"Help Mama"

At six months, or maybe earlier, I started teaching Kiana that she needs to “help mama”.

When she is in the crib, in order for me to easily lift her out, she needs to stand up and lift up her arms for me. Same goes for when getting her up into the high chair. I say “help mama” with the hope that she will stand up facing me (I am kneeling on the floor) and lift her arms so that I can lift her up into the high chair. I praise her and she claps her hands (so cute!).

I use “help mama” when lifting her onto the couch into my lap to nurse. Although, now she’s able to crawl up onto the couch on her own and position herself on my lap. As soon as she learned to crawl, if she wanted to nurse, I would go sit on the couch, say “come to mama” and she learned to crawl over to me thus “helping mama”. It saved me from picking her up and carrying her over to the couch. I also use “help mama” in other situations, like dressing her, or any other physically challenging task.

Of course, “help mama” does not always work, but I still want her to hear the phrase and learn its meaning. If she really does not want up in her high chair then I’ll just wait a little bit and try again.

Babies are adaptable and they adapt to their parent’s disability. Kiana and I work together to help each other.