Newborn tummy time how long

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

When to Start and How to Do It

With all the focus on putting baby to sleep on their back, it’s easy to forget that tummy time is actually pretty important. Though it’s tough to see at first, all those little wiggles and attempts at half-lifts are contributing to baby’s development in major ways, preventing flat spots from forming on the back of their head (a side effect of all that time on their back) and preparing them for a few down-the-road milestones like rolling over and crawling. But if you’re new to this whole parenting gig, you might be wondering what exactly tummy time is and how it works. Don’t worry, we’re here to help with answers to all the questions you didn’t even know you had. So at what age should you start tummy time? And how often does baby need to do it? Read on to learn everything you need to know about the important developmental exercise known as tummy time.

In this article:
What is tummy time?
Benefits of tummy time
When to start tummy time
How long should tummy time last?
How to do tummy time
Tummy time tips

What Is Tummy Time?

When we talk about tummy time, what exactly do we mean? Suffice to say, tummy time is exactly what it sounds like—time that baby spends on their stomach while awake and supervised. Placing baby on their tummy encourages them to lift their head, which helps strengthen their head, neck and shoulder muscles and boost motor skills.

Benefits of Tummy Time

We know, it’s not easy to make baby do an activity they’re less than thrilled about. But trust us, tummy time is worth it. In addition to offering a sweet way for the two of you to bond, there are some major benefits of tummy time:

• Practice for milestones like rolling over, sitting upright and crawling

• Strengthens gross motor skills

• Engages lesser-used muscle groups

• Prevents plagiocephaly (aka flat head syndrome)

• Helps baby master head control

• Alleviates gas pain

• Exposes baby to a different environment

When to Start Tummy Time

At what age should you start tummy time? While there’s no prescription for exactly when to begin practicing tummy time, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends parents get going on it early. In fact, babies born at full term with no health issues can start tummy time as soon as their first day home from the hospital—so long as you and your newborn are both awake and alert, and you or another caregiver are there to supervise.

Don’t be surprised if baby hates tummy time and those initial attempts are met with some resistance. “Babies usually don’t like it and get cranky about it,” says Michael McKenna, MD, a pediatrician at St. Vincent Medical Group in Zionsville, Indiana. “The first time, they might only be down there for a minute before they start screaming. It’s about getting them used to being in that position. You’ll probably have to start with short sessions and work your way up.”

How Long Should Tummy Time Last?

Now that you know when to start tummy time (the sooner, the better!), you may be wondering how long each practice session should last. A little bit of tummy time actually goes a long way. When it comes to newborn tummy time, aim for two to three sessions a day for three to five minutes at a time, ideally after a nap or diaper change and as part of playtime. “You can stop or take breaks in there if your baby is having a tough time,” says Ashanti Woods, MD, a pediatrician at Mercy Family Care Physicians in Baltimore, Maryland.

As baby gets older and begins to enjoy this “workout,” gradually ramp up the number and duration of tummy time sessions. Aim for around 20 to 30 minutes a day of baby tummy time by the time they’re 3 or 4 months old. Remember, it doesn’t have to happen in one long session. Keep the practice up until baby can roll over on their own, a feat many babies accomplish around 6 or 7 months of age. Even then, you may consider keeping tummy time practice a part of your regular routine; it’ll help them as they start learning to crawl.

How To Do Tummy Time

Like most exercises, tummy time is pretty straightforward. Here’s how to get started:

• Set-up a soft, safe space and lay baby down. A blanket or a tummy time mat on a firm, flat surface works well. The floor is an ideal spot, though you can also lay your infant tummy down on your stomach or chest or across your lap.

• If baby doesn’t respond to tummy time on their own, try to engage them. Seeing your face can be incentive enough for baby to try lifting their head from your body, but McKenna warns that sometimes this plan can backfire. A sleep-deprived new parent (read: all of us!) might be tempted to snooze. Or, if you manage to stay awake, baby might not have incentive to lift their head off of your warm body and they could drift off to sleep.

See how it goes and how baby responds to tummy time. You may need to play around with positioning. If, say, baby really can’t handle being on their stomach, consider laying them on their side. This AAP-recommended position has baby on a blanket, laying on their side, with a rolled-up towel behind their back and a rolled-up washcloth under their head for support (if needed). Bring both of baby’s arms in front of them and both legs forward, bending their knees for comfort. Be sure to roll them to the alternating side every 10 to 15 minutes.

Tummy Time Tips

In a perfect world, your infant will push up and move around on their own during tummy time. But chances are, they’ll need some sort of stimulation to stay engaged. Here are some tummy time moves and distraction to try:

Use special tummy time toys. Pull out one or two novel tummy time toys and place them just out of reach, so baby has to extend themselves to grab them. You can also try holding a brightly colored stuffed animal or shaking a rattle near baby’s face to distract them from the task at hand.
Use a mirror. Do you have an unbreakable baby mirror from a playmat or toy? Put this in front of baby’s face. They may enjoy seeing their reflection during tummy time.
Get in on the tummy time action. If your little one isn’t happy about exercising alone, you can join the activity. “Lay down there with your baby,” McKenna suggests. “Move their hands around, have them feel new things, read to them or put down different-colored blankets—something to keep it interesting for baby.” You can also enlist a sibling to help entertain baby.
Use your body. Tummy time on the floor might not be your baby’s thing for a while. If this is the case, you can use your own body as baby’s personal tummy time mat. Place baby across your lap, belly down. Use your hand to rub their back or offer gentle, rhythmic pats. You can also try laying down on your back and placing baby tummy down on your belly.
Try a football hold. Hold baby like a football, balancing their tummy on your arm with their legs and arms on either side. Be sure to support their back and neck with your other hand. This is a good beginner option for babies who resist any and all tummy time.
Prop baby up. If baby doesn’t like being flat on their tummy, you can try propping them with a nursing pillow under their chest at first. This will hopefully get them used to the position, so that you can eventually (and gradually) remove any props. With or without a pillow, remember to always keep an eye on baby while they’re practicing tummy time.

What if baby still hates tummy time? Don’t stress—and don’t give up, Woods advises. “Like many things with children, it’s okay to step back, take a break and come back to tummy time,” he says. “Take a couple of days or a week off, and try again later. You’ll likely see success after you take a breather.” Also consider shortening sessions and spacing tummy time out throughout the day to make the task a little more bearable for baby. A little here and there all add up. “As long as they are doing some [tummy time], it will have some benefit,” McKenna points out.

Incorporating tummy time into your daily routine with baby might feel daunting at first—especially if they fight the activity. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself or your little one right away. Gradually, they’ll get used to this position, and you’ll find a few creative ways to squeeze in some practice.

About the experts:

Michael McKenna, MD, a pediatrician at Ascension Medical Group in Zionsville, Indiana. He earned his medical degree at Indiana University School Of Medicine in St., Indianapolis.

Ashanti Woods, MD, a pediatrician at Mercy Family Care Physicians in Baltimore, Maryland. He earned his medical degree from Howard University College of Medicine in Washington, DC.

Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.

Plus, more from The Bump:

What You Need to Know About Baby Growth Spurts

When Do Babies Start Talking?

Why Babies Get Clingy—And How to Cope

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.

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

Why is tummy time so important for your newborn baby?

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.

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
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.

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.
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.
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.

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.

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.

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.

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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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