In this end-of-year episode of the Best For Baby Podcast, paediatric physiotherapist Lisa shares her personal journey and explains how to support baby development naturally through connection, positioning, and parent-led care.

This episode explores Lisa’s path from training in South Africa to working in intensive care and private hospitals in London, and how these experiences shaped her approach to early intervention for babies and baby physiotherapy in the first year of life.

You’ll hear powerful stories that explain why baby bonding and attachment, touch, and movement are just as important as milestones — and why many common baby issues, including baby head shape problems, are often preventable with early support.

Lisa also shares her experience of becoming a mother later in life, navigating postnatal depression, and discovering first-hand how overwhelming it can feel to follow expert advice in the early days. This insight now shapes the way she teaches parents how to support baby development naturally, using a less-is-more approach.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why parent-led baby physiotherapy creates better developmental outcomes
• Why tummy time is important and how fear around tummy time impacts babies
• How chest naps and baby safety can coexist when done correctly
• The link between positioning, bonding, and preventing baby head shape problems
• How modern routines and equipment affect baby movement development

This episode is for parents who are worried about development or head shape, or are looking for calm, practical guidance on supporting babies in a modern world.

If you’ve ever searched for how to prevent baby head shape issues, why tummy time is important, or how to help your baby develop without stress, this episode will help you understand why early, gentle intervention matters.

Connect with Lisa here!

For help on:

Baby Flat Head Syndrome (Plagiocephaly and Torticollis), click here!

Positional Talipes (Correctable Club Foot), click here!

In this episode, Lisa answers one of the most common questions parents ask: Does my baby need to crawl?

Lisa also breaks down the real developmental benefits of crawling, why some babies skip it entirely, and when (and if!) you should be concerned. She explains typical crawling patterns, unusual crawling styles, bottom shuffling and bunny hopping, and how these relate to your baby’s muscle tone, sensory processing, coordination and motor planning.

You’ll learn:
✨ Why reciprocal crawling is so beneficial for strength, balance, proprioception and brain development
✨ When asymmetrical or “quirky” crawling is completely normal
✨ Why some babies skip crawling but still walk perfectly on time
✨ Early signs that a physio or osteopath might be helpful
✨ What to do if your baby never crawled — including fun, effective ways to build shoulder stability, core strength, sensory awareness, fine motor coordination and bilateral integration at any age.

This episode is packed with reassurance, clarity and actionable ideas, reminding you that movement should always feel playful, positive and empowering for your child.

Links mentioned:

Vibration toy for young babies: Here

Vibration toy for toddlers/older children: Here

I am an Amazon Affiliate and as such will receive a small commission for the sale of these products, however I do not endorse any product I have not personally used with great success!

Please also refer to my episodes on how to help your baby crawl from my Developmental Activities Miniseries: MS 2: E3 and E4.

Connect with Lisa here!

For help on:

Baby Flat Head Syndrome (Plagiocephaly and Torticollis), click here!

Positional Talipes (Correctable Club Foot), click here!

Promoting Confidence, Calm and Independence in Children, without the "Mum Guilt".

In this thought-provoking episode, Lisa dives into the Continuum Concept, the influential 1975 book by Jean Liedloff, and explores how its ideas compare to modern parenting.

Lisa unpacks what the book gets right, what doesn’t apply to today’s families, and how parents can take gentle, grounding lessons from it without guilt or pressure.

Drawing from her own honest reflections (including the mistakes she believes she made as a new mum), Lisa explains how historical parenting practices still influence us today and how we can tune back into our instincts, respond to our children’s needs, and nurture emotional security from infancy through early childhood.

This is a powerful, reassuring episode for any parent who has ever felt torn between instinct and outdated advice.

💛 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• What the Continuum Concept actually is and what Jean Liedloff observed in rural Venezuela
• How historical Western parenting (1950s–1970s) shaped our current beliefs about crying, feeding, routines, and independence
• Why parents today still feel guilt, confusion and pressure from outdated parenting culture
• The importance of physical closeness, co-regulation and responding to your baby’s cues
• How to support emotional security in babies and older children
• Why independence develops naturally (and why you don’t have to force it)
• What parts of the Continuum Concept don’t hold up — and how to adapt the useful pieces for modern life

🧡 Key Takeaways

• Babies are born expecting closeness, responsiveness and connection.
• Some mainstream parenting advice from the past still influences our instincts today.
• Mistakes are normal — what matters is how we show love, presence and connection going forward.
• You can nurture your child’s sense of worthiness and emotional rightness at ANY age.
• Parenting isn’t about perfection — it’s about presence.

Connect with Lisa here!

For help on:

Baby Flat Head Syndrome (Plagiocephaly and Torticollis), click here!

Positional Talipes (Correctable Club Foot), click here!