Game-Changing Tips for Boosting Your Baby’s Development with Pediatric Physical Therapist, Elizabeth Agrapidis | 136

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And we were chatting about this before we started. We want to talk about some ways that Elizabeth can practically, I'm assuming practically help you with those areas with, you know, you, maybe you haven't lost your joy yet, but we all go through seasons of that. As moms, so Elizabeth, I'd love to just have you introduce yourself and just tell everyone, you know, what you're so passionate about.

So it's, it's in both ways because I want them to be, help you to be equipped in setting up your baby from the beginning so that the baby is set up well with their brain, their body, their development, but then it also is going to give you. It's going to give you like less guilt about things, less worry that you're missing stuff or that you're messing something up.

And so that's where my passion is. I mean, it takes, it just takes too long for like a mom and that whole area that I used to work and to, to get any help and to get to me. And so I'm just backed it all up and helping from the beginning.

Like, what are some practical things so some of these moms can understand?

Elizabeth: Yeah, so definitely practical. So that's my whole thing is taking all of this and bringing it like, okay, what can I do about it?

So I do. I do NeuroPlay sessions and I've named it NeuroPlay because it's doing all the high level stuff, but it's still play.

So some ways that I like to help you at home is having, I call it an awake schedule, awake time schedule. And so it's a lot of the research and stuff out there and the help is all about the sleep schedule and which is totally, I get it. I have two children. I But what I like to help with is the awake time schedule because I I remember personally the feelings and you're like Sometimes you feel yay.

And I feel like, it's 50 percent time they're sleeping and 50 percent time they're awake. I mean, depending on the baby's age. There are always, my mom told me this once when I, my kids were little, but it was like, you know, as they age, they're going to sleep less, they're actually going to be awake more and you know, you need to kind of get used to that.

Yeah. Yeah, for sure. Okay. I'm happy to, I have a new ebook that it's about like, it's pre, you can pre order it now and, it's going to go into more detail of this and actually show you the schedule and then. Some neuro play activities and then also I talk about the play space how to set up a great play space So then you don't have to worry about it.

Like if somebody like me tells you take them out of the containers That's like my other thing get them then you're like, well, what am I supposed to do with them? So I help me with that too. So this schedule Is very helpful because you can say all right when I go to the crib This is what you do. You want to go in a certain frame of mind if possible like hi How are you and if you're not feeling that yet?

Create stress responses and even later on in life how they respond to stress with addictive behaviors and so it's all kind of forming at the beginning which is a little bit can be overwhelming because you're like oh great now I gotta worry about

Trish: that too. Yeah but I like I like that because you're saying okay well here's a small little thing you can do how you greet them.

When you enter the room and walk up to the crib or their sleep space. Yeah.

Elizabeth: So that's how I start. And then if the first thing is changing the diaper, then there's a couple little things you do while you change the diaper. And I teach so bicycling the legs, doing a little patty cake, rolling the hips both ways.

And then when you feeding them, hold them in a way, you know, there's a lot of different, but it's each little step of that schedule. You can just check it off. Like, okay, I did the play time. I got it in. And if you have a question about, are they like, this is not working, right? You know, the ebook or the consultations is where you can be like, Oh wait, this is too much for me.

And, or you're messing up, like you're not messing up. I'm, I'm just, you know, no one's messing up, but we feel that way.

Trish: Well, and I love that because you're giving practical tips for each step. So you said for, you know, greeting them, how to do that. Then you said for changing their diaper, what are some practical little neuro play activities or ideas for when they are on the ground?

What are a couple easy ones?

Then. What I like to do is use one simple toy or maybe two simple toys and you want to make the movement make sense. So if you're playing patty cake and they're looking this way or to their left, You don't want to keep doing patty cake and singing this song. Their attention is on something else. We want to connect.

This is a big one. Connecting the experiences with the brain and the body. And the more you put that together, then the more, I mean, you are making sure your baby is going to be on track. And that's actually the name of the e book. Make sure your baby is on track. Lose the worry. So, make it make sense. So if you're doing something, they're looking at you.

Trish: Elizabeth. Oh, good. I need to tell me, no, I'm saying for myself, I cannot have my husband talking in the TV on the kids running around talking like I can't, I need to have one simple toy at a time too.

Elizabeth: Yes, I know. You know, it's funny because. Sometimes I think moms are trying so hard to be great and be perfect, you know? And perfect, by the way, is just unrealistic. Your puppy is, go ahead. Your

Trish: Hi. She's on the counter.

Elizabeth: I know.

Trish: Okay. I was just making sure we're aware of that. Those of you guys. I, this is so funny, you guys, so we're on video.

It really does. And it's the same with your babies. Like keep it simple for you. I mean for them, but also for you, because I think we as moms get so overwhelmed. I have to do this. I have to do that. I got to make sure that no, let's keep it simple. And some of these activities are combining a lot of different, really valuable lessons into one simple activity.

Don't you think?

Elizabeth: Totally. Totally. And I, I think I'll just make a comment on, on Instagram, for example, or if you buy an app, you know, for development, because everybody knows the word. It's like, okay, I need to work on development. That's a thing. But like, if you're a lawyer or an accountant, or, your mom, you don't, that's not your thing.

Yeah, I think that it can be done better than that and so From the very very beginning two three four months if you're doing something simple. I know like you said Bicycling the legs or doing patty cake very simple or putting them on their tummy What you'll notice is if something doesn't work, right if something didn't feel right right then There's a very small thing that can be tweaked that can integrate it.

So that's kind of where I come in with one little thing at a time. You're like, Oh yeah, I know to play patty cake, but do you know how to play patty cake? Make it make sense. Slow it down, let them look at you, make a smile, and then if you notice, or your nanny, your nanny should be doing this, and if they're not, call me, please, but if you notice, say one of their arms is, is I say retracted, but like pulled back and you're like, I try to play patty cake and it doesn't work.

I don't know. Is that

too

many words?

Trish: No, that's, that's perfect. And I think that knowing some of these little things will give these moms peace and you brought up an important thing. Sometimes your pediatrician doesn't listen to you and thanks because you don't know what you're talking about and you're not an expert. And honestly, I feel like we as moms know, like we may not know what we're seeing or why we're seeing it, but we see it.

And so I love that you're saying like, hey, you might be seeing this, if you're seeing this, you're feeling this, here's some little things you can do that won't overwhelm you and you don't have to wait for a doctor to approve it. These are safe for you to do with your baby. And I like that a lot. I think that's great.

Elizabeth: so one big one stands out that Sometimes the parents are afraid of movement And so they maybe waited too long.

This is just one example. I've had quite a few babies and they don't like movement. And so once you get to Six to nine months or more if that's the case It's harder to break like it's not break. It's harder to get them, right? So then they're missing out on a ton of development, which means their brain is so when you say they

Trish: don't like movement break that down into like You know, as, as easily easy to understand, like, make me understand what that looks like for a parent.

So I'll

Trish: days right now.

You understand that everybody's like, Oh my God. I thought it was just a content baby.

Elizabeth: I'm sorry. So. Look, let me, let me clarify, so she was, it was a long time. Yeah, it was like a nine month old should not just sit for more than like, No, like for more than like, if she really likes it, it would have been like a couple minutes.

And she didn't want to do that. She didn't. And you know, we never, it's not like we had a clear reason and that's why I'm so passionate about this because. She didn't have trauma at birth. She didn't have like there was no Clear she didn't have a diagnosis, you know, she didn't fall on her head like nothing happened.

And so this mom may have not Gotten this information for a really long time because when you tell your pediatrician, right? Yeah My daughter just sits all the time and she's happy. He's gonna be like, oh good. What's What's your problem?

Trish: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah,

Elizabeth: so we had to do a lot of work Because I mean your body you have all these joints And they all have a certain amount of range of motion that they're supposed to use and that's For a bunch of reasons, right?

If they have head control, you can, you can hold them less tight. So that's what I meant by movement. I didn't clarify that very well, but all of that movement she hated. So she wasn't going to do any of it on her own. So she would have been significantly delayed. And so she was already delayed. She didn't walk till probably 16, maybe 17 months.

And I was like, Oh no. But anyway, it turns out a very happy ending And she's a little gymnast now. What

Trish: about what are what's another common? You know reason that a mom might bring their baby to you

Elizabeth: so A lot of times babies on their tummy. You'll see their arms kind of retract backwards like superman in not in the front like when he's flying but like backwards in there, That's if I see that early I'm I mean, i'm I, I want to fix it early, basically is what the point of this conversation, because they're not able to use their arms.

Blowing, blowing on their tummy. And then I have a baby doll I usually use like shaking their tummy. Okay. Like to get it like, like tickling. Some of these things we do

Trish: naturally as moms anyway.

Elizabeth: Correct. Okay. Correct. But doing them intentionally. Sometimes people don't though. Okay. Yeah. And sometimes people don't know that.

Yeah. Like, like swinging your baby in your arms. Sometimes, like I had a neighbor mom and she was like, oh no, that's too, too fast. And I was like. Oh. Nope. It's not. Let me show you. And she just didn't know. Yeah. You know, and it's not her fault. And so the shaking their tummy, sometimes you'll see their legs.

If you get the cord kind of going, their arms will start to relax. Okay. But if you take the arm and pull it, they pull it right back. Okay. Take the arm and pull it and they pull it right back. Okay. Yeah. So that's a big thing because nobody, nobody really

knows that. And they're just like, what is going on?

Trish: Yeah. And I think a lot of times, like, I, I don't even realize that I realized that was something that signified they might be not. Doing the right developmental, you know, stage for tummy time. Like, cause a lot, some of my kids did that. So I, I love all of that and I feel like it's so rich for these moms.

Like, how do I learn all this? And then. You shut down because it seems overwhelming. So tell everybody, like, where can they find you to get some of these tips? And you said your ebook is coming out. Tell us a little more about the ebook.

Elizabeth: Oh, okay. So you can find me, I'd say the easiest way right now is on Instagram.

It's Abilifit, which is my company name. A B I L I F I T underscore PD dev. So you can find it under my name too, but it's PD development. So, Abilifit underscore P E D I D E V and I have a lot of things linked on there that you can find me. My website is coming more towards moms. It's got a lot of nanny stuff on it right now, but you can read about me.

Yeah. And so if you break it down into these sections and I, I kind of separate it out a little bit, but it's like, give me a 50, it's a guide. Mm

Trish: hmm.

Elizabeth: Read it and then whatever part stood out to you that you need, you feel like, Oh, that gave me a little sense of peace. I felt myself maybe breathing better, you know, go back to that section, you know, maybe it's the section on the play space because you shouldn't have them in a container and I can talk more about that later, but more than like 20 minutes per day.

So then you got to have them on the floor. So if you're gonna have them on the floor, if you have a little space created, And you know, I can help you with that like just in consulting like hey, let's have this toy this way How's your house set up? You know, maybe you need to put a little gate around it.

And you're like, this week a baby should be doing this. And they're like, mine's not. I don't work. Yeah. Yeah, I don't work that way. I don't work week by week. I use milestones as a, as a guide of, like, I know what it should look like. And so I'm trying to help you in an easy way. Know what you can be doing and then it it helps it's going to help everything integrate

So I love that. Thank you so much for coming on today and good luck with that little stinker back there.

Little puppy. She's so cute. Luckily, because

yeah,

Elizabeth: she wasn't cute. I don't

Trish: know that. That's my Tula. We, she is so cute. something else. She's a year old now, but we still call her the puppy, but whatever.