Babies make all kinds of motions and new movements as they grow and develop. Remember when your little one finally learned how to grab things? Or how about when they learned how to hop on one foot?
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Some babies walk on their tiptoes simply because they think it’s fun. Sometimes they also bend over and look between their legs. If you notice your baby bending over and looking through their legs, it could be for a number of reasons. Most of them are nothing to worry about and just part of their development.
A baby bending over could also be a sign that something else is going to happen soon.
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Does It Mean Anything?
In many cultures, when a baby bends over it is a sign of something coming in the future. Some people blow these off as superstitions. Other people swear they have seen them come true.
Whether you believe them or not is up to you, there’s nothing wrong with taking precautions if you notice your baby bent over looking between their legs.
Another Baby Is On The Way
It’s said that if you see your baby bends over and looks through their legs, it is a sign that another one will be on the way soon.
While some parents blow this off as a superstition, others swear that they took a pregnancy test after seeing their baby bending over and discovered that they were pregnant.
This could be true, but there are several other reasons that you might see your baby bending over.
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Old Wives Tales About Toddlers Sensing Pregnancy
Like with most pregnancy superstitions, there isn’t usually much science to back them up. If common sense tells you it’s probably not true, then that’s usually a good bet that it’s false. You may or may not have heard about the old wives tale that says if a baby bends forward and looks through their legs (or does the downward facing dog, for you yoga aficionados), they’re predicting a pregnancy or they are looking for or wanting another sibling.
Most experts say babies look through their legs to work on their depth perception and to experience a different “upside-down” view of the world. So my recommendation would be to not put too much stock into the old wives’ tale. You never know what your future might hold, but in most cases, babies are looking to expand their world, not expand their family.
They’re Looking For Their Sibling
Some also believe that this is a sign that the baby is looking for their sibling. If a baby bends over and already has a sibling, they could be trying to find them. It is a fun upside down hide and seek game they can play together.
If a baby bends over and they don’t have a sibling, this is where the superstition that this is a sign someone will be pregnant soon comes from. Babies have a way of knowing if another baby is on the way or not because they are more in tune with their intuition and their mother than adults are.
Other Reasons You May See Your Baby Bend Over and Look Through Their Legs
There are quite a few other reasons that you might notice your baby bending over. As little ones grow and develop, they begin to move in new ways. Your baby bending over could be due to normal development.
A New World
When your baby bends over, they could have just figured out a new movement. They may have discovered that the world looks a little different from when they are right side up.
New things are always fascinating to babies, and an upside-down world is no exception.
Being Dizzy Is Funny
Some babies think it’s hilarious to feel a little dizzy. It’s a new sensation that they will feel if they are upside down and then right side up again. If you notice your baby bending over, and then laughing when they stand up, they think it’s funny to feel dizzy.
They Saw Another Baby Bending Over
If one child does it, they all do it. You’ll see this in daycare settings and school settings a lot. If your little one saw another child bending over, they might simply be copying them.
If this is the case, they’ll get bored with it and quit within a week or so unless they think it’s fun.
To Look Behind Them
Babies don’t always know the socially acceptable way to do things. Instead of turning around, your baby might be bending over so that they can see things that are going on behind him.
Once he or she does it one time, they might think this is how they see something happening behind them and continue to do it.
It’s A New Discovery
As babies grow older, your little one will learn how to catch things and kick things. They will also learn how to stretch their legs and how to bend over. This is all a normal part of development. It’s also entirely normal for babies to practice new movements repeatedly.
They’re Stretching
Bend over to touch your toes, and you’ll notice that it stretches the muscles in your back and legs very nicely. Sometimes, little ones have so much pent up energy that they need a nice long stretch too.
Bending over to stretch is great for the back and legs. If you notice your baby bending over when they would normally stretch, they just found a new way to stretch.
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Copycat
For babies learning new skills comes from copying what they see others doing – this is how they learn to walk and talk.
Babies will mimic the sounds that they hear in an attempt to speak. This baby babbling is often the first attempt at speaking that your child will make. The same goes for walking, they copy what they see everyone around them doing until they master the art of walking.
How many times a day do you bend over to pick up toys, your baby sees this and is simply mimicking the behavior they see in the world around them.
Babies Are Full of Energy
As parents, we all know that age when your once quiet content little bundle turns into a whirlwind of energy and is always on the move. Babies often have lots of energy and they need to burn it off. This is often done by crawling, climbing, and even bending over and looking through their legs.
Brain Development
It is believed that this position could help your baby’s brain to develop. When they are hanging upside down, their brain gets a signal that helps it to learn what muscles are needed to keep that head under control and up the right way.
Each and every time that your baby learns something new, pathways are created in the brain to help them make sense of this new experience.
Attention
Most people notice when they see a baby bending over, especially if they believe that this means someone is pregnant.
When little ones realize that they are getting more attention for something, they are likely to do it again. This is because they enjoy positive attention.
Children depend on their parents’ attention to everything, so it’s normal that they always want more. Children also enjoy the attention. If children are doing something for attention, ignore it.
It’s Calming
There is something about being upside down that is calming, especially to younger children. After a long day of learning and playing, children are bound to get tired. Sometimes, they need to do something to wind down.
That something could involve your baby bending over. If you only notice your little one getting into this position when they are winding down, exhausted, anxious, just got done with a fit, etc. it’s more than likely a self-soothing technique.
To help soothe your baby to sleep, why don’t you try giving them a toy that can help them sleep faster?
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When To Call The Doctor
When you first see your little one do something new, it can be concerning. Most parents wonder why their little one has picked up a new behavior, and some parents wonder whether they should call the doctor.
A majority of the time, there is nothing to worry about. There are a few situations in which parents should call their doctor, though.
Spine Curvature
When your little one bends over, you will have a perfect view of their spine. It should appear nice and straight. If you notice that there is a curve or bump that looks odd, contact your doctor.
You might see your baby bending over because it is more comfortable for them.
Pain
If you notice that your little one is in pain, contact your pediatrician. This is especially so if they are in pain when they bend over or before they bend over. This could be something wrong with their back.
Little ones often can’t communicate well enough to tell us, “my back hurts.”
If You Are Concerned
You should contact your primary care provider at any time that you are concerned. It’s always better to give them a call. The adage “better to be safe than sorry” is always true when it comes to babies.
Your pediatrician will take a look at your baby, conduct a physical exam, and can let you know if this behavior is normal.
Little ones are known for doing plenty of things, including bending over. If you see your baby bending over, most likely, there’s nothing to worry about.
My daughter did this when she was a baby. I was pregnant soon after with my son, so maybe that belief is true. However, my son did the same thing, and there were no pregnancies around. I had the same response to both. I also taught them how to somersault.
FAQ’s
Why Does My Baby Do The Downward Dog Position?
This position is the beginning of your baby demonstrating Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex or STNR which is often referred to as the ‘crawling reflex’. This usually starts to emerge between 6-9 months.
Why Does My Toddler Stand On His/Her Head?
Your toddler is simply exploring what their body can do and how it feels for them. It builds their body awareness and informs their future movement. Standing on their head gives your toddler a unique perspective of the world and builds their balance, motor movement, and cognition.
Why Is My Child Planking?
This is all part of the development of their muscles, especially in their head and shoulders. Strength and muscle control are essential for crawling. But it doesn’t stop there as your child becomes stronger they may also try some other moves such as balancing on their arms and feet or pivoting.
