Tummy Time, Infant Development & More

Tummy Time, Infant Development & More – with Physical Therapist Whitney Burke, MSPT

LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE on your favorite podcast app or in the player below!

Sometimes doing something good has unintended consequences.

In the early 1990s, it was determined that putting babies to sleep on their backs instead of their stomachs would help to prevent SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). In fact, since the Back to Sleep campaign (now called Safe to Sleep) was launched in 1994, the rate of SIDS in the United States has dropped by 50%.

While that’s fantastic news, the downside is that we’ve now seen that babies who sleep on their backs have slightly slower motor development and are at risk for problems like torticollis (head tilt) and plagiocephaly (flat head).

Since we clearly don’t want anyone to experience SIDS, the recommendation to put babies to sleep on their backs isn’t going anywhere — and rightly so. Instead, we’ve got to learn what we can do to help new babies develop well and avoid any preventable problems.

Enter Whitney Burke.

Whitney Burke, MSPT, is a pediatric physical therapist whose passion is giving parents the tools they need to raise a healthy baby. She received her training at Northeastern University and began working at Blythedale Children’s Hospital in Westchester, NY before she founded her own private practice in New York City’s Upper East Side. Whitney has also created a parent education course called Walking with Whitney, which she teaches in New York City — and has recently produced a video series so that she can share her insights with you (see the trailer below).

Because she has spent years working with children of all ages and with a wide range of developmental disabilities, Whitney knows how to teach parents to help their children develop to the best of their abilities, no matter where they’re starting from. She also loves to educate parents on developmentally appropriate play ideas for newborns — play that can help to strengthen them and both prevent and treat conditions like torticollis & plagiocephaly.

I’m thrilled that Whitney has come onto The Child Repair Guide to share her ideas with you!

Take a listen, and if you know someone in your life who has a new baby, SHARE this episode with them!

Listen on your favorite podcast app or play it in the player below.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

The better way to think about “tummy time” & how to work it in throughout your day
What to do if your baby hates tummy time
What torticollis is, which babies are most at risk, and when to seek help
How to prevent your baby from developing flat spots on the head
What to do if your baby already has a flat spot on the head
How bouncy seats, swings, exersaucers, and other commonly used baby gear can affect your baby’s development
How long is “okay” for your baby to be placed in bouncy seats, swings, etc.
What products may help prevent or improve your baby’s torticollis, flat head, and more (see below)
And much, much more!