01/29/2026 by Dr. Goldi Jacques-Maynes
Infant Exercises to Support Comfort, Movement, and Development
Babies are small, but they go through a lot: birth, feeding challenges, gas, tension patterns, and learning how to move in their brand-new bodies.
The exercises below are gentle, developmentally appropriate movements often used to support infant comfort, mobility, and ease. They are meant to support care—not replace a professional evaluation.
Before you begin, make sure these exercises are appropriate for your baby’s needs.
Every baby is different. Some symptoms can look similar while having very different causes.
If you’re unsure which exercises are appropriate, we strongly recommend having your baby evaluated by a trained professional.
If you’d like guidance, we’re happy to help you in person at our Aptos office. Book online here.
Go Directly to an Infant Exercise Video
Cranial Suture Rubbing for Plagiocephaly
Elf Ears: Earlobe Pull for Plagiocephaly
Parietal Lift for Plagiocephaly
Infant Exercises List
Neck Tension & Head Preference Support
Side Body Stretch
Helps infants with a tight neck, a strong preference for turning or holding their head to one side, or tension along one side of the body, and can support improved neck range of motion to help prevent or improve plagiocephaly.
Plagiocephaly & Cranial Shape Support
Elf Ears: Earlobe Pull for Plagiocephaly
Gently supports cranial expansion by encouraging the cranial bones to move and settle into more balanced alignment.
View Elf Ears Earlobe Pull Video
Cranial Suture Rubbing for Plagiocephaly
Helpful for infants with overlapping cranial bones or an uneven head shape by gently encouraging mobility at the cranial sutures.
View Cranial Suture Rubbing Video
Parietal Lift for Plagiocephaly
Helps gently encourage movement in the parietal bones of the skull, supporting healthy cranial suture motion and easing uneven tension patterns.
View Parietal Lift for Plagiocephaly Video
Digestion, Gas & Colic Support
I Love You Massage
Supports digestion and can help ease gas, colic, and abdominal discomfort in infants.
Low Back, Pelvic & Comfort Support
SI Joint Wiggle
Helpful for infants who seem uncomfortable during diaper changes, dislike the car seat, show signs of low back tension, or struggle with gas or colic.
Worried about the safety of performing infant exercises yourself?
Babies aren’t fragile in the way we sometimes fear—but they are sensitive.
Tiny humans can carry big tension—and they don’t always know how to let it go on their own. That’s why these gentle exercises help. And you can do them yourself at home. But you need to trust yourself.
If any of these exercises feel stressful, confusing, or like you’re “guessing,” that’s a sign to pause and seek individualized guidance.
Dr. Goldi can help at the Golden Chiropractic office in Aptos.
Dr. Goldi specializes in gentle chiropractic care and craniosacral therapy for babies. She helps babies soften, settle, and move with more ease.
And she can gently guide you in how to perform the exercises that will work best for your baby.
You can schedule online here. And you can book a postpartum visit for yourself, too. We want you to leave our office feeling more relaxed, and more empowered to help your baby feel and move better.