During this lying on the stomach phase they will also be strengthening the lower back by pulling up their legs into Shalabhasana or Locust Pose (Figure 39a) and Uttan Prishthasana or Lizard Pose (Figure 39b). The combination of about 2 - 3 months of all these front "exercises" eventually allows them to get up onto the hands and knees (Figure 39c), ready for the their first adventure in mobility.

   The resting position of Matsya Kridasana or Flapping Fish Pose (Figure 40) will also be discovered during this stage as they learn to bend one knee up to the chest in early crawl-like movements. Just as for adults with back problems, babies find this is a good counterpose to relieve the discomfort caused by the stretches of the above back bending postures.

The Quadruped Phase - Crawling
   Their first attainment as a quadruped (literally "four foot") is what we call Marjariasana - The Cat Pose (Figure 41). At first they don't go anywhere, perhaps they are a bit scared of all that height off the ground! They just do some rocking backwards and forwards and a lot of

sliding back down and onto their tummy and face! They also take a while just to get the balance of being on all fours while their brain seems to be waiting for something to happen. It is - a very important transformation.

   All movements prior to crawling have been "homolateral", that is, both sides of the body have been acting together - two legs kicking, two arms punching, two legs lifting, two arms pushing up, two buttocks thrusting. This shows that the brain has not split nervous control into independent left and right side functions. It is not until they take their first step of crawling that the brain has developed "heterolateral" movement, that is the ability to alternate limbs in a pattern such as left-right-left-right, or left-left-right-right. This is a major developmental milestone for the brain, and much of our later life body and mind co-ordination depends on this phase.
   It is this new heterolateral type of movement which starts to knit the developing brain's pathways (neurons) into more and more intricate, and ultimately flexible, forms. It has been estimated that it takes about 1000 hours of crawling - that's about 5 hours a day for 6 or 7 months - to develop an optimal start for this kind of brain development.
   During the quadruped phase comes the ability to sit upright, again a very important point in the brain and body's evolution. Sitting on the bum with legs stretched out in front (Figure 42), offers hours of new play opportunities thereby further speeding up a baby's developmental skills. Here they begin the forward and side waist-bending movements from the Shakti Bandha series like Rowing the Boat and Churning the Mill. Attainment of this, their first self-supported vertical position, is also an indicator that the gullet, stomach and the intestines are ready (or soon will be) to work vertically on solid foods, whereas previously the nearly horizontal breastfeeding position tolerated only liquid food.