Jane Swain

In our society, we typically are not process-oriented.  Instead, we are seemingly always ahead of ourselves.  We focus on the end result.  Overnight delivery, fast food, and racing to meet deadlines, these have all become so familiar to us.  It’s hard for us to slow down, and yet, babies soon teach us that slowing down is exactly what they need from us.  Perhaps, one of the greatest gifts that we can give our infants is our heartfelt acknowledgement that their development is a process, that it takes time, and that there’s no benefit to rushing!  

Regarding the infant’s motor development, each stage is important in and of itself, and that includes back-lying!  The benefits to back-lying are many, and they are discussed below: 

• The back-lying position offers the most freedom of movement for the newborn.  When they kick in this position, their legs move in all three dimensions of space, which promotes healthy alignment, especially of the hips and feet.  Back-lying also allows them to feel their heels on the surface, which supports a healthy future walking pattern with the heels down, rather than on the toes.

• In a typical full-term infant, it’s a tight fit in the womb the last few weeks, and back-lying on a flat surface offers them the possibility to fully stretch out and move.  In back-lying, they have the best possibility to move without strain, and therefore, to enjoy moving.  We want the baby to enjoy moving, because then they will move more! We want their motivation for movement to come from themselves--, rather than from someone else-- because movement that is initiated by the child is a primary means through which the baby learns to self-regulate.

• Back-lying offers the baby the largest visual field.  In this position they are more able to signal to and receive communication from the adult.  Here an infant gradually learns to bring their head to the middle and hold it there.  This beginning stage of head control paves the way for eye control.  In back-lying, the eyes have wonderful opportunities to track and converge, as the baby looks at their hands and toys when playing.  

• In Back-lying, babies have wonderful opportunities to learn where the middle of their bodies are.  Here they bring their hands together.  They put their hands and toys  in their mouth, which is in the middle of the face.  They play with toys in the middle of their bodies.  They bring their knees and feet together.  They reach across their middle with their arm when they reach for a toy.  They also reach across their middle with their arm or their leg when they roll. Establishing the middle and crossing the middle are foundational for later learning.  

• In Back-lying, babies reach for their knees and feet, further getting to know their bodies. All these activities strengthen the core muscles, laying a strong foundation for all later motor development.