#35 The TummyTime Method with Michelle Emanuel, OTR/L, CIMI, CST, NBCR, RYT200

Today is Wednesday, October 21, 2020, and we are discussing the TummyTime™ Method with its creator, occupational therapist Michelle Emanuel. Michelle brings more than 20 years of experience as an occupational therapist working with babies in the neonatal intensive care unit and in pediatrics. Over time, she recognized the need for a private practice where she could also integrate her passion for anatomy as a craniosacral therapist, myofunctional therapist, infant massage instructor, and yoga teacher.

She developed and later trademarked the TummyTime™ Method after realizing there was much more to tummy time than simply placing babies on their bellies. By integrating physiological and anatomical movements with touch and play, Michelle discovered that tummy time can profoundly influence how babies feed, digest, and connect with their parents and caregivers.

In this episode, we discuss:

~ the background of the Back to Sleep Campaign and the purpose of tummy time
~ what occupational therapists do in the NICU
~ how Michelle developed the TummyTime™ Method
~ when to start it, how to do it, how often, and what to do if baby cries
~ what to do if baby rolls over before 4 months—especially when parents are trying to encourage tummy time
~ the various areas the TummyTime™ Method addresses, including:
• Postural asymmetries (torticollis, head-turning or feeding preference to one side)
• Plagiocephaly / brachycephaly / scaphocephaly (cranial molding or flattening)
• Oral restrictions (tongue-, lip-, and buccal-ties)
• GI issues: reflux, colic-like symptoms, decreased bowel movements
• Fussiness, armoring, stiffness, and body tension
• Sensory processing and integration sensitivities
• Latch and breastfeeding challenges
• Oral rest posture and tongue posture concerns
• Breathing issues such as snoring, squeaky breathing, and laryngomalacia, etc.

 
You can learn more about Michelle and the TummyTime Method at tummytimemethod.com.