Fitball for babies: is it worth trying and how exactly

Why use a fitball?

Fitball is used for gymnastics with infants from one month of age. The child is placed on the ball with his back or tummy, swayed, rolled back and forth and from side to side.

Is consideredTHE INFLUENCE OF FITBALL-GYMNASTICS ON PSYCHOMOTORAL DEVELOPMENT AND VEGETATIVE FUNCTIONS OF CHILDREN OF THE FIRST YEAR OF LIFE WITH PERINATAL CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM LESION that vibration improves the baby's blood circulation and accustom his muscles to work, and rolling and contact with the surface of the fitball develop the vestibular apparatus and help shapeTherapeutic Exercise for Musculoskeletal Injuries motor skills.

You can find many videos on YouTube in which moms show how to work with babies and talk about the benefits of the technique. However, official medicine - both Russian and Western - is not very interested in this topic.

What does evidence-based medicine say about fitball for babies?

We were unable to find a single qualitative scientific study on the benefits or specific benefits of fitballs for infant development.

The only scientific work on the topic is a small studyTHE INFLUENCE OF FITBALL-GYMNASTICS ON PSYCHOMOTORAL DEVELOPMENT AND VEGETATIVE FUNCTIONS OF CHILDREN OF THE FIRST YEAR OF LIFE WITH PERINATAL CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM LESION Siberian State University of Physical Culture and Sports. In it, scientists tested the effectiveness of fitball gymnastics for the development of infants with congenital damage to the nervous system. After 10 half-hour sessions, the infants improved visual and auditory concentration, increased muscle tone.

I must say that for the first time fitballs for babies were used specifically for rehabilitation purposes: pediatrician Elseth Kong and physiotherapist Mary Quinton usedTherapeutic Exercise for Musculoskeletal Injuries such training for children with neurological problems.

But the scientific world says nothing about how fitball-gymnastics affects healthy children. Famous pediatrician Komarovsky believesWhat Komarovsky says about fitball. Fitball for baby and momthat exercise on fitball does not have special advantages over other activities.

This is very useful for the mother's psyche, especially if she has a ball, but the neighbor does not... This is definitely not harmful, but much less useful than regular crawling.

Evgeny Olegovich Komarovsky, pediatrician

That is, fitball is useless for babies?

This is not entirely true. There are at least three ways a fitball can help a child and his parents.

1. Fitball will make classes with your child more interesting and fun. Dynamic gymnastics, conversations, songs, tactile contact - all this is necessary for development. If you are more interested in playing with your baby on a fitball and you will do it more often, the ball will definitely benefit.

2. The ball will help the child get used to the position on the stomach. This waking position is beneficial for babies in their first year of life. Babies who play on their belly for more than 80 minutes a day are more successful at learningThe Effects of Prone Positioning on the Quality and Acquisition of Developmental Milestones in Four-Month-Old Infants motor skills.

At the same time, babies do not like to be in this position, since for contact with the outside world they you have to strain your muscles - to raise your head, tear your chest off the surface or reach something. Since babies express their dissatisfaction very loudly, parents rarelyCaregiver Awareness of Prone Play Recommendations put them on the stomach.

With the help of a fitball, you can gradually teachHOW TO USE A THERAPY BALL TO MAKE TUMMY TIME EASIER AND MORE FUN FOR BABY baby to the prone position and make this time pleasant and fun for the baby.

3. Fitball is useful for motion sickness and feeding a child. He will especially help out if these actions take a long time. On the ball, you will create the necessary vibration for the baby drawn to sleepand do not overload your unhappy lower back.

I'm sure I won't hurt the child?

The Russian study notedTHE INFLUENCE OF FITBALL-GYMNASTICS ON PSYCHOMOTORAL DEVELOPMENT AND VEGETATIVE FUNCTIONS OF CHILDREN OF THE FIRST YEAR OF LIFE WITH PERINATAL CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM LESION that fitball-gymnastics is contraindicated in children with hypertonicity, impaired auditory sensory system and delayed extinction of tonic reflexes.

To be sure not to harm, before starting a workout, consult a pediatrician and, if necessary, a neurologist.

Fitball-gymnastics will not hurt healthy children, especially if you start gradually and monitor the child's condition.

How to deal with fitball for babies?

Former gymnast, occupational therapist and mother of two Christie advisesHOW TO USE A THERAPY BALL TO MAKE TUMMY TIME EASIER AND MORE FUN FOR BABY introduce classes gradually. Your first fitball exercise may take less than a minute, and that's fine.

• Place the child on the ball on their stomach. To begin with, place it not on the very top, but at an angle, as if it were lying on your chest.
• If the child reacts normally to the ball, begin to gradually roll the fitball forward so that eventually the child is on top in a horizontal position.
• For a start, it is better to be behind the child's back, so that it is more convenient for you to hold him. Then, when both you and your baby get used to the exercise and are no longer afraid, try holding him in front. This will help you make eye contact and make funny faces for him, so your activity will be even more fun.
• It is good if you do gymnastics with your partner. One parent can hold the child from behind and gently roll the ball back and forth, and the other can amuse the child in front of him.
• Once your baby is used to the movement, try swinging the ball from side to side. This will be a new challenge for his vestibular apparatus and will diversify your activities.
• Sing to him, tell stories and rhymes, set up a children's table with bright toys in front of the fitball. Make your activities interesting and fun for your child, and they will surely be useful.

Below in the video, Christie shows how you can practice fitball with a one-year-old baby.

And can you often do this?

Since there are no official prescriptions for this, be guided by the condition of your child.

If you both like fitball-gymnastics, your baby enjoys spending time on the ball and feels good after exercise, do it every day.

If the child does not like it, do not force him. Not worth rolling crying babywhile striving for regular exercise. It will not benefit him or you.