While we know that the safest position to put the baby to sleep is on his back, during the time the baby is awake, staying upside down has important benefits for its development.
Once he is able to hold the head by himself, experts recommend that the baby pass a few minutes a day on his belly (what they call in English "tummy time") to start exploring the world from another position. You can start small, without forcing and always respecting the rhythms and desires of your baby. If you see that it is not receptive or protest, better leave it for another day.
Just like crawling or walking, time upside down is an important phase of its development that we should stimulate. There are at least five compelling reasons to do so.
Strengthens the back and neck muscles
The upside down posture strengthens the back and neck muscles, and also allows you to hold your head with respect to gravity. We must bear in mind that the head represents one third of the total weight of the baby, and you need to exercise your muscles to be able to lift your head. First it will be held with the forearms, and as it gains strength, with the palms of the hands.
When they are still very small, or do not feel like being on the floor, you can try to hold him in the arms upside down by holding the triplet. Thus the baby will begin to browse around him while exercising his muscles.
In Babies and more It is advisable to place the baby upside down when awakePrevents plagiocephaly
Placing the baby upside down on a regular basis is a way to prevent positional plagiocephaly, an increasingly common head deformity in children.
The baby's skull is still very malleable and always sleeping in the same posture and staying for a large part of the day with the head resting in the same position affects the shape of the head. If we put the baby upside down for a while we will help prevent deformity from occurring or accentuating.
It favors the crawling
It is the natural posture of crawling, so it acts as a practice for crawling. By strengthening the muscles of the arms, neck and back, the upside down posture will make it easier for the baby to crawl, a fundamental phase for the baby's development and autonomy. Crawling is necessary, among other things to learn to walk and to improve motor coordination, since with it the visual field is progressively widened.
This exercise as a pre-crawling phase may be one of the reasons why some babies end up crawling and others do not.
Improve your motor skills
If we place the baby upside down as part of his daily routine of physical activity, it will help him begin to turn, sit and crawl because his muscles have already been practicing for it.
Before crawling he will start to crawl and roll exploring all his motor possibilities. A very simple exercise is to place a toy in front of you to try to reach it, or a soft cloth book with flaps and textures.
Stimulate your senses
Changing the posture you are usually in allows you to explore the world from another point of view. When looking at the ground at close range, the child focuses both eyes on the same point, helping to strengthen the focus. You also experience new sensations when you touch the ground with the palm of your hands. You can put a blanket with different activities and textures so you can see, touch and discover.
In Babies and more | Why is it important that the baby is upside down (awake) ?, It is advisable to place the baby upside down when he is awake
