My Second Child
I made so many preparations for the birth of my first child, doing everything I could in the hope of being the best parent possible. But as every parent learns, no amount of planning prepares us for the responsibility and learning that come with welcoming a firstborn.
When Emmy, my first, arrived, I remember carrying her everywhere. Having her close to me felt natural and comforting, my instinct. What I didn’t yet understand was the importance of tummy time and how essential it is for early neurological development. Months passed before I fully realized that, in my desire to hold her, she was spending more time in my arms than on her tummy exploring her world, strengthening her core and building the foundations of an integrated nervous system.
By the time Erin, my second child, was born, I had learned. She spent more time on her tummy, lifting her head, engaging with her environment, developing her strength and coordination, and benefiting from the early milestones that support lifelong neurological function.
Parenting is an evolution. We grow, we learn, and we do better with knowledge we gain. And each child teaches something about development, about ourselves and about the incredible capacity of the human nervous system to adapt and thrive.
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