With the tummy time guide , we encourage your babies to extend their tummy time in the early period. Because babies are so weak and cannot move themselves easily, it is important to encourage safe tummy time while your baby is awake. This helps develop important muscles while also reducing pressure on your baby’s head. This tummy time guide will give you the information you need to get the best results.

Tummy Time – The Best Age to Start Tummy Time

As long as he’s awake, alert, and under your supervision, your baby can start spending tummy time within the first few weeks. While you do this, you can hold it on a safe supportive surface, such as your arm or knee, or even on a changing mat on a table. Start with short periods of tummy time and increase as you get used to it. If your baby is on an elevated surface, do not leave him unattended.

Tummy Time Exercises

In our tummy time guide article, there are a variety of things you can do to encourage the benefits of tummy time for your little one. When babies are about 3 months old, they usually begin to lift their arms up.

This is a big developmental step as it means the arm and shoulder muscles are developing nicely. You can encourage this by holding an exciting toy over them, motivating them to look up, and using their arms to propel themselves towards the toy.

When your baby is about 6 months old, their muscles will become more developed and stronger, and by this time most babies will begin to roll over on their own. A good exercise to try with your little one is to place a toy slightly in front of them but at eye level.

This encourages your baby to stretch out their arms and reach for the toy, encouraging further muscle development.

These tummy time exercises help develop and strengthen your baby’s neck, shoulder, arm and back muscles. It is important to have fun to keep your baby busy with these exercises. If you keep toys too far away from them, this can cause them to become frustrated and discouraged. Accompanying him in this activity will ensure that you have fun, too.

What to Do If Baby Doesn’t Want Tummy Time ?

It’s quite common for babies to not want to do tummy time at first. It’s a new experience for your little one, but consistency is key. Start with just a few minutes of tummy time to get them used to it, and steadily increase it over time.

For babies who don’t spend any time on their tummy, you can start tummy time while they’re on your lap. This technique means they are in the comfort of your lap while they experience being in front of you. This can be a good way to get them used to tummy time before being placed on a surface.

When your baby is having tummy time on the floor, start by getting down to his or her level. This helps put them at ease, especially if you talk to them and encourage them. Distractions are a good way to make them more tolerant, so making sounds and noise during tummy play is a good thing.

Incorporating tummy time into your baby’s daily routine is a great way to get them settled in as quickly as possible. If you always start tummy time after a specific event, such as a nap, your little one will quickly come to expect it.

Safety During Abdominal Activity

The surface on which you place your baby while lying on his stomach is extremely important and must be safe. It is important to take precautions before taking the risk of falling from a surface such as a sofa.

For tummy time, it is recommended to place your baby on the floor on a blanket or towel.

However, it is also important to be with your baby at all times while he or she is on the tummy. If your baby falls asleep during tummy time, turn him on his back while sleeping.

If your baby has reflux, avoid starting tummy time right after feeding. This is uncomfortable and may cause them to vomit.

Flat Head Syndrome

We encourage parents to do tummy time for a few reasons. We recommend it not only for the development of important neck and back muscles, but also to help prevent flattening of the head.

Tummy time provides some time without pressure on your baby’s head. When babies are on their backs or in a car seat, pressure is applied to their heads and  can cause flat head syndrome . Tummy time or tummy time is good to help prevent flattening. You can check out our blog article for detailed information about what you need to do to prevent flat head syndrome.

If you have noticed a flattening of your baby’s head and would like to get advice, you can make an appointment at our clinics .