what's the normal age for pushing off with feet?

[Vicky Bilaniuk]

My midwife told me, but I forget, now. Anyway, tonight, for the first
time, Max pushed his body up with his legs. I had his belly pressed
against mine and was holding him in a sort of burping position (hard to
describe, but he sometimes likes to be cuddled this way), and he put his
feet down on my thighs and pushed himself right up and held himself
there and screamed in my face. ;-) He did this repeatedly. I was kind
of surprised. I didn't think he would be able to do this so soon.
(BTW, the only way I could make him happy once he started doing this was
to place him in another one of his favourite positions - a sitting
position, and yes, he can mostly hold his head up for this. He only
needs a little bit of help. He can only do this for a minute or two,
though.)

He can roll, too, which causes frightening situations at times. He only
does it by accident, though. He lacks the ability to understand that he
can do this stuff. He probably also lacks the coordination that is
required to do it at will. ...but the strength is not lacking.

I know this is going to sound silly, but... The kid's not going to hurt
himself, is he? I mean, it's not an issue where the bones can't take
this kind of thing at this age, or something, right? I'm such an
obvious paranoid first timer.

[A&G&K&H]

"Vicky Bilaniuk" > wrote in message
...
> My midwife told me, but I forget, now. Anyway, tonight, for the first
> time, Max pushed his body up with his legs. I had his belly pressed
> against mine and was holding him in a sort of burping position (hard to
> describe, but he sometimes likes to be cuddled this way), and he put his
> feet down on my thighs and pushed himself right up and held himself
> there and screamed in my face. ;-) He did this repeatedly. I was kind
> of surprised. I didn't think he would be able to do this so soon.
> (BTW, the only way I could make him happy once he started doing this was
> to place him in another one of his favourite positions - a sitting
> position, and yes, he can mostly hold his head up for this. He only
> needs a little bit of help. He can only do this for a minute or two,
> though.)
>
> He can roll, too, which causes frightening situations at times. He only
> does it by accident, though. He lacks the ability to understand that he
> can do this stuff. He probably also lacks the coordination that is
> required to do it at will. ...but the strength is not lacking.
>
> I know this is going to sound silly, but... The kid's not going to hurt
> himself, is he? I mean, it's not an issue where the bones can't take
> this kind of thing at this age, or something, right? I'm such an
> obvious paranoid first timer.

I think the pushing off with feet is a reflex thing. As soon as H gets his
feet against something, he starts pushing.
Its funny when they roll over by accident isn't it? H does this all the
time and gets such a confused look on his face when he does it. He holds
his head up too, which I would say was a "big baby" thing ...except DD did
this from birth as well and she was a whole kg lighter than H.
As for the safety ... I'm not sure, but my chiropractor seems to think that
we do need to be careful with such young joints, and because they can just
go floppy at any given point without warning.
I don't think I'd worry about him doing it though.
Amanda

--
DD 15th August 2002
1 tiny angel Nov 2003
DS 20th August 2004

[Vicky Bilaniuk]

A&G&K&H wrote:

> and because they can just
> go floppy at any given point without warning.

I so understand this problem. They don't know what they're doing, so
they don't know that relaxing at the wrong moment can be dangerous.

> I don't think I'd worry about him doing it though.

OK, I'll try to relax. ;-) I just don't want him to end up with the
same problems that I have.

[H Schinske]

wrote:

>My midwife told me, but I forget, now. Anyway, tonight, for the first
>time, Max pushed his body up with his legs. I had his belly pressed
>against mine and was holding him in a sort of burping position (hard to
>describe, but he sometimes likes to be cuddled this way), and he put his
>feet down on my thighs and pushed himself right up and held himself
>there and screamed in my face. ;-) He did this repeatedly. I was kind
>of surprised. I didn't think he would be able to do this so soon.

All of mine could jump up and down on my lap quite early. I forget when, but
seems to me it was well before _What to Expect_ even had it in the "May even be
able to ..." section. As I recall my mother said that all of us did that too,
she was always surprised when she held her friends' babies up and they just
dangled.

--Helen

[Sarah Vaughan]

In message >, Vicky
Bilaniuk > writes
>I know this is going to sound silly, but... The kid's not going to
>hurt himself, is he? I mean, it's not an issue where the bones can't
>take this kind of thing at this age, or something, right? I'm such an
>obvious paranoid first timer.

Actually, the bones are likely to be better able to take this kind of
thing in a baby than they would be in you or me, since they're still so
flexible. I'd take the same precautions with him as I would with an
older baby (i.e. don't leave him on above-ground surfaces alone where he
might roll over and fall on the floor) but no extra ones over and above
that.


All the best,

Sarah

--
"I once requested an urgent admission for a homeopath who had become depressed
and taken a massive underdose" - Phil Peverley

[Vicky Bilaniuk]

Sarah Vaughan wrote:
> Actually, the bones are likely to be better able to take this kind of
> thing in a baby than they would be in you or me, since they're still so
> flexible. I'd take the same precautions with him as I would with an
> older baby (i.e. don't leave him on above-ground surfaces alone where he
> might roll over and fall on the floor) but no extra ones over and above
> that.

Thanks!