;
  • all exercises should be performed on a hard surface, only in this way they will be beneficial;
  • you need to deal with the baby every day, preferably at the same time, after waking up, before, or just during the period when the baby is not sleeping;
  • never do exercises after the little one has eaten;
  • before starting gymnastics, gently massage the body of the newborn from the legs and arms to the back and tummy;
  • no need to press on the body of the baby, especially on the spine and the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe heart and kidneys (from the back);
  • no need to repeat each exercise more than 3-5 times;
  • the total duration of the process should not exceed 7-10 minutes.

When to do gymnastics

Immediately after birth, such a responsible event should not be engaged. Neither you nor the newborn is to anything. It makes sense to start classes two weeks after his birth, and only if there are no direct contraindications to this.

In no case should you do gymnastics after feeding. So much so that it is worth repeating it twice. A newborn is able to digest milk normally only at rest.

No matter how gymnastics fans you are, no matter how much you want to instill in your child a love for this type of activity, it is important to choose the right time for classes. Even the best exercises will not bring any benefit if it is violence against the little one. Therefore, the child should like gymnastics, movements should bring pleasure. Otherwise, there will be no sense, unless you make it worse.

If the newborn does not like gymnastics

Usually, children really like it when their mother fiddles with them, moves her arms and legs, and also repeats the rhyme at the same time. But each child is a separate planet. You may not like charging for a number of specific reasons:

  1. Bad time. If a child woke up in the morning and wants to eat, what kind of sport is there? Try to guess the time between sleep and feeding, when the baby seems to be awake, but has not yet had time to get hungry. But remember - after feeding, at least two hours should pass.
  2. Whims. If you are not in the mood, and they start touching your arms and legs, forcing you to study, what will you do with such a scoundrel? Well, a newborn can’t do anything with you, but he doesn’t have the mood to do exercises. And this is important to consider, because physical education should cause joy, not denial.
  3. Pain. If the child generally likes to exercise, but begins to whimper and cry with certain exercises, it is most likely that he is simply in pain. In this case, the peanut needs to be urgently shown to a specialist, telling in detail and showing what movements the newborn is worried about.

Types of gymnastics

Dynamic gymnastics for babies is divided into two main types:

  • Fortifying. Such exercises are designed for general strengthening of the muscles of the neck, back, abs, arms and legs. They can be done by everyone (in the absence of contraindications) just for general development.
  • Therapeutic exercise (LFK). Such exercises are aimed at correcting certain pathologies. For example, exercise therapy is prescribed for hip dysplasia. Salt in that these exercises can really solve a problem of the kid. But they must be performed exclusively under the guidance of an experienced specialist, you should not do it yourself, otherwise harm will come out instead of good.

Since exercise therapy is already a treatment, not a prevention, we will not go into the details of such exercises. But with general strengthening gymnastics, everything is easier - you can do it at home for pleasure. And there are a lot of such exercises, each mother can choose a complex that is ideal for her newborn. In the case of general strengthening physical education, the main thing is to observe the technique of exercises, then all of them will be useful to the little one.

Exercise technique

For newborns, they developed entire complexes of gymnastic exercises designed to develop the little one.

1.5 to 3 months

From birth, you can perform light gymnastic massage, from one and a half to three months - simple exercises:

  1. Gently massage the hands of the newborn with stroking movements. Start from the palm, gradually moving towards the shoulder. This will warm up and add muscle tone.
  2. The same massage will not hurt the legs. Move from foot to hip.
  3. After that, you can put the baby on the tummy. This will be an excellent self-massage of the latter and an excellent prevention of bloating and colic.
  4. While the newborn is lying on his tummy, you can not waste time and easily massage his back. The movements should be like stroking, from the buttocks to the neck. It also aims to increase blood flow to the muscles.
  5. After that, you can return the baby to the back and massage the tummy clockwise. Such a light massage is also the prevention of infant colic.
  6. The next type of influence is reflex. Gently hold the foot of the newborn with one hand, alternately press the second under the fingers (they will bend), and then on the heel (the fingers will straighten). Stimulation of such a reflex is especially important for walking in the future.
  7. This reflex effect is suitable for a monthly baby. Lay the baby on its side and press a little on the lower back with the palm of your hand. He must arch his back. Repeat on the other side. This is done specifically to train the muscles of the back and prepare them for future coups.
  8. Now lay the newborn on the tummy again, you can repeat a light back massage.
  9. For children 1-1.5 months old, a crawling exercise will be acceptable. When the baby is lying on the tummy, place your palms under the baby's feet, creating a slight emphasis. The baby will try to push and move forward, exercising the muscles of the back and legs, preparing to crawl on its own.

Such a set of exercises remains relevant up to the age of three months.

From 3 months

For older children, a different set of physical activity is suitable:

  1. Take the baby by the arms and fold them crosswise on the chest of the child. Loan again spread them in different directions. This is a great workout for joint flexibility.
  2. Repeat the hand massage as you did before.
  3. The same goes for foot massage.
  4. Now interesting. Holding the baby by the arm and legs, help him roll over from his back to his tummy in one direction, then in the other. Very soon, the baby will learn to do it on his own.
  5. In the position on the stomach, you can repeat the back massage.
  6. Now another interesting load for the little one. Take the baby with one hand under the tummy, hold the legs with the other. Raise the baby for a few seconds above the surface so that he raises his head in this position. So he will train the muscles of the neck and back.
  7. Now you can do a tummy massage.
  8. Foot massage should also not be ignored - you need to prepare for walking thoroughly and regularly.
  9. Now you can do a vibration massage of the chest. To do this, lightly press on it from the side of the tummy. This will stimulate blood flow to the lungs, which is excellent for preventing lung diseases.
  10. To complete, you can alternately bend the arms of the baby in the elbow joint. This is very useful for the muscles, and for the same joints.

4 to 6 months

Such complexes are designed for different age categories. Here is the optimal gymnastics for babies 4-6 months old:

After 6 months

And these exercises will appeal to crumbs from six months to 10 months:

Fitball exercises

If you like everything modern, you will definitely like gymnastics on a fitball (gymnastic ball) for babies. The picture shows only exemplary exercises, you yourself can give free rein to your imagination and turn classes into an exciting game:

The main thing is to remember about the safety of the crumbs and not to overdo it with loads. Gymnastics should be a joy for both mother and newborn.

Video: gymnastics for hip dysplasia for babies

In this video, a qualified specialist tells how to do gymnastics for children who have suspicions of hip dysplasia or the diagnosis has already been confirmed. It clearly shows what exercises are needed for what, it is told what else can be done, except for physiotherapy exercises to correct the position of the legs.

Gymnastics for newborns is a very useful, but at the same time very responsible occupation. First of all, you need to take into account the characteristics of the child himself. determines his health and further development. This is especially true for premature babies, it’s already difficult for them, it’s important for mom to help such a baby gradually catch up with their peers.

It plays an important role in gymnastics, so you warm up the muscles and prepare them for the exercises. Therefore, do not neglect it at any age. Otherwise, gymnastics should bring joy and pleasure to the baby and mother. These are precious moments of interaction that strengthen the health of the newborn and his mutual understanding with the parent.

Do you do gymnastics with your newborn? What kind of exercises do the little ones like? Share your experience and impressions in the comments. This will help to orient in the choice of a gymnastic complex for those young mothers who first thought about classes with a toddler. Healthy kids and happy gymnastics!

To begin with, in the section I decided to place a description of the exercises that I tested on my own experience. Exercises that I did with my children.

Before proceeding with the implementation of the complex, read.

Complex 1 (gymnastics and massage for newborns and children aged 2 months).

The starting position in all exercises from the first to the sixth is the same: we lay the baby on the back, legs towards the adult.

1 . We do a hand massage (or rather, stroking the hands).

Place the thumb of the right hand in the left hand of the child and hold it lightly. With your left hand, stroke the inner, and then the outer surface of the child’s left arm from the hand to the shoulder. We repeat 8 - 10 times. We do the same with the right hand of our baby, only we put the thumb of our left hand into it, and stroke it with our right hand.

And now - attention: the first exercise of your crumbs, the simplest. But its role in the development of the child's muscular system is difficult to overestimate.

We put our fingers in the baby's hand. The baby reflexively grabs your fingers. At this time, you slowly and gently pull him towards you. At the same time, the baby tenses up and, as it were, tries to get up..

2. We do a foot massage (also stroking).

We lay the baby’s right leg on our right palm, and with our left hand we stroke the entire leg from the foot up along the back, and then along the front surface. We also repeat 8-10 times. We lay the baby's left leg on the left palm, and stroke it with the right.

3. Foot massage (rubbing).

We lift the right leg of the baby by the shin with the left hand. With the back of the fingers of the right hand, we rub the sole of the child's foot (from the fingers to the heel and back). We do 10-12 more times. And the left leg, on the contrary, is raised with the right hand, and rubbed with the left.

4 . Finger flexion and extension (reflex).

Hold the baby's foot with your left hand. Gently press down on the foot just below the base of the toes with the index finger of the right hand. The sole and fingers of the baby will bend at the same time. After that, run along the outer part of the sole of the baby from the fingers to the heel. You need to hold the same finger, with a little pressure. For each leg, repeat the exercise 5-6 times.

5. "Gymnastics" for the body.

IN Take the child by the upper body and gently rock him to the right and left. At the same time, watch your hands - do not press hard on the ribs. Repeat the exercise 6-8 times.

6. Massage (stroking) of the tummy.

We will stroke simultaneously with both hands, with the back of the fingers. Right - the left side of the tummy, left - the right side. We do this 6-8 times.

7. Breast massage.

Grasp the child's chest so that the front thumbs touch each other. We move our hands from the middle to the barrels along the intercostal spaces, as if stretching. At the same time, lightly press on the pectoral muscles with your thumbs. We repeat the exercise 6-8 times.

8. Extension of the spine (reflex).

The baby lies on the right side, legs towards the adult.We draw two fingers of the right hand along the spine from the sacrum to the neck, pressing lightly. In this case, the child's butt must be held with the left hand. You will see how the baby's spine bends. Do it on one side 2-4 times and also on the other, only with the opposite hand.

9. Massage (stroking) of the back.Put the baby on the tummy, legs towards the adult, while his arms lie under the chest.We stroke the back of the baby from the neck to the buttocks with both palms. And the back of the palms and fingers in the opposite direction, from the buttocks to the neck. We do the exercise 6 - 8 times.

And the following exercise of our massage for newborns:

10. Kneading (foot massage). The position of the baby is the same as in the previous exercise.Holding the child's right leg with the left hand, we knead the outer and back surfaces of the thigh and lower leg with the right hand. We repeat this exercise 4-6 times. And for the other leg, we swap hands. Don't put in too much effort!

11. Buttocks massage.The baby again lies on the tummy, legs towards the adult.Gently pat the baby's buttocks with the back surface of the fingers of both hands. We repeat this exercise 10-12 times, while changing hands.

12. Reflex crawl.The baby is in the same position.

Bend the baby's legs at the knees and connect his feet so that they rest on your palm. At the same time, push the soles of the bent legs of the baby. When the baby is pushed off by them and trying to move forward, you must keep your hand still. We repeat 2-4 times.

H It is not necessary to perform all the elements of the complex every time. It is enough to perform them for 15 minutes.

It was a massage for newborns and babies 2 months old.

I wish health to your kids...and of course to you!!!

See you in the next article!

Sincerely.
Elena Medvedeva.

From birth, your child begins the struggle for existence. On the path of evolution, the strongest wins. Nature helps in the development of your baby from a tiny creature into a full-fledged and strong member of human society in all respects. It may seem to you that your baby spends a lot of time in vain - he just lies and does nothing. But in fact, this is not so - at this time, the body grows and develops at a rapid pace. And when the baby moves his arms, jerks his legs, he trains and develops his body. His muscles and bones get used to receiving the load and the child develops and becomes stronger. Muscle strength will help him hold his head, sit and hold his back, crawl, hold heavier objects with his handles. And the vertebral muscles and legs that have grown up and trained with such movements and stirring will later help him take the first steps. Caring parents are interested in harmoniously and gradually making the child stronger, helping him in this with the help of a set of exercises that is useful and recommended by pediatricians, described below. Become a personal trainer for your baby - help him become strong from the first months of life. These 4 simple exercises will help your baby grow big and strong.

1. Tummy Time

Usually the child spends most of the day on the back. And his muscles in this position are loaded and trained mediocre. But when the baby is turned over on his tummy, then muscle groups that have not previously received load are immediately included in the work, and the tone and load for the muscles of the body - the back, abdomen, neck and shoulders increases many times over. Already in the first days after birth, you can apply such exercises according to the Association of Pediatricians of America. Start with several times for 3-5 minutes. Exercises are best done in a playful way, put the baby on his tummy on a blanket or rug. Lie down next to him, and in an atmosphere of fun communication, do workouts. Make a face, show the baby a toy, attract attention in a different way so that the child moves and works different muscles. And so the training he needs to develop strength will become a joyful game and entertainment for him.

Distracting the crumbs here and there, you make him make more movements, therefore straining different muscle groups.

At first, with such exercises, the child may perceive the exercises without enthusiasm. But after a few sessions, the atmosphere of training with dad or mom will become joyful and familiar for him, and strengthened muscles will allow him to enjoy both exercise and movement. After a while, the baby will be able to spend more and more time on the tummy (up to 20 minutes a day). Over time, he will begin to grab objects and become strong enough to either crawl. Experts recommend not to stop such exercises, even after the baby begins to roll over from his back to his tummy on his own.

2. Pull ups

Another important and useful exercise for developing muscles in babies is pulling up in a sitting position. This exercise helps to strengthen the muscles of the shoulders, abdomen, arms and back. Even if you do all the work for the baby, pulling him up, the baby's abdominal muscles contract. And trying to straighten the head helps the baby gain a sense of balance.

Moms take note!


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To perform this exercise correctly, you need to put the child on the back and securely take him by the handles, gently and smoothly lift him up. This exercise should be carried out no earlier than one and a half months after the birth of the baby. If the baby still does not hold his head well, instead of pulling him by the handles, support him by placing one hand behind the back and the other under the back of the head.

You need to start the exercise by lifting the baby a few centimeters from the surface. The exercise will be more fun if your face is close enough to the baby's face, or it will be more fun for the baby if you kiss the baby every time he rises.

3. Exercise "Bicycle"

You have probably already heard about one of the methods for alleviating the suffering of newborns during colic - pulling the legs to the tummy. This exercise has other bonuses - strengthening the muscles of the legs, knees, hips and abdominal muscles, increases flexibility.

Place your baby on the back and make circular movements with his legs, imitating cycling. Joke, smile, voice everything in a cheerful and joyful form of communication - the child should enjoy classes. Repeat the movement 3-5 times - pause. Continue training until the time when it is interesting and joyful for the child.

4. Weight lifting exercises

A baby by nature should have developed grasping movements. Grasping is a great way to develop grasping skills, coordination, and helps develop muscles in the shoulder, arms, and hands. After the baby begins to grab objects with his hands on his own, pick up for him and use safe for him and moderately heavy objects as weighting agents during such training. Motivate the baby to pick up objects in his hands, raise them and lower them.

A newborn baby spends most of its time sleeping. So nature itself helps him to go through a period of adaptation to the new world. In a dream, all processes proceed softer. The newborn is awake quite a bit - no more than two hours a day. His awakenings are most often associated with natural needs - the desire to eat, wet diapers or abdominal pain due to colic. Short periods of wakefulness can and should be skillfully used.

For the development of the baby, special gymnastics will be useful, which is allowed literally from the very first days of life. About how and why to do it, we will tell in this article.



Benefit

Few people have questions about the benefits of gymnastics for newborns: charging is never harmful if done correctly. For babies who have just been born, gymnastic exercises are of particular importance.

After nine months in the mother's womb, spent in rather cramped conditions (it was especially crowded in the last 2 months before childbirth), there is nothing surprising in the physiological hypertonicity of the muscles, which is recorded in almost all infants. Gymnastics helps to quickly get rid of excessive muscle tension, the baby gets the opportunity to grow and develop physically in more comfortable conditions.

Gymnastics is not just a set of exercises. In any case, the baby sees her differently: for him, this is an opportunity for close tactile contact with his mother. Its absence or deficiency leads to poor emotional development of the baby, to a slowdown in his mental development.


Gymnastics improves blood circulation, which has a good effect on appetite, digestion and sleep quality: children sleep more deeply and calmly. Muscles develop, joints and ligaments strengthen. All this will then be sure to come in handy for the child when he begins to master coups, crawling, walking. Dr. Komarovsky, whose opinion matters to many mothers, believes that gymnastics and hardening from the very first days are the key to a healthy and strong immunity in the future.

Contraindications

Relative contraindications to gymnastic exercises for newborns are congenital heart defects, hemangioma, as well as the presence of a large umbilical or inguinal hernia. Sometimes doctors recommend refraining from gymnastic exercises for certain congenital diseases of the joints and the musculoskeletal system, for example, with the immaturity of the hip joints, gymnastics should be done special, therapeutic, and only when the baby grows up a little.

Gymnastics is not done if the child has vomiting, diarrhea, fever.

Be sure to ask a pediatrician about the possibility of classes - he will visit you the very next day after discharge from the hospital. For the vast majority of kids, doctors allow such classes, and with pleasure: the desire of a mother to develop her child is always commendable.


General principles

If there are no contraindications, it is advisable to start working with a child from 1.5-2 weeks. By this time, the baby is well adapted to the new environment. A mother who intends to do gymnastics with her child needs to know some general rules that will help to achieve maximum benefit and make the process of training interesting and enjoyable for everyone.

  • Take care of your child every day. Only daily gymnastics, and not a couple of exercises from time to time, will be useful and effective.
  • For classes, use a flat surface that will not fall under the weight of the baby - a table, countertop, changing table or chest of drawers.
  • Repeat each exercise no more than 3-5 times, this is enough for the baby not to get tired.
  • Turn the lesson into a game - with a verse, a song and a joke. The kid will definitely love it.
  • Do gymnastics in a ventilated room in which it is not hot (no more than 21 degrees Celsius), remove diapers and all clothes during gymnastics. In summer, if it is warm and not rainy outside, you can do gymnastics in the fresh air.
  • You cannot force a child to do exercises. If the baby is naughty and crying, you should not continue to do the exercises. It will be possible to return to gymnastics when the child is in the mood for play and communication.
  • When compiling a gymnastics program for your child, choose only those exercises that are suitable for his age, because excessive physical activity can harm.
  • Do exercises that will promote symmetrical development of paired muscles to prevent unilateral muscle activity from predominating.
  • Set the session duration to 10 minutes. To begin with, no more than 2 minutes, then every two days increase the time by one minute until you reach a ten-minute “workout”.



Charging can be done several times a day:

  • after waking up and morning hygiene procedures - morning;
  • gymnastics in combination with a restorative massage - in the morning;
  • a few relaxing exercises as part of a soothing evening massage, which is done before bathing.



Perform gymnastics on warmed muscles, even if you don’t even pre-massage: lightly rub your arms, legs, stomach and back with your palms before proceeding to the set of exercises.

Also make sure that the child is not hungry at the time of class, as hunger will distract him, the baby will start to cry. It is dangerous to do exercises immediately after eating - this can provoke profuse regurgitation.

It is optimal to schedule a lesson one and a half hours after a meal or an hour before the next feeding.

Classic exercise for babies from 0 to 3 months

Classical exercises can be combined with massage, air baths. Well, the techniques of classical gymnastics are suitable for the morning session, which the mother spends after washing, treating the navel. Classical gymnastics is performed in a static position: the child is in a stable position in space. This is the main difference between the classical complex and the dynamic one, which we will discuss below.

For a note, mom can be advised a few game exercises that will definitely come in handy for the mother of an infant from 2 weeks to 2 months.

  • "Caterpillar". Starting position - lying on your stomach. Mom brings her palm to the baby's feet and slightly presses on them with a forward movement. The baby reflexively crawls forward. So the muscles of the abdomen, legs, back are trained. Crawling is practiced from a very early age precisely for this, and not at all in order to teach a child to crawl, as many people think.


  • "Embryo". The posture that the child needs to take during this exercise is quite simple and familiar to him. In it, the child was in the mother's womb. Lay the baby on its side, bring the knees to the stomach, and hold the arms against the chest. Slightly tilt the baby's head with the chin down towards the chest. Hold it in this position for 15-20 seconds, then release. Repeat 4-5 times.
  • "Tapper". Lift the baby under the armpits, let the toes rest against the surface of the table and move the baby forward. He will reflexively take "steps" on the table. Do not relax your hands, the weight of the child should in no case fall on his fragile limbs and spine.
  • "Bike". Starting position - lying on your back. Take the baby's legs in your hands above the ankle and perform the movements characteristic of cycling.
  • "Worm". Starting position - lying on your side. Run your fingers along the baby's spine without pressure or pressure. Reflexively, the baby will arch the back, and then return it to its original position again.
  • "Athlete". Starting position - lying on your back. Take the baby's hands in your hands. Bring them to the chest, spread them in different directions, then lift them up and lower them along the body. At first, increased muscle tone will significantly limit the ups and downs, make sure that the child does not hurt.


If the child is already more than two months old and his age is approaching 3 months, it is quite possible to complicate the classical gymnastics program with the following exercises:

  • "Dolphin". Starting position - lying on your stomach. Place your palms under the baby's chest and belly, for a few seconds lift him low on your palms above the surface of the massage table. All muscle groups, especially the cervical, back and abdominal muscles will tighten. The back will bend, and the head will rise higher. Then gently lower the baby back to the starting position. Repeat 3-4 times.
  • "Skier". Lay the baby on the back, take one leg by the foot, gently straighten it at the knee and slide the foot of the crumbs across your palm with a sliding motion. Then do the same exercises for the second leg. It will be like skiing.
  • The next exercise is quite difficult, it is recommended to start doing it no earlier than 3 months of age. It's called "Spindle". Its essence is in training the oblique muscles of the abdomen and the long muscles of the back. Lay the child on the back. Grab the legs with one hand, pull the right handle with the other hand while moving the legs to the left. The baby will roll over onto his stomach. Then practice flips through the opposite side.



You can add exercises on the fitball - both on the back and on the stomach.

Dynamic charging

This type of gymnastics for babies belongs to the category of developing. Exercises are used more complex, they are all carried out in motion with a change in the position of the child's body in space. Swinging, rotation help not only develop the muscular system, but also effectively train the child's vestibular apparatus.

Dynamic exercises have more contraindications than classical ones, and therefore, in addition to consulting a doctor, it is advisable for parents to first receive a couple of lessons from an exercise therapy specialist. This type of gymnastics is not indicated for torticollis, weakness and underdevelopment of the joints. To begin with, a mother can visit an exercise therapy room in a clinic, go through several group classes with a baby, only after that it is possible to use the acquired skills at home - naturally, with caution and observing the technique of performing exercises.

Dynamic gymnastics programs can be different, here are just a few exercises for home use.

  • "Pilot". Put the baby on your stomach. With one hand, firmly grab the crumbs' wrist, and with the other - the leg in the shin area on the same side. Raise the baby for a few seconds and gently lower it back down. Repeat the exercise with the arm and leg on the other side.



  • "Climber". Starting position - lying on your back. Grab the baby’s legs with your hands just above the ankles, slightly lift the baby by the legs so that the legs are in the air and the head is on the table. Shake it lightly and gently lower it back down.
  • "Airplane". Everyone knows this exercise. It is better to entrust its implementation to dad, his hands are stronger than mom's. With one hand, take the baby lying on the stomach under the chest, with the other - under the tummy from the opposite side. The baby must be well fixed. Roll it around the room, imitating the sound of an airplane, change the height of the “flight”, you can circle the baby several times. You should not throw a child in the air and catch him, as some of the older generation do, this creates an excessive load on the spine and pelvic bones.

Dynamic gymnastics, according to supporters of its use, allows not only to develop the baby, but also to strengthen the psychological trust between the child and the adult. Many experts recommend starting it for newborns as early as 1 month.

Of particular importance is gymnastics for newborns whose parents have chosen tight swaddling. Dynamic charging is different from conventional...

With the birth of a child, newly-made parents are seized by a whole storm of conflicting feelings - joy and confusion, happiness and fear. It is understandable, because now they are responsible for the future of the baby. And if there are no doubts about quality nutrition and care, then there are many disputes about the motor activity of the crumbs. Is gymnastics necessary for newborns from the first days of life?

About the benefits of gymnastics for newborns

Any, even a newborn child, develops in motion. Physical activity contributes to the normalization of its blood circulation and the regulation of metabolic processes.

Of particular importance is gymnastics for babies whose parents have chosen tight swaddling. For such children, exercise will help stretch their still weak limbs and get rid of muscle spasm.

If the arms and legs of your baby are “free”, he also needs a general strengthening warm-up to develop tone and coordination.

It's also a great way to bond with your little one. Gentle touches and the gentle voice of the mother will help to get closer and convey to the baby that he is safe and his parents love him very much.

When to start doing gymnastics with a newborn

The opinions of experts on this matter are different. Some believe that the second week of a baby's life is quite the right time, because every day his ligaments will grow stronger, which means it will be harder to stretch. Others suggest waiting until the baby goes through the adjustment process, which is usually completed by three weeks.

Therefore, exercises for a week-old baby usually consist of light stroking of its limbs (from the periphery to the center), the abdomen (circular movements) and the back. This will help disperse the interstitial fluid and lymph throughout the body of the crumbs.

In addition to a light massage, you can bend and unbend the arms and legs of the crumbs:

  • we spread the baby's arms to the sides and cross them in the chest area;
  • raise the handles one by one, the free hand is along the body;
  • bend the legs and press them to the tummy;
  • open like a book, legs bent at the knees.

Important rules for gymnastic exercises

Already from 3-4 weeks you can do more active exercises. However, first you should familiarize yourself with some of the rules for its implementation.

right time

To prevent the baby from spitting up lunch, do not exercise earlier than an hour after his meal. Or move around with the baby 30 minutes before eating, then the tired baby will eat and fall asleep quickly.

Try to practice every day, preferably at the same time of day. A suitable period for this is from morning to afternoon, when the activity of children is increased.

Right mood

If the baby is sick or just naughty, cancel the exercises. It is necessary that gymnastics be associated with crumbs only with positive emotions!

Preparing the room

It is best to combine exercises with air baths, which are a great way to harden. Therefore, the room for classes should be clean and ventilated, with a comfortable air temperature for the baby (20–22 degrees).

Thematic material:

Prepare a hard surface (swaddling table, table), cover it with a blanket or diaper.

Beginning and ending with a massage

A good massage will help not only prepare for exercise, but also relax after it. With regard to newborns, you need to be especially careful, so it is better to entrust the first massage sessions to a professional. He will determine the condition of the baby's muscles and tell the mother how to massage on her own.

Any massage, especially for children, should be performed with an oil or cream that suits your child.

Massage for children does not apply to such important organs as the heart, liver and spine.

Duration of classes

At first, gymnastics is done no more than 5 minutes, including massage. When the baby gets a little stronger and grows up, he will be able to train up to 15-20 minutes.

Do no harm

Do not try to complete a large number of exercises in a short period of time. They, like massage, for babies are done at a measured pace, without sudden movements.

Rule out contraindications

Do not miss scheduled examinations of specialists in order to notice and correct pathologies in time. Any gymnastics for babies is carried out only after the recommendation of doctors, since some congenital and acquired ailments during childbirth (intracranial pressure, abnormalities in the development of the musculoskeletal system, etc.) may worsen.

Gymnastics for the little ones

From birth and up to about 2 months of life, the child's body actively responds to innate reflexes. Therefore, the main part of the training is based on them. Such gymnastics is called reflex and consists of the simplest exercises.

  1. Laying out on the tummy - the baby instinctively raises its head.
  2. Putting the baby on the side, lightly hold his legs. With the finger of your free hand, draw a path along its back, which will run 1 cm from the spine, from the sacrum to the neck. Following the reflex, the baby will bend.
  3. We put a finger in the crumbs hand to develop a grasping reflex, later you can do this with a rattle.

Charging for babies from 1 month is a little more complicated. Babies are already strong enough to train in crawling. To do this, place a support under the feet of the child lying on his stomach, from which he will push off and move forward a little.

Useful for training the neck muscles of children is the vertical position. If the mother takes her baby in her arms 2-4 times a day, he will quickly begin to hold his head.

Even the smallest children love to walk. In monthly babies, this is still reflex walking. It appears when the child, who is in an upright position, feels support under his feet.

Dynamic charging

Dynamic gymnastics for babies differs from the usual one in that during the exercises the baby is not located on a hard surface, but on the mother’s hands or a gymnastic ball.

Such exercises will help in the development of the vestibular apparatus, but will require some skill and special care in handling the fragile body of an infant.

It consists in swaying on the fitball, springy movements and rolling on the ball. At first, the child simply lies on it, by 4–5 months the baby “springs” while sitting, and then standing.

Gymnastics in the water

A large water bath is a great place for dynamic gymnastics. Under the supervision of an instructor, with the help of water, you can get rid of many pathologies of the musculoskeletal system. If the child is healthy, general strengthening exercises are suitable: describing the “eight” on the water, guiding the baby along the sides on the back and stomach, pushing the legs off the walls of the bath.

Already from the third week of life, when the umbilical wound finally heals, you can not boil water and transfer the bathing procedure to the parent bath.

Thematic material:

So that the baby does not swallow water and is not afraid, you need to hold it correctly: four fingers of an adult are under the armpits, the fifth one holds the shoulder, the baby's chin is located on the parent's wrist joint.

Children are the flowers of life! And in order for them to grow quickly and develop properly, they need to be given time. Every day, every minute spent with the baby is your small but very significant contribution to his future.