Can newborns have tummy time

Tummy Time (for Parents) - Nemours KidsHealth

Reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MD

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What Is Tummy Time?

Tummy time is laying babies on their stomachs for brief periods while they're awake. It's an important way to help babies strengthen their neck and shoulder muscles, and improve motor skills.

Be sure to stay with your baby and watch closely during tummy time.

What Can Tummy Time Help With?

Tummy time is good for:

Newborns and infants 1–3 months old who are just developing neck control. Tummy time helps develop the muscles they'll need to roll over, sit up, crawl, and walk. Always stay with your baby during tummy time.
Older babies, 4–7 months old. They should still spend some supervised time on their bellies, even if they can roll over and sit with some help. Tummy time helps them practice lifting their head and chest further by straightening their arms. This strengthens arm, chest, and back muscles.
Newborns who have a neck condition called torticollis (tor-ti-KOLL-iss). Tight neck muscles keep the baby from turning their head. Tummy time encourages babies to look around, and along with exercises your doctor will show you, can help your baby's neck muscles relax.
Babies with flat head syndrome (positional plagiocephaly). This happens when babies spend too much time on their backs in the first few months of life. This can cause a flat spot, either on one side or the back of the head.

How Do I Do Tummy Time?

Newborns

Start newborns on tummy time by placing them belly-down on your chest or across your lap for a few minutes at a time, two or three times a day. While lying on their belly, they can practice lifting their head and strengthening the neck and shoulder muscles. As your baby gets used to it, you can go for a little longer.

Older Babies

Place a blanket down in a clear area on the floor. Place your baby on their stomach on the blanket for 3–5 minutes to start, several times each day. Your baby may get fussy and frustrated in this position. Keep the first sessions of tummy time brief and gradually lengthen them. It's also a good idea to do tummy time when your baby is fed, changed, and happy.

As your baby gets used to it, place your little one belly-down more often or for longer periods of time. Experts recommend that babies work up to about 1 hour of tummy time a day by the time they're 3 months old.

Make some noises or shake a rattle to get your child to look up and push up. Place a favorite toy in front of your baby to encourage reaching and forward movement.

Babies With Torticollis or a Flat Spot

This exercise is good for babies with torticollis and/or a flat spot, and can help treat both problems:

Lay your baby on your lap for tummy time. Position your baby with their head turned away from you. Then, talk or sing to your baby. Encourage your little one to turn and face you. Do this exercise for 10–15 minutes.

What Else Should I Know?

Always stay with your baby during tummy time.
Always place babies on their backs (never on their bellies) to sleep to help prevent SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome).
Do tummy time on a low, safe surface. Don't put your baby on a sofa or bed, where they could roll off or suffocate on pillows or a soft surface.

If your baby doesn't seem to enjoy tummy time, add some variety. Sing songs, keep colorful toys nearby, get down on the floor and eye-to-eye with your baby, and have others join you. Don't give up! Tummy time is important, and some babies just need a little extra time to get used to it.

Reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MD

Date reviewed: October 2019

Tummy Time | When to Start Tummy Time – Happiest Baby

By Dr. Harvey Karp, MD, FAAP

Tummy Time

Tummy time is an important part of an infant's routine. In fact, recent research found that tummy time was positively linked to gross motor development, total development, plus the ability to move while prone or supine (which includes crawling and rolling). Regular tummy time also helps your little one strengthen build up her muscles and become better at moving...which helps reduce the risk of sudden infant death.

Establish Safe Sleeping Habits Before Starting Tummy Time

Routinely putting a baby to sleep on the stomach raises her risk of SIDS about four times. But SIDS risk jumps even higher (eight to 37 times!) when young babies (under 4 months) are put to sleep on the back…but accidentally roll to the stomach.

Of course, sooner or later, your baby will roll onto her stomach during sleep. So what should you do to protect her?

For at least the first 4 months, always put your baby to sleep on the back snugly swaddled with white noise playing nearby. The sound will keep her calmer (less likely to fidget and roll), and the swaddling will make it harder for her to flip over. (FYI, Happiest Baby's SNOO Smart Sleeper is the only baby bed that prevents accidental rolling, via its clip-in swaddle. It also keeps your baby calm, by intelligently providing the right level of white noise and womb-like motion to soothe fussing. )

When to Start Tummy Time

While you can begin tummy time as early as the first day you bring your baby home, by the time your baby reaches one month, it's time to begin daily exercises to help her strengthen her neck and back. That will help her develop the ability to move her face out of a blanket or mattress in case she accidentally rolls to the stomach.

The key to starting tummy time is making sure that both you and your newborn are awake and alert and you’re constantly supervising.

How to Do Tummy Time Exercises

Once or twice a day, hold your baby upright in your arms with her head resting on your shoulder and her belly against your upper chest. Allow her to practice lifting her head, as you gently support her neck and head with your hand.

Place your baby with her tummy and face down on a sheet to give her practice moving her head and getting her nose and mouth free. (Supervise her closely, and never leave her alone on her stomach. ) The first few times, you may need to help by lifting her head a tiny bit and showing her how to swing her face to the side.

When your infant is 2-3 months old, place your hand under her chest during the tummy exercise to lift her a tiny bit and help her start learning how to use her arms to push up.

These exercises will teach her how to free her face by arching her back and lifting her head, in case she accidentally flips over in sleep.

How Long Should You Do Tummy Time For?

Start by doing tummy time once or twice per day for 3 to 5 minutes. As your baby gets older (and stronger!), you can ramp up the number of tummy time sessions and duration. Pretty soon your baby will be able to roll over on her own!

Final Thoughts on Tummy Time

Don’t stress if your baby hates tummy time. If you’re finding it challenging to keep your baby engaged, then take a break from tummy time exercises for a couple of days or even a week. Shortening tummy time sessions and spacing the exercises throughout the day will make it more bearable for your little one. Remember, some tummy time is better than no tummy time.

About Dr. Harvey Karp

Dr. Harvey Karp, one of America’s most trusted pediatricians, is the founder of Happiest Baby and the inventor of the groundbreaking SNOO Smart Sleeper. After years of treating patients in Los Angeles, Dr. Karp vaulted to global prominence with the release of the bestselling Happiest Baby on the Block and Happiest Toddler on the Block. His celebrated books and videos have since become standard pediatric practice, translated into more than 20 languages and have helped millions of parents. Dr. Karp’s landmark methods, including the 5 S’s for soothing babies, guide parents to understand and nurture their children and relieve stressful issues, like new-parent exhaustion, infant crying, and toddler tantrums.

View more posts tagged, behavior & development

Have questions about a Happiest Baby product? Our consultants would be happy to help! Connect with us at customercare@happiestbaby. com.

Disclaimer: The information on our site is NOT medical advice for any specific person or condition. It is only meant as general information. If you have any medical questions and concerns about your child or yourself, please contact your health provider.

Why is tummy time so important for your newborn baby?

HomeHealthWhy is tummy time so important for your newborn baby?

When a newborn baby lies on its back, it is natural and habitual for parents. When it comes to accustoming a child to the stomach, mothers have reasonable fears - the baby still does not hold his head and has poor control over his body, it seems to his mother that he will be uncomfortable on his stomach. But these are useless fears - pediatricians say that laying a child on his stomach is useful and important: in this position, the child develops motor skills better and learns to hold his head faster. nine0003

At the advertiser's address, in Health · 08 Apr. 2022, 01:00 · 0 Comments

For a long time it was believed that you should not put the baby on the stomach until the umbilical wound closes. Modern pediatrics has revised its approach to child development. Neonatologists advise parents to start laying their baby on their stomach from the first day of life. Most babies tolerate this position very well, and it does not harm the navel. nine0003

Some children do not like to lie in this position, then parents have to teach their babies. This must be done because the position on the tummy is very beneficial for the newborn. You will have to overcome the child's anxiety, his mood and even tears, and in no case should you retreat. Help your baby grow strong, mobile and healthy.

Why is it necessary to lay the baby on the stomach?

A one-month-old baby who is used to lying on his tummy, the world around him seems wider and more interesting. Exercise also has a positive effect on the physical condition of the child. Let's mark all the useful points:

Lying on his stomach, the child trains the muscles of the neck in order to quickly and easily learn to hold his head. Other muscles of the body are also tensed, the shoulder girdle, arms and abs are strengthened. Getting used to leaning on his hands, the newborn is preparing to crawl
When the baby lies on his stomach, he increases the angle of view, sees his hands, notices toys and develops a grasping reflex. At the same time, the mental abilities of the child are stimulated
nine0023
The bones of the moon child's skull are soft and may flatten from prolonged lying on the back. To prevent the baby's head from looking flat, lay it on the stomach more often.
Strengthening the neck muscles helps to avoid torticollis in the newborn. Having laid the child on his stomach, approach him from different sides so that he tries to return to you.
Being on the stomach, the child massages the stomach and trains the abdominal muscles, thereby improving metabolism. Gas is expelled more easily and the risk of colic is reduced. The formation of an umbilical hernia is prevented. nine0003

Rules for performing exercises for children

You cannot just take and turn the baby on his stomach, several conditions must be observed. Since the position is new for a vulnerable baby, mommy must do everything correctly and accurately. Follow the following rules:

Place the child on a firm and level surface. Use a regular or changing table for this. You can cover the floor with a sheet or blanket and put the child on it, as long as there are no drafts and the floor is warm. A rigid support will help the child develop motor skills
Do not give him or her any food before putting the baby on his stomach. This position can cause regurgitation, and after feeding, babies want to sleep rather than exercise. For example, you know that after 30 minutes it is time for your baby to eat infant formula, then this period is the optimal time to put him on his tummy.
Be sure to be close to the newborn. Do not let the baby bury his nose in a blanket or pillow, remove them. Watch his position, do not leave him unattended even for a minute - this is especially important at the age of 2-3 months, when the child actively rolls over
Pediatricians recommend putting the baby naked on the tummy. Check how many degrees in the room where your baby is, so as not to catch a cold

Since the pose involves muscle training, never lay the baby out after meals or before bed. Exercise is performed only when the child is awake.

How to teach a child to lie on his tummy?

If your little one does not like to lie on his tummy, is naughty and resists, try to teach him to do this. Remember that this position is necessary for the child to develop properly. Be patient, act consistently, with an understanding of what you want to achieve. Try doing it like this:

Lay the baby out for a very short time, no more than 10 seconds. The main thing is that during this time the mood of the baby does not deteriorate, and he feels comfortable.
Do the first exercises on the stomach: this is familiar to the baby, and this position will not make him feel insecure.
Gradually increase the time of lying on your stomach, but be sure to watch for when the baby begins to worry and let you know that he is tired of lying like that. nine0003
Turn exercise into a daily, obligatory ritual. Do it at a certain time so that the baby is ready for it.
Complement lying on your stomach with pleasant treatments: massage and stroking. The attention of the baby will switch, and he will happily accept the new position.
Lead the habituation process without coercion. Do not insist if the baby is naughty - just try every day and little by little, perhaps he will like it soon. nine0003
Choose the right time to practice. A lethargic, hungry or sleepy baby is unlikely to be happy to do what bothers him.
To reduce discomfort, engage the child's attention with auditory and visual stimuli. Bright toys and squeakers are suitable for this.
Change the texture and color of the surface the baby will sit on. Little tricks will help distract the child and improve his tactile skills. nine0003

Gradually your baby will like to lie on his tummy. If mom and dad make an effort, then very soon the baby will delight them with their successes.

The "lying on the tummy" position brings maximum benefits

If all your efforts do not lead to positive results, the baby continues to resist and does not want to lie on the tummy, offer him other options.

Regular activities with your child will lead you to success - especially since at a certain age, children themselves begin to like not only to lie down, but also to sleep on their stomachs. The once unloved position turns into the most convenient and comfortable. nine0003

In the first days and weeks after birth, the baby moves very little. The main postures are lying on your back or on your side, with your legs tucked up to your stomach. Young mothers are very afraid of injuring the child. To prevent this from happening, it is important to follow the recommendations of doctors.

Pediatricians recommend that parents do "tummy games" 2-3 times a day for 3-5 minutes each time. In early childhood, lying on the tummy can last only a few minutes until the child gets tired.

When the child shows interest in tummy time, increase the time and frequency of exercise. After 3-4 months, try lying on your tummy for about 20 minutes a day. If your baby is happy and alert, let him stay on his tummy for as long as he likes - 40 to 60 minutes a day. nine0003

Being on your tummy is a very important activity, try to make the most of this time. Make these moments fun and bright for your newborn, try to make him feel comfortable, distract and entertain him. The more your baby will lie on his tummy, the faster he will learn to control his body and begin to surprise with new successes.

Disclaimer:
The views expressed on this page are those of the author and not of The Portugal News. nine0003

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Laying out on the stomach - why is it so important for the baby

Baby

Photo: Image Broker/Legion

head of the Center for Psychodiagnostics and Psychocorrection at UPS

Do you know how to put a newborn baby to sleep? That's right, back. It is this simple rule that prevents sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). This became known back in the middle of 90s, which reduced the number of infant deaths worldwide by more than 50%.

In the 1980s in Western European countries, the death rate from SIDS was about 2 per 1000 newborns. After the "sleeping on the back" campaign, by the end of the century, it had fallen to about 0.5 per 1,000 and remained near that mark. SIDS includes any cases of unexplained death of infants from respiratory arrest, which makes some doctors and researchers critical of the allocation of SIDS to a separate disease. Experts believe that SIDS can have various causes (for example, low birth weight, premature birth, or maternal smoking), but the position of the baby's body during sleep is still called the main risk factor. At the same time, sleeping on the stomach is considered the most dangerous position. You can read more about how to protect your baby from such a syndrome here. nine0003

However, this measure also led to an unexpected effect: mothers began to be afraid to lay their children on their tummy not only during sleep, but also during wakefulness. As a result, the development of children's motor functions slowed down: in order to crawl on all fours, the child needs to use both his arms and legs, the muscles of which must be sufficiently trained. If the baby constantly lies on his back in the crib, he is unlikely to be able to master the necessary skills. When lying on their back, children do not have enough anti-gravity load on the extensor muscles, which can lead to a delay in the development of the child's psychomotor functions: the ability to crawl, sit down and roll over from the stomach to the back. nine0003

I don't want to, I won't!

Some children become indignant when laid out on the tummy. And no wonder: for a baby who constantly lies on his back, the position on his stomach is unusual, unpleasant - the child hardly raises his head, cannot turn around, feeling discomfort. The baby starts crying, calling for mom's help. Do not give in to provocations! You do not need to bring the baby to sobs, but try to lay out the crumbs every day for 5-10 minutes, gradually increasing the time to half an hour. Always stay close to your baby. If he starts acting up, you can entertain him, and he will lie on his stomach longer. At the same time, please note that the child’s hips should be divorced, and the hands should rest on the forearms. nine0003

Photo: C. Heusler/Arco Images/Legion

In the first 2-3 months of life, the baby tries to balance himself and therefore tilts his head in the direction opposite to the position of the body. In other words, lying on the tummy, the baby will begin to raise his head, which contributes to the correct and timely development of the cervical spine. He will keep his head upright for longer, then he will begin to rise on his handles, roll over, and by six months he will get on all fours and make his first attempts to crawl. Daily training will improve coordination of movements, help strengthen the shoulder girdle, muscles of the arms, spine, which in turn will positively affect not only the physical, but also the intellectual development of the baby. nine0003

In addition, laying on the stomach will perfectly strengthen the muscles of the anterior abdominal wall, will prevent umbilical hernia, and if done before eating, it will help to significantly reduce colic.

Important!

Never leave a baby lying on his stomach alone in a room. Do not put pillows, soft toys, blankets next to the crumbs, in which the child can bury his face.

Let's get started

Lay the baby on the stomach as often as possible: before feeding (do not stand after eating - the baby can burp and choke profusely), during massage, gymnastics, swaddling. Before procedures, ventilate the room and remove all unnecessary. The surface of the bed should be flat and firm - for example, a table covered with a thin blanket. The hard surface encourages the child to strain the muscles of the body, which, by the way, does not happen when lying on a pillow or a soft mattress. nine0003

To keep your little one from getting bored, place a toy with a mirror in front of him – kids love looking at their own reflection. Or put a bright musical rattle nearby, which will occupy the baby's attention for a long time.

Sometimes lying on the stomach irritates the baby because the child cannot watch the mother. Communicate more with the little one. Alternatively, you can put the baby on your chest so that the baby can look around without raising his head too high. nine0003

Photo: Image Broker/Legion

During this period, you can also practice the “reflex crawling” exercise, which strengthens the muscles of the legs and lower back: in the position on the tummy, spread the baby's knees to the sides, and connect the feet. Then grab the baby's shins with your palms and touch the soles with your thumbs. The child, in response to your actions, will straighten his legs and, pushing off, will move forward. Your hands must be fixed on the table, otherwise the baby will not move forward.

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