Truths and Tricks about Tummy Time for Your Baby
Authored by Sarah Kleinman, PT, DPT, Physical Therapist at The Village Therapy Place
Tummy Time!
You’ve heard all about it. Is it really necessary? Why does my baby need it? Is it worth the effort? Read on for more info!
Why should we be doing tummy time?
We all know that tummy time is an essential activity with your baby, but what do we do when our baby just isn’t enjoying their time on their tummy? You may just want to skip tummy time all together, but it is essential for their development and plays a vital role as a building block for many other gross motor skills as it helps them to develop their neck, back and shoulder muscles. Tummy time has become even more important since the Back to Sleep campaign as babies are generally getting less tummy time now.
When should I do tummy time with my baby?
You can begin tummy time as soon as your baby arrives with skin to skin in the hospital. The sooner you begin, the more likely the baby will not fuss during tummy time. We want to try to get the baby on their tummy a few times per day starting with just a couple of minutes and increasing as they get older and stronger. In the beginning tummy time may just be on your chest or across your lap and as they start to get stronger you can transition to tummy time on the floor.
My baby isn’t enjoying tummy time. What can I do?
1. On your chest
Just like skin to skin, your baby will most likely find comfort with tummy time on your chest. To make this more difficult for your baby, you can progress from sitting upright to slowly leaning back to you lying flat.
2. Across your lap
Your baby loves to be with you. When seated in a chair or on the floor, you can place you baby across your legs. This allows you to easily soothe them, rub their back and interact with them.
3. On an exercise ball
An exercise ball provides a wonderful place to work on tummy time. You can place the ball in front of a mirror for even more fun play and feedback. Place your baby on their tummy on the ball and you can help your baby to prop on their arms. Always keep a firm hand on your baby to prevent them from slipping. If you roll the ball back towards you, this will make the activity a little easier. You can gently bounce the ball for feedback as well.
4. On a wedge or over a rolled towel, small boppy
Performing tummy time on a wedge, rolled towel, or small boppy will make the activity just a little easier for your baby. It will help them keep their arms forward and make it a little easier to lift their heads. You can use a mirror or toys to entertain your baby and encourage them to lift their heads
5. Use pets, siblings, and mirrors
Entertainment is key! As your baby gets older, if there are still having a hard time with tummy time, they may be frustrated because they can’t see everything they want to. Get down on their level and be silly! Have pets nearby or siblings running around is always great too.
6. Play superman with your baby
If your baby is really struggling with tummy time on the floor, they may enjoy being carried around in the position with their tummy towards the floor, facing outward. You can focus on strengthening their neck by trying to get them to look upwards. As their neck gets stronger, tummy time on the floor should become easier!
No matter how you end up achieving tummy time with your baby, keep it safe and make it fun. Always be sure to supervise your little one during tummy time, and never let them sleep on their tummies. If you have any questions or concerns, speak with your doctor and/or therapist before trying any of these ideas.
Who We Are:
We are The Village Therapy Place, a multidisciplinary pediatric therapy center located in Wyckoff, NJ- in Bergen County. We aim to provide integrative, neurodevelopmental, individualized, pediatric therapy in a warm, fun, and collaborative environment.
We offer pediatric services that include physical therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, feeding therapy, and DIR Floortime.
At The Village Therapy Place, we utilize current and evidence-based treatment techniques to help treat your child during his PT, OT, speech therapy, feeding therapy and DIR Floortime session. These include sensory integration, reflex integration, therapeutic listening, Kinesiotape, craniosacral therapy, NDT, BrainGym, feeding therapy, PROMPT, to name a few.
Our expert pediatric therapists offer a variety of treatment options, including 30/45/60 minute sessions, group classes, at home sessions and virtual therapy to best suit your child’s needs.
The pediatric physical therapists, occupational therapists & speech therapists at The Village Therapy Place are in constant contact with a child's caregivers to facilitate lasting change.
Call us today at (201) 201-8220 or email us at office@thevillagetherapyplace.com to speak with a pediatric expert who will help your child thrive!
