digestion

IDME for Poop! How Developmental Movement Can Support Infant Digestion

If you’ve spent any time around a baby, you know that their digestion can be the source of endless hiccups—literally and figuratively. Between the spit-up, the squirming, and counting the days between bowel movements you may find yourself wondering: is there anything that can make their tiny tummies happy? Enter developmental movement, your baby’s digestive superhero.

Why Digestion Gets Funky for Babies

Before we dive into the magical world of movement, let’s talk about why baby digestion can be so… dramatic. Newborn digestive systems are a work in progress. They’re learning how to coordinate swallowing, digest milk, and move things through the pipeline (so to speak). Add in potential sensitivities to formula, breastfeeding challenges, air gulped during feeding, and sensitive developing nervous systems, you’ve got a recipe for gassy grumpiness.

How Developmental Movement Helps Digestion

Supported, appropriate movement helps digestion by gently stimulating the organs and muscles involved in the digestive process. When babies move, their bodies naturally massage the digestive tract, helping to release trapped gas, move things along, and reduce discomfort.

Tummy time

Pressure on the abdomen is vital for digestive development. Tummy time is valuable for so many reasons, and pooping is on that list!

Baby Ball

Ah, the IDME favorite! Helping your baby gather their limbs in and holding them in a fetal curve is a great strategy for stimulating digestion. Often resisted when baby has a grumbly tummy, following your baby’s cues and allowing for stretching out of baby ball is just as important!

Leg Pumps and Circles

If you’ve ever been told to “ride the bicycle” with your baby’s legs, this is why. Pumping and circling the legs helps stimulate peristalsis—the wavelike contractions of the intestines that keep things moving.

What’s often left out though is that perhaps even more important than the movement is the pause - give a few bicycles or circles a try and then be sure to pause for a minute or so between rounds. Over stimulated babies will not be able to settle into the parasympathetic nervous system state needed to rest and digest.

The Bottom Line

Developmental movement education is a natural, effective way to support your baby’s digestion, reduce discomfort, and help them feel their best.

So the next time your baby is struggling with tummy troubles, remember: a little movement goes a long way. And who knows? You might even find yourself joining in on the leg pumps—because let’s face it, we could all use a little help in the digestion department.

Now go forth, roll, wiggle, and pump those legs. Baby yoga for poop… it’s a thing, and it works!