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Exercise Suggestions for an Infant
 The
term infant is
applied to young children between the ages of 1 month and 12 months. As a mother
you might feel the need to exercise insignificant
for your baby.
With rising incidence of childhood obesity, the
British government has issued a new set of guidelines to parents to fight
childhood obesity. They
recommend children, 5 and under, should be engaged in at least three hours of
exercise daily, and this includes infants. According to
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the obesity rate for this group
is about 17 percent leading some to wonder if baby workouts should start even
before the little ones learn to take their first step.
According to Kim Kusika (source: http://www.americanownews.com/story/15625578/benefits-of-infant-exercise),
an infant trainer at The Little Gym "Doing flips and twists and turns gives
their body a workout from the inside out. Helping infants to develop their core,
their equilibrium their vestibular sense, all those odd things we don't think
about looking from the outside at our babies"
Exercise Ideas
-
 Reaching for rings or
even bubbles.
-
Grip Exercise: Lay the baby on his back on the floor. Wrap your
baby's hand around your forefinger; hold in place with your thumb and third
finger. Stretch out baby's arm by gently drawing his hand toward you. Do not
pull baby up off the floor. Return to the starting position.
-
Chest Cross: Grip both the
baby's hands. Spread baby's arms out to the sides, bring them in across his
chest, and spread them out again. Do this exercise slowly and gently,
repeating the movement 5 times. You can even raise baby's arms up above his
head and down to his sides.
-
The Wing Out: Make the baby lie in prone position, secure his grip in
your own and gently stretch and
raise his arms.
-
Swan Arch: Make the baby
lie face down, call on him/her. In response the baby will raise his/her
head. This will help baby strengthen
upper back and neck.
-
Ankle Rotation: Turn
the baby's toes out, then in. Repeat 10 times. This exercise helps increase flexibility, add
strength for walking.
-
Bicycle: Make the baby
lying on his back, hold his feet or lower legs and gently push one leg up
toward his chest while extending the other. Alternately push and extend each
leg 3 times. Stop and then repeat the exercise. After you finish, let baby
kick freely.
If your child grows up seeing you exercise and understanding it as a part of a
daily routine, he/she�ll be more inclined to exercise in his/her life.
Please consult a doctor before starting an exercise routine.
Dated 27 May 2013
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