Why the Sheepskin?

Jane Swain

In our childcare at Sophia’s Hearth, we typically lay young babies on sheepskins on the floor during their free play periods.   Many of our parents purchase sheepskins and use them similarly at home and in their communities.  They are frequently asked, “Why do you lay your baby on a sheepskin?”

The world is so large for a young baby.  Sheepskins create a small delineated part of the world that is cozy and warm.  Repeatedly placing the baby on a sheepskin can become familiar and comfortable to them.  Sheepskins are easy to transport, and the baby can recognize a safe haven when they are in a new place.  Actually, it’s really not so much about the sheepskin;  it’s about what the sheepskin represents to both parent and baby: a safe space for the baby to do the developmental work that only they can do, and that begins with lying on their back. 

In the womb, the amniotic fluid tempers the full impact of the earth’s gravitational force on the fetus.  After birth, the baby needs considerable time to adjust to the pull of gravity.  Placing an infant on a relatively firm, flat surface on their back lets the child experience the pull of gravity evenly to all parts of their body.  They are unconsciously exploring the primal orientation question: “Where is down?” Understanding where down is, through repeated experiences, is the foundation upon which all balance depends.  As Jaimen McMillan, founder of Spacial Dynamics Institute, so adeptly teaches, infants start to push down into the surface in order to lift their arms and legs up.  Later, while lying on their tummies, they push down through their arms as they lift their torsos up off the surface. Pushing down in order to rise up continues throughout all the subsequent motor stages.