Held high

So, T had a little breakthrough today. As I suggested in a previous post, she's been struggling somewhat with the whole head control thing, or maybe not struggling enough, because she's had basically no use for tummy time - the prescribed routine for encouraging said control. Here's the way our attempts usually go. We play on the floor for a bit, and when I think she's as close to the right mood as she gets, I'll roll her over onto her belly. If I've gauged her mood right, she'll lie there with her head flat on the mat looking left for a minute or two before she gets fed up and starts to fight. If not, she'll protest immediately. At which point I'll do various things to soothe and/or encourage her, applauding the brief little accidental lifts as she squirms defiantly. After what seems like an appropriate time (varies greatly with both her and my patience), I'll roll her back over and let her do something she actually likes again once she quiets down. And maybe repeat awhile later.

Funny thing, if I manage to roll her over so her head is looking right instead of her preferred left, she'll lift it just high enough to clear her nose and roll her head till she's looking left, then start fighting, apparently oblivious to the bit of skill she just demonstrated.

One variation I'd tried a few times was putting a rolled towel under her chest to help support her. Today, I opted for a more manual approach, and slid my hand under her chest, giving her just a little lift off the mat. And wonder of wonders, she stopped the fuss she'd started and looked a bit forward, lifting her head. And then she stayed there, and her little arms found there way to her sides and did a little supporting of their own. And her head stayed up as I cheered her on, even letting a bit more of her weight onto her arms. I opted to roll her back before she changed her mind about enjoying the forward view, but I tried again a little while later and she obliged me with a repeat performance.

So, yes, this proud parent's been waiting on this one for a while, watching for signs, since even her pretty relaxed doc was saying at her last appointment I should make her take her tummy time to get those neck muscles going. But T took this little discovery to heart. After her next bottle, I put her up to my shoulder to burp her and she utterly refused to rest her head. No way she was doing anything but hold it up, even as I reclined my chair right back. Stubborn little girl when she gets something into her head. Just like her mama.