Movement or motor patterns are patterns of movement a baby learns starting in infancy. There is a level of neural control needed for this as their brains begin to become "wired" for movement. The movements start off basic and become more complex. They start with learning movements such as reaching, rolling, and rotating and from these they learn more complex movements like crawling, walking and running. As baby learns to reach for objects on their tummy they are also learning the complex patterns of arm and trunk coordination needed for crawling, walking and climbing. This is one reason tummy time is extremely important for development. They are building strength in their neck and back along with complex coordination patterns they need for harder more complex movements. These basic movements can be thought of as building blocks and when one is missing it can be detrimental to the whole structure, just like a building. Sometimes babies will seemingly meet their milestones but there is some abnormalities with their motor patterns and it often takes take a trained eye to pick this up. Some conditions will make it harder to move through certain motor patterns that are essential for more complex movements. This is where physiotherapy can help to maximize "normal" movement patterns essential for motor development. There are many exercises and positions that can used to achieve this.
If you have any concerns or questions about your baby's development do not hesitate to contact me!