29. The Importance of Crawling – with Dr. Katarina Rigali

On today’s episode, Elle and Taylor are joined by Dr. Katarina Rigali, a family practice chiropractor in Los Angeles, to talk all about the importance of crawling! They talk about what crawling helps develop in our brains, what kinds of things kids might struggle with if they skip the crawling phase, how cross-core development helps with things like ADHD and anxiety, and how we can help our kids work on those cross-core skills even from home! They also dive into how skin on skin contact and physical contact affects us and how the simple act of holding babies and hugging our loved ones can help our physical and mental health.

“Crawling if really important for their development. That’s where all of your cross-core coordination starts. That’s where we start to develop the ability to walk, to run, to jump!” – Dr. Katarina Rigali

Reasons a child might skip the crawl phase:

1. Too much time in a seated position (such as in an exerciser).

2. Lack of time and motivation to attempt crawling.

3. Seeing older children walking and running and wanting to join.

“One thing that we know is that crawling integrates both sides of the brain. So if they miss that step, they may have a harder time learning to read, they may have a harder time picking up on language, their hand-eye coordination may not be as good.” – Dr. Katarina Rigali

“Some studies have found that those kids who skip the crawling phase might have a harder time to grasp a pencil, learn to write, and sometimes they have slower problem-solving skills.” – Dr. Katarina Rigali

“As a kid crawls around, they learn to navigate their environment.” – Dr. Katarina Rigali

Things we can do to encourage cross-core coordination with our kids:

- Tummy time
- Crawling
- Sports (anything involving running)
- Cross arms across the body (like reaching for objects)
- Turn things into games – chalk game on the sidewalk
- “Obstacle courses” at the park
- Yoga
- “Dead bug” with a Theraband
- Bird dogs
- Climbing ladders
- Bear crawls

“Skin on skin contact – especially in those first months – really reduces the risk of postpartum depression.” – Dr. Katarina Rigali

“When we are not in the middle of COVID, go volunteer to be a baby snuggler!” – Elle Kennedy

Listen to the episode here.

Join the Birth Re-Imagined Family Facebook group to engage with other open-minded parents, connect with birth professionals in the Southern California area, and stay up to date on our newest episodes as they drop every week!

Today’s guest: Dr. Katarina Rigali

Dr. Katarina Rigali is a chiropractor in Pasadena, Ca focusing on musculoskeletal complaints from a biopsychosocial model. She loves the hands-on approach that chiropractic takes and values the time it takes to get to know a client’s full health story. It’s critically important to Dr. Rigali that her patients leave the office empowered to take control of their health, understand how their bodies work, and how their day-to-day activities can be modified to change their pain or dysfunction. She firmly believes that knowledge is power and understanding health shouldn’t be reserved for people who have the means or resources to attend many years of college.

Dr. Rigali’s long term goals include reaching into the brain injury community with a focus on improving quality of life and giving active support to those who have exhausted their options in the medical community.

You can find her on Facebook at Rigali Chiropractic.

Resources related to today’s episode:

Occupational Therapist

Physical Therapist

Baby Snugglers/Cuddlers

Who are Elle and Taylor?

Elle Kennedy is a maternity, birth, and family photographer and doula based in Orange County, California. She’s a mother of two, a member of the LGBTQ+ community, and an advocate for consent and respect for personal preferences during pregnancy, labor, birth, and postpartum. She homeschools, is polyamorous, loves tea and scones, and loves using her free time to create and bake.

Dr. Taylor Garcia is a Webster Certified Chiropractor located in the Orange County, California area, with a family practice that focuses on pregnant persons and babies. She is currently going through the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association’s certification program and plans to have that completes by 2021. While not a mama yet, she is the consummate “mom friend,” and hopes to adopt with her partners in about 5 years. She is part of the LGBTQ+ community and polyamorous. She believes in focusing on health and wellness from before birth, and using that as a firm foundation for health and wellness throughout life. She believes in the importance of connection and consent in all aspects of life. She is a dancer, a writer, a bookworm, and a fan of music and musicals.