The Sweetest Tool in My Sensory Arsenal
You guys.
Why did no one ever tell me that babies make for the best sensory tools?!
Yes, I know my 12-week-old daughter isn't a sensory tool . . . per se. She's a human being with an infectious smile and the most delicious coos and she loves me, possibly more than anyone's ever loved me before (we're in this phase where I walk into a room, she either hears or sees me, and her face erupts into wide grin after wide grin) - but in the midst of her tearful cries and the raise of her tiny arms, when I hoist her small frame onto my torso for a cuddle, she becomes - for a few moments at least, until she wiggles away like a tiger cub - the best sensory tool I have in my arsenal. Who needs a weighted lap blanket when there's 10ish lbs. of sweet-smelling, tactile-pleasing-fuzzy-headed mini-me right under my chin pressing deeply against my chest?
Throw in the Baby Bjorn, my beloved and trusted baby-wearing carrier, and I'm a happy SPD adult these days. For me, nothing feels more prioprioceptively grounding than trekking my infant around, strapped to my body.
Delayed diagnosis sensory adults who are also parents of infants, may we relish our children for their intelligence, energy, and beauty - but also for their natural way of supporting our sensory needs.
Except for the screaming. I'm pretty sure we could all do without the screaming.
Why did no one ever tell me that babies make for the best sensory tools?!
Yes, I know my 12-week-old daughter isn't a sensory tool . . . per se. She's a human being with an infectious smile and the most delicious coos and she loves me, possibly more than anyone's ever loved me before (we're in this phase where I walk into a room, she either hears or sees me, and her face erupts into wide grin after wide grin) - but in the midst of her tearful cries and the raise of her tiny arms, when I hoist her small frame onto my torso for a cuddle, she becomes - for a few moments at least, until she wiggles away like a tiger cub - the best sensory tool I have in my arsenal. Who needs a weighted lap blanket when there's 10ish lbs. of sweet-smelling, tactile-pleasing-fuzzy-headed mini-me right under my chin pressing deeply against my chest?
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| Perfection |
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| Birds-Eye Bjorn View of Bow-Hatted Babygirl |
Delayed diagnosis sensory adults who are also parents of infants, may we relish our children for their intelligence, energy, and beauty - but also for their natural way of supporting our sensory needs.
Except for the screaming. I'm pretty sure we could all do without the screaming.
Not to mention when she gets a bit older, all those multi-textured baby toys are probably going to be more fun for you than her. I think I loved my son's crinkly monkey and my daughter's bean-belly hedgehog more than they did.
ReplyDeleteIf you're hyposensitive about movement, the crawling, wiggling, and bouncing days are another thing to look forward to. I tend to be hypersensitive. When my nausea starts getting too much from it, I just put my babies in their play area to wallow, be tickled, or bat a ball around.