Baby is now 5 weeks old! Although you’ve had little one for over a month, you’re still in the Symbiotic Period (the 4th trimester), you need each other. Baby needs to be with you to continue to create a secure attachment which later will help him feel more confident and secure when he becomes more independent. So enjoy all the newborn snuggles!
High-Contrast Visuals
If you don’t have a Munari mobile and are looking for an alternative or you’d like an additional high-contrast material to use with baby to support his development, I highly recommend “Black & White” by Tana Hoban. It can be flipped through like a book, but it can also unfold like an accordion and be made to stand upright next to a mat for tummy-time.
Mirror Mirror
Another item that you can use during tummy-time is a mirror. If you have one on hand, try propping up a little mirror near baby’s tummy-time or play mat area. I would recommend having one fixed to the wall in the long-run, but if you don’t have one yet, hold one up and observe your baby’s reaction to it. Does baby show any interest in this? Is he observing his movements? Making faces?
Observation & Language
Keep observing your little one: what are they paying attention to? Do they react to certain sounds?
If little one is on a play mat or on his topponcino, you may want to lie down next to him, to see what they are seeing. What do you notice? Is there too much to pay attention to? Or, on the contrary, just a blank ceiling? By positioning yourself from your baby’s vantage point, you’ll get a better idea of how the environment looks to them (it can be a world of a difference to how it looks from your point of view).
Another thing you can do while little one is observing the world from his mat is to read some stories out loud, and sing to him. Even though it may feel silly because your little one doesn’t understand what you’re saying yet, they will enjoy hearing your voice, and I find it’s a lovely habit to build.
Get out of the house
In case you haven’t yet, I’d encourage you to leave the house. Whether that means going for a walk, joining a mommy-baby group to connect with some other young parents… It will not only break up your day a little (sometimes they can feel long), but you will also feel better after getting some fresh air (and it’s proven to help boost the immune system!) and talking to other grown ups.
How has this past week been for you? How do you feel recovery is going? Share your thoughts and experiences from the past week below!
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Montessori Baby from 0 to 52 Weeks
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