Yesterday I met Elizabeth Katherine’s physical therapist. She showed me how to stretch Elizabeth Katherine’s back to help her maintain a rounded position. She needs the rounded position at this point of development to help with her muscle growth, remember she’d ordinarily still be in the womb and all curled up. You place your palm beneth her, draw your palm towards her feet until you feel her hip bones, then apply very gentle stretching pressure as you pull your hand footwards, lifting slightly as you draw.
We also talked about Elizabeth Katherine’s body language and body posture, and the meaning behind the cues as well as the terms organized/disorganized behavior. Over simplified, but basically organized behavior is desirable and means Elizabeth Katherine is handling the stimulation and her environment ok, she’s not over threshold, and is in a good spot to do stuff (diapers, non-nutritive nipple therapy, body care, etc). If she’s exhibiting disorganized behavior she’s over threshold, over stimulated, has been pushed beyond what she’s capable of processing. Disorganized behavior is undesirable because it means the baby is under stress, cortisol may be getting released, and her bodys ability to focus on growing bigger and stronger has been inhibited/interrupted.
Organized behavior is relaxed posture, rounded back, legs and arms tucked in towards her chest, smooth forehead, relaxed hands. Nothing splaying or stretching in rigid motions. Disorganized behavior may mean forehead wrinkles, gaping mouth, rigidity in the body or limbs, splayed fingers, splayed toes, arms/legs thrust out hard, abrupt movements. Lots more.
Talking with Ginny was a lot like being back at Chicken Camp with Bob Bailey and Terry and Bill Ryan, and all the super cool trainers, discussing operant and respondent conditioning. Behavior is lawful. Behavior is meaningful. I’m going to see if I can find an extra copy of Turid Rugaas’ book ‘Calming Signals’, I think she’d appreciate it.
Ginny provided me with a large handout so Scott and I can learn more about Elizabeth Katherine’s communication and body language.
And here is Elizabeth Katherine’s information sheet at her cribside, provided by her physical therapist:
03/20/2012
Behavior is my primary form of communication! If you understand my behavior, I will tell you how to interact with me. Look at page 2 and 5 in ‘Other Side of the Cradle’ for more information about behavioral cues. She calms with containment, grasping and sucking on her pacifier.
Touching: This sense is the well developed. Light touch and stroking can be too much. Calming touch is firm and consistent. Placing a hand at the head and feet or holding the arms and legs close to the body until calm, is very helpful.
Elizabeth calms with containment during cares so having a second pair of hands or swaddling to contain during cares will hep her decrease stress signs during cares.
Positioning: It is important for movement development for Elizabeth’s back to be rounded with her shoulders forward and arms in front of her body so she can get her hands together as she calms when she can grasp. Lifting in side-lying can help her maintain her ability to self comfort during transfers. Round her low back and tuck her legs in to her body.
Skin to skin holding as often as possible and as long as possible is the best.
Vision and Hearing: These senses are still developing. Please protect them by keeping her environment quiet and dark. Dim light during cares is okay but please keep her eyes shaded. Keep voices down and silense alarms quickly.