Movements that Lead to Milestones: 1 – 3 Months Old
It’s pretty easy to get excited when our babies finally begin to roll over, sit up, crawl, and walk. I’m hoping that this blog post will get you equally excited about other developmental moments – especially those that underlie and lead up to the big milestones. Here’s a list of movement components that show up in the first three months of life. (In the next blog post I’ll cover 4 -12 months.) I offer it as a kind of observation guide – a way to see more of what is going on right before your eyes! Hopefully it will spark your interest and curiosity and perhaps even give you a clearer sense of how your baby is slowly but surely building the foundation that will lead to the next milestone and – ultimately - to upright, coordinated movement.
Sources: “The Components of Normal Movement During the First Year of Life and Abnormal Motor Development,” Lois Bly, RPT and “Normal Development of Functional Motor Skills: The First Year of Life,” Alexander, Boehme, Cupps; Important note: time periods for achieving these movement components are approximate and are meant to indicate developmental progressions rather than benchmarks.
1 Month Old:
Head
On belly, can lift head and turn it to opposite side
Trunk
Whole body often curled up in position similar to being in the womb
On belly, hips are flexed (pulled in from being tucked up tight in utero) and this causes weight to shift forward onto baby’s face; as lifts head weight shifts backwards
Sitting – no self-support; rounded back, head flops forward
Arms
Arms begin to stretch out from being curled in
Legs
On belly, kicking as lifts head to turn to opposite side
Automatic or reflexive “standing” and “walking”
2 Months Old:
Head
On belly, can’t yet hold head in midline
On back, head rotates to side in asymmetrical position because of pull of gravity and baby doesn’t yet have muscle strength to counter that force
On back, because head is to the side, lateral vision is dominant and baby is often seen looking at hand.
Trunk
“Hypotonia” - lower tone: whole body flexion (curled up from being tucked up tight in utero) decreases and trunk starts to stretch out; seems to have less control than in previous month
Asymmetry: ATNR reflex (Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex) is activated when baby turns head to one side causing the arm on the face side to stretch out and the arm on the skull side to bend
On belly, hips are more stretched out, pelvis starting to drop down to meet the surface during rest. Less forward weight shifting and this allows for easier head lifting and turning to side
Sitting, no trunk support; head bobs.
Arms
On belly, hands beginning to be in position to support weight
Legs
In standing automatic walking is no longer present
3 Months Old:
Head
On back, head held in midline more often (neck muscles on both sides of head strengthening to allow for this); chin tucking is evident
Midline vision increasing – on back and on belly
When pulled to sit, not strong enough to hold head upright in midline
Trunk
On belly, able to lengthen out neck and trunk when lifting and turning head
In sitting, rounded back continues but increased ability to hold head up (shoulders go up and chin juts out to make it happen)
Arms
On belly arms move away from sides of body so that forearms can press into floor to support forearm weight bearing and in order to lift up head and chest (this position is important for giving sensory feedback to shoulders and neck which underlies development of stability)
On back, hands often held in midline
On back, hands on body and hand-on-hand contact increase body awareness
Legs
On back, symmetrical movement of legs (frog kicking)
On back, feet come together for foot play (increases sensory input leading to increase body awareness)
On belly, legs outwardly rotate and spread apart as they stretch out In standing, takes weight with feet