From the moment your baby is born, they are growing and learning how to use their little body. Their pediatrician may have told you that tummy time is an important activity you can do to help your baby with their development. Keep reading to find out what this is, how to do it safely, and how our physical therapists can help if your baby seems to struggle with this activity.
What Is Tummy Time?
Tummy time is as simple as it sounds: you let your baby spend time on their tummy. This allows them to get the exercise they need to build the motor skills they will need to be able to lift up their head, roll over, and crawl as they get older.
Why Is Tummy Time Important for Babies?
Even though it’s simple, tummy time offers a ton of benefits for your baby’s overall growth and development:
- Builds motor skills. When your baby is on their back, they can’t see much more than what’s right in front of them—and that’s not very exciting. They just came into the world, and they want to see it! Being on their belly motivates them to look around. Doing this for a few minutes a day will strengthen the muscles in their core, neck, arms, and back.
- Prevents flat head syndrome. Babies lie on their backs a lot while they’re growing. But if they spend too much time on their back, they can develop a flat spot on their head called positional plagiocephaly, or flat head syndrome. While this won’t necessarily harm your baby, it’s better to prevent it from happening. Tummy time is a great way to do this.
- Encourages bonding. Tummy time is a great way to bond with your baby. First, it’s time you get to spend with your baby. And as they get stronger, you’ll see them lifting their head, pushing up onto their arms, and looking around—all of which is very exciting for both you and them!
How to Do Tummy Time Safely
The best part about tummy time is that you can start right away. Here are a few key points on how to do it safely:
Never leave your baby unsupervised.
Babies should never be left alone lying on their bellies, especially newborns who don’t yet have the strength to lift or move their heads. Make sure you are watching your baby while you do tummy time.
Gradually build up to longer times.
You can start with 3-5 minutes per tummy time session a few times a day, then gradually increase this by a few more minutes as they get older. When your baby has built up more muscle strength, they may enjoy longer periods of tummy time.
Give them support.
You can rest newborns on your own belly to start. If you lie them down somewhere else, make sure it’s a firm surface like the floor where they can move more easily. You can also roll a small blanket or towel up and place it under their chest to ensure their face stays off the ground.
Give them something to look at.
When your baby is on their tummy, you can put colorful toys in their line of sight for them to look at. As they get older and gain more motor skills, they’ll start to reach for those toys and enjoy playing with you during tummy time.
Physical Therapy Can Help Babies with Tummy Time Struggles
If your baby seems to be struggling with tummy time, or if they have developmental delays or medical conditions affecting their gross motor skills, our pediatric physical therapists are here to help. We work with families to provide the support your baby needs to achieve their developmental milestones, and we can offer advice on how to help your baby grow and thrive. Call us at (479) 226-3409 to schedule an evaluation with our experienced physical therapists today.
