A Bottom-Up Approach to Growing Strong Brains and Bodies
Developmental movement for everyone - babes to grown, parents to pro
Benefits of this Approach
Our brains and bodies are wired through early infant movement. That means our early movement is not only preparing us to walk and run but also for every other cognitive and emotional pursuit throughout life.
This Bottom-up Approach unlocks a treasure trove of benefits that go beyond physical development, positively impacting all academic and personal pursuits.
Some of these highlights are:
Boosts Brainpower - Stimulating neural connections, and enhancing cognitive skills like memory, attention, and problem-solving.
Emotional Regulation - Early movement prepares us to calm ourselves when we are aroused.
Optimal Integration - We all want to feel good in our bodies.
Method of the Approach
Brain Development & Early Movement Patterns
There is a beautiful, organic sequence of essential, instinctual movements embedded into every baby’s nervous system that is partnered with healthy brain development.
These movements create the neural pathways that are necessary for the efficient organization of the nervous system and set the foundation to support the development of physical, emotional, and cognitive skills throughout the individual's lifetime.
Integration of the whole body dynamic
In our modern society, babies may miss the opportunity for these essential movements, and therefore miss the opportunity to firmly establish the neural pathways necessary for an organized nervous system. At any age we can address this unfinished business by exploring a variety of movements rooted in early development to remember, relearn and rewire our systems from the bottom-up.
The Good News
If these movement patterns are missed, the neural pathways are overwritten, not erased. They can be reactivated through exercises that mimic the essential movement pattern that was missed.
By revisiting and integrating these movement patterns, the brain can be reorganized to create a nervous system that works more efficiently. When this happens, kids (and adults) feel more organized and safe in their bodies for all they do: sports, music lessons, eating, sitting in school, making friends, self-regulating and focusing on tasks.
Science of this Approach
In the Bottom-up Approach to Growing Strong Brains and Bodies, we draw from three components of Developmental Movement:
1) The Infant Sequence
The Baby Bare Infant Sequence is a series of movements inherent in each of us. Emphasis is placed on experiencing each important part of the sequence rather than on when it happens as seen in the traditional milestone system you may be familiar with. We highlight how one movement is preparing for the next and how this beautiful sequence is designed to not only get us up and walking but also developing cognitive and emotional capacity. The Baby Bare Infant Sequence invites a slower pace where the value of each part is honored without rushing to finish line of walking!
2) Six Patterns in Developmental Movement
One way of looking at our movements is to categorize them into 6 very basic ways of moving we call patterns. Different than the infant sequence which is a linear set of movements that build on each other, the Developmental Movement Patterns are more cyclical in nature and can be observed in our everyday movement as well as skilled movements in athletics and the arts. In Baby Bare we call them: Breath, Core/Distal, Head/Tail, Homologus, Homolateral and Cross Lateral. (You may know or come across these patterns by different names)
3) Primitive Reflexes
The Infant Sequence and Developmental Movement Patterns are made possible by a series of primitive reflexes designed to help us get out of the birth canal, adjust to gravity, and move our bodies. Once each reflex has done its job, it integrates into the low brain making more sophisticated and voluntary movements possible. When these reflexes are not integrated, often called "retained reflexes" they can hinder optimal development rather than support it. Baby Bare educates about this often overlooked aspect of human development as a means to deepen our understanding and support the symptoms we see in our children and feel in our own bodies.
To learn more about Developmental Movement check out these sites:
https://labaninstitute.org/about/bartenieff-fundamentals/ https://exhibitions.lib.umd.edu/bartenieff/bartenieff-fundamentals https://www.bodymindcentering.com/ https://www.sallygoddardblythe.co.uk/books https://bonniebainbridgecohen.com/pages/about
