Your Guide to Tummy Time

Your new baby will spend a lot of time on their back: sleeping in the crib, riding in a car seat, and cuddling in your arms. Tummy time plays a critical role in your infant’s development, and our guide to tummy time will help you understand how to do it safely.

What Is Tummy Time?

Tummy time is simply placing your baby on their stomach to play—an activity that’s important to their physical development and is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). This time spent on the belly helps strengthen head, neck, shoulder, arm, and core muscles, and eventually,

Why Do Babies Need Tummy Time?

In 1994, the AAP introduced its “Back to Sleep” public awareness campaign, which recommended that babies should always be placed on their backs to sleep, and never on their sides or bellies. “Back to Sleep” was hugely successful; the incidence of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome was cut in half.

One consequence of the new guidelines, however, was that babies were spending almost all their time on their backs, and pediatricians began documenting higher rates of torticollis (baby’s head always tilting to one side) and positional plagiocephaly (a flat spot on the back of the head).

In response, the APP began recommending tummy time to prevent these conditions and delayed gross motor development.

When Should You Start Tummy Time?

The AAP recommends starting tummy with your newborn once your baby’s umbilical stump has fallen off (usually around the one week mark). Remember, tummy time is for alert and awake babies, and always make sure you don’t leave your baby unattended.

When Is the Best Time to Do Tummy Time?

It’s best to avoid tummy time after feeding—placing your baby on their belly creates pressure on the abdomen and can lead to spitting up. Instead, try tummy time when your baby is especially alert, following a nap or diaper change.

How Long Should Tummy Time Last?

When starting tummy time with your newborn, aim for quick 1-2 minute sessions, 2 or 3 times a day. Be sure to be on the watch for signs that your baby is getting fatigued. If your baby begins crying or resting their face on your tummy time surface, it’s time to take a break.

As your baby gets older and builds muscle strength, gradually increase the length of time, up to about 20 minutes a day. You can continue to do tummy time in intervals, or in a single stretch (depending on your baby’s tolerance).

Does Tummy Time Have to Be on the Floor?

Tummy time is typically done on the floor, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be. The main goal of tummy time is to provide babies with an opportunity to strengthen their muscles and develop their motor skills, so as long as the baby is safely supervised and positioned correctly, tummy time can be done on different surfaces.

For example, tummy time can also be done on a parent’s chest or lap while the parent is sitting or reclining. This can be a great way to bond with the baby while also providing them with the benefits of tummy time.

Some parents also choose to use special tummy time cushions or pillows that can provide additional support and comfort for the baby during tummy time. These products are designed to elevate the baby slightly off the floor while still allowing them to engage in tummy time activities.

However, it’s important to keep in mind that safety should always be the top priority during tummy time. No matter where it’s done, tummy time should always be done under supervision and on a safe and comfortable surface to prevent any accidents or injuries.

What Are the Benefits of Tummy Time?

Tummy time is one of your baby’s first exercises, and helps your baby master foundational skills required to roll over, sit up, crawl, and eventually walk. It develops head, neck, and core strength, and is important for visual and sensory development. Other big time benefits include:

Prevention of positional plagiocephaly.
Promotes sensory development and allows your baby to experience different physical movements.
Creates early interaction and engagement with your baby, and is a great activity for bonding.

Will Tummy Time Help Encourage Your Baby’s Milestones?

Tummy time is an important activity that helps babies develop their muscles, motor skills, and overall physical strength. By regularly practicing tummy time, babies can gain the strength and coordination needed to reach important milestones such as rolling over, crawling, and sitting up.

During tummy time, babies learn to lift their heads and strengthen the muscles in their neck, shoulders, arms, and torso. These muscles are important for developing the gross motor skills needed for crawling, sitting, and eventually walking.

Tummy time can also help with the development of fine motor skills, as babies use their hands and fingers to explore and play with toys during tummy time. This can improve their hand-eye coordination and dexterity.

Playing with your baby during tummy time also encourages social-emotional milestones, such as smiling and making eye contact. Reading and singing during tummy time will expose your baby to a variety of sounds, which are the building blocks of expressive and receptive language.

What Should You Do if Your Baby Hates Tummy Time?

For a lot of little ones, tummy time can feel more like torture time, especially before they’ve developed the necessary muscle strength in their head and neck to prevent face-planting. To make tummy time more fun, try:

Introducing tummy time by placing your baby stomach down on your chest while you’re reclined. Make silly faces and funny noises, and lift your baby off their bellies airplane style for a mini break.
Learning your baby’s schedule and planning for tummy time during their least fussy periods, like after naps.
Doing tummy time in different rooms, so your baby gets new and exciting views.
Adding a mirror or high-contrast toys and illustrations.

Remember, there’s no reason to force tummy time if your baby is screaming or crying. Take a break, and try again later.

When Should You Stop Doing Tummy Time?

For babies under two months old, remember to keep it simple: short 1-2 minute sessions 2-3 times a day. As your baby grows, you’ll probably start to notice that tummy time involves less fussing, and it’s easier to build to a daily tummy time goal of twenty minutes.

At four months, start gradually increasing the amount of daily tummy time to sixty minutes, until your child begins to crawl.

What Kind of Toys Should You Use for Tummy Time?

When it comes to tummy time, it’s important to choose toys that are safe, engaging, and appropriate for your baby’s age and developmental stage. Here are some ideas for toys that can be used during tummy time:

Soft toys: Soft, plush toys that are easy to grasp and hold can be a great option for tummy time. Look for toys with different textures and colors to provide sensory stimulation and keep your baby engaged.
Mirrors: Babies love to look at their own reflections, so a small mirror can be a great addition to tummy time. Place the mirror within reach and encourage your baby to look at themselves and reach out to touch the mirror.
Rattles: Rattles or other toys that make noise can be a fun way to engage your baby during tummy time. Look for toys that are easy to grasp and manipulate, and that make different sounds when shaken.
Play mats: Play mats with different textures, colors, and patterns can provide a soft and safe surface for tummy time. Some play mats also have attached toys or features like crinkly fabric or squeakers to keep your baby entertained.
Activity gyms: Activity gyms are designed specifically for tummy time and provide a variety of toys and features for babies to explore. Look for activity gyms with different textures, colors, and toys that can be easily grasped and played with.

Toys rich in sensory input with varying textures and sounds will engage your baby and encourage them to explore. Because your baby’s vision is still developing—it starts improving between 2-4 months—black and white images are most likely to capture their attention.

Finding What’s Right for You

Albee Baby is the oldest family-owned specialty baby shop in the US, and we pride ourselves on providing our customers with the best assortment of baby products anywhere, at fair prices, always. We’re committed to being an inclusive resource for parents, and hope you’re feeling empowered to find the right baby gear for your family. Still have questions? Feel free to contact our baby gear experts at 877.692.5233 or by email at [email protected].