What is tummy time?
Tummy time is the time your baby spends on their stomach (also known as the prone position) while awake. This time may be spent on the floor, a playmat, or even laying on your chest (Yes, tummy time can happen while getting those cuddles in!). Tummy time isn’t just for newborns. Even as your baby gets older, tummy time is still an important part of supporting their development.
Safety Tip: Understand that tummy time and tummy sleep are two different things. While tummy time is important for your baby’s physical development, tummy sleep isn’t safe until babies can roll independently.
Why do babies need tummy time? #anchor
As a parent you’ve probably heard that tummy time is important, but why is it so necessary? Research(1) shows us that there are many important benefits to tummy time:
Tummy time helps strengthen the neck, upper body, and core muscles.
Playing on their stomach improves motor skills that will eventually lead to rolling over, sitting independently, and even crawling!
Spending time in the prone position (on their stomach) helps develop your baby’s hand-eye coordination and body awareness.
By limiting the time your baby spends on their back, tummy time also helps prevent the development of flat spots on their head.
When should I start tummy time?#
If you can, start practicing tummy time with your newborn the day you come home from the hospital! If you haven’t started yet, don’t worry: you can start today. Go slowly. Even just 20-60 seconds is great in the beginning. You can work your way up to longer tummy time sessions as your baby is ready.
How much tummy time should my baby do each daychor
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends(2) at least 15-30 minutes of tummy time per day (by 7 weeks of age). If this recommendation feels overwhelming to you, I understand. Please know that you can break this into short sessions throughout the day, so don’t worry if your baby is still working up to longer tummy time sessions.
Think about it this way: Newborns typically have at least 5 wake windows ranging from 45-90 minutes each day. If you can get even 3 minutes of tummy time during each wake window, your baby will get 15 minutes of tummy time that day.
A 5 month old typically has 4 wake windows during the day. If each 2-3 hour wake window includes 8 minutes of tummy time, your baby will get in 32 minutes of tummy time for the day.
What are some tummy time activities?
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