When baby start tummy time

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.

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Have questions about a Happiest Baby product? Our consultants would be happy to help! Connect with us at [email protected].

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.

What You Need to Know About Tummy Time

What is Tummy Time?

Tummy Time is one of baby’s first exercises—and the most important!

Tummy Time is the period during the day your baby spends awake and on their stomach. It is a crucial exercise for baby’s motor, visual, and sensory development.

Baby can begin Tummy Time as a newborn. They can continue to do Tummy Time throughout their first year. Watch the Tummy Time guide:

Tummy Time: Know the Basics

• To develop the core muscles of the neck, back, and shoulder muscles
• To meet developmental milestones
• To possibly help prevent early motor delays and conditions, such as flat head syndrome (positional plagiocephaly) and twisted neck (positional torticollis).

As a newborn baby, as soon as they come home from the hospital.

Aim to achieve at least an hour of Tummy Time total per day by 3 months of age. This hour of Tummy Time can be broken up into smaller parts. From newborn age, start with a few minutes at a time and build up to longer sessions.

Start with small increments of a few minutes at a time, several times a day. Eventually, try to do longer Tummy Time sessions, eventually building up to a full hour.

Once baby begins crawling, around 7-9 months, they will be getting the developmental benefits of Tummy Time while moving, and it is not as essential to have them do Tummy Time. However, it is still beneficial to have baby spend some time in the Tummy Time position (also known as prone position) during play.

Always Remember: Back to Sleep, Tummy to Play!

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends baby always sleep on their back. That means spending time on their tummy while awake is crucial for development!

And remember: if baby falls asleep during Tummy Time, be sure to place them on their back and let them continue to sleep.

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Essential Tummy Time Moves

Try these different ways to do Tummy Time with baby:

• Lie down on the floor or a bed, flat or propped up on pillows. Place baby on your chest or tummy, so you and baby are face-to-face. Always hold firmly for safety.

• Position one hand under the tummy and between the legs and carry baby tummy down. Use other hand to supp­­ort baby’s head and neck. Nestle baby close to your body to help get baby accustomed to the position.

• Place baby face down across your lap. A hand on baby’s bottom will help steady and calm them. This move can also be used to burp and soothe baby.

• Get down to baby's level to encourage eye contact. Baby loves to see your face!

Want to be a Tummy Time expert? Take the course!

Your Guide to Tummy Time has everything expecting and new parents need to know about this crucial exercise, including Tummy Time options and activities.

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Check out what others are saying about the course:

“If someone's wants to be an expert in Tummy Time, Pathways. org's tummy time expert course is an essential course that every parent should consider.

The introduction of tummy time, the importance, how it impacts the child's progression, how it helps prevent medical conditions, how to ensure a baby's engagement in tummy time and all the wonderful ways of implementing it were well explained and guided!

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Tummy Time Abilities

What Tummy Time should look like each month:

How do you know baby is making progress during Tummy Time? Check these abilities to ensure baby is continuing to develop.

• Using Tummy-to-Tummy, Tummy Down Carry, and Lap Soothe positions
• Working towards Tummy Time on the floor

Watch baby do Tummy Time at 2 weeks!

Expert Tummy Time tip: Many parents like Tummy to Tummy for their newborn. This allows you to be face-to-face with baby and enjoy lots of baby cuddles!

• Turning head during Tummy Time
• Attempting to lift head up – even if it’s only for a second

Watch baby do Tummy Time at 1 month!

Expert Tummy Time tip: Get down on the floor at baby’s eye level. Baby loves your face and voice!

• Spending at least one minute in Tummy Time several times a day without becoming upset
• Doing the majority of Tummy Time exercises on the floor
• Possibly tilting their head to one side
  • Watch to make sure they alternate tilting to both directions instead of always favoring one side, which may be a possible sign of positional torticollis

Watch baby do Tummy Time at 2 months!

Expert Tummy Time tip: Face baby different directions in their crib each night to help develop neck muscles by turning a different direction to look at you each morning.

At 3 months, baby is...

• Beginning to put weight on arms, with elbows behind their shoulders at a 45 degree angle
• Gaining head control and is able to lift head between 45 to 90 degrees, without tilting head to either side
• Spending a total of 1 hour each day in Tummy Time
• Starting to visually track toys or rattles you move around during Tummy Time

Watch baby do Tummy Time at 3 months!

Expert Tummy Time tip: Place baby tummy down on an exercise ball, holding their sides for support. Slowly move the ball toward and away from you, allowing baby to lift and hold their head more easily.

At 4 months, baby is...

• Lifting head up 90 degrees and keeping their head centered
• Pushing up on forearms and brings chest off floor. Elbows will be under their shoulders at a 90 degree angle or in front of shoulders.
• Lifting head and moving neck to track toys, voices, and faces during Tummy Time

Watch baby do Tummy Time at 4 months!

Expert Tummy Time tip: Babies love faces—even their own! Use mirrors during Tummy Time to help keep them engaged and having fun.

• Beginning to push up on hands with straight elbows
• Starting to move hands forward to reach for toys that are placed nearby

Watch baby do Tummy Time at 5 months!

Expert Tummy Time tip: Do baby push-ups. Place hands under baby’s chest and tummy, and use gentle lifting cues to get baby to push up on hands for brief periods.

• Self-directing Tummy Time
• Reaching and grabbing toys of different sizes while on tummy
• Able to pivot in a circle while on stomach
• Rolling from back to tummy and tummy to back
• Starting to prefer being on their stomach. Being on their tummy allows them to play, move, and explore more easily.

Watch baby do Tummy Time at 6 months!

Expert Tummy Time tip: Encourage baby to practice rolling and moving while on their tummy. Use toys to keep them motivated!

How Tummy Time Helps Baby's Development

Tummy Time helps baby's motor and sensory development

Tummy Time is crucial for healthy motor, sensory and visual development:

Motor

• Strengthens baby’s back, neck, shoulders, and core muscles.
• Build a foundation for baby to meet motor milestones including rolling, sitting, crawling, and more.

Sensory

• Feeling different textures (blankets, carpet, etc.) on their arms, hands, and cheeks can help baby’s sense of touch (tactile sense).
• As baby moves and their weight shifts, they gain a sense of body awareness (proprioception).
• Positioning baby differently helps develop their movement and balance (vestibular sense).

Vision

• Helps develop hand-eye coordination. By looking down at their hands, baby is seeing how they move and what they can do.

Did you know you can use time on the floor to play as an alternative to baby being in a carrier or bouncy seat?

In addition to having proven developmental benefits, Tummy Time can help prevent two conditions: positional plagiocephaly and positional torticollis.

Positional plagiocephaly is the development of flat spots on the back and side of the head, which can lead to asymmetries of the head and face.

Positional torticollis is the stiffening of neck muscles, causing baby’s head to tilt to one side.

Learn More

Tummy Time Tips for Success

If baby isn't enjoying Tummy Time, try some of these ideas!

If baby has different people caring for them...

Make sure all caregivers know Tummy Time is a normal part of baby’s daily routine

If baby resists Tummy Time...

Do a couple minutes of Tummy Time after every diaper change or after every bath so baby starts to expect it

Avoid Tummy Time immediately after feeding

If baby cries during Tummy Time…

Try doing Tummy Time exercises when baby is most happy

Make Tummy Time fun time

• Sing songs during Tummy Time to calm and soothe baby
• Use rattles, toys, and mirrors to encourage visual tracking
• Get down on the floor at baby’s eye level. Baby loves your face!

If baby falls asleep during Tummy Time…

Place them on their back—do not let them sleep on their tummy

Remember: Every bit of Tummy Time makes a difference!

Don’t get discouraged. If you have done plenty of Tummy Time with baby, but are concerned they are not meeting their milestones, bring your concerns to baby’s pediatrician or healthcare provider.

Learn More About Early Detection and Intervention

Tummy Time Activities

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.

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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.

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.

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:

1. 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.

2. Do the first exercises on the stomach: this is familiar to the baby, and this position will not make him feel insecure.

3. 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.

4. Turn exercise into a daily, obligatory ritual. Do it at a certain time so that the baby is ready for it.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. Choose the right time to practice. A lethargic, hungry or sleepy baby is unlikely to be happy to do what bothers him.

8. To reduce discomfort, engage the child's attention with auditory and visual stimuli. Bright toys and squeakers are suitable for this.

9. 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.

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Daily baby care: prone position

It is important to teach your child to lie on his stomach from birth. If the baby does not learn this position from the very beginning, it will be very difficult for him to get used to it later, because children often cannot bear the pressure on the delicate abdominal wall. And because of this, parents often say: "My child does not like to lie on his stomach, so I put him on his back." Despite some disadvantages at the beginning of a child’s life, subsequently the position lying on the stomach becomes necessary and important for the proper development of the baby, because it is from this position that the child develops body symmetry, and this is how he learns to straighten up. Developmental delays and asymmetries may be the result of constant lying on his back at an age when he is already able to roll over on his stomach. This fact extends even to the situation when the child does not sleep.

After a natural birth, the baby is immediately placed on the mother's stomach, where he can feel her warmth and familiar heartbeat. He feels comfortable and safe in this situation. In order for your baby to get used to the prone position faster, you can always put him on your stomach and together feel your natural connection and safety. He will definitely appreciate it, and it will be easier for him to feel comfortable in the future when he lies on his stomach, even if he cannot stand it now. You can sing or hum low notes in your chest voice and watch how the vibrations coming out of your chest enchant and soothe the child.

Even if the baby begins to raise his head and hold it, he will still be happy to lie on your stomach. Because that way you can look at each other and communicate. If necessary, help him stabilize the support by supporting him by the shoulders or forearms. In this position, it will also be easier for the baby to endure colic when they begin to bother him.

The wedge-shaped pillow, which allows the child to lie as if on an inclined plane, will make the prone position pleasant. You can also place the baby on your knees or hips and lightly pat on the back; as a result of such actions, the abdominal wall will gradually get used to the pressure. Babies generally enjoy being carried on their stomachs in a “flying” position (see How to carry a baby)

If your little one gets used to the tummy position at an early age, it will be a little easier for him when you take him to the playground, where he will discover the world.

Important: until the child can turn his head while lying on his stomach on his own, make sure that he lies on different cheeks in turn. This is necessary for uniform development. Later, when he begins to turn his head on his own, the presence of a "favorite" side may indicate the development of asymmetry.

NOTE

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

It threatens any child from the first day of life and remains a real danger during the first year of life. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the following:

Do not put your baby to sleep on his stomach, it is better to put him on his back. Even when the child grows up and can independently hold his head and roll over on his stomach, do not leave him to sleep on his stomach unattended.

Make sure the bed is free of plastic or plush toys, pillows or other care items. If your child sleeps restlessly and moves during sleep, there is a risk that he may be covered with a blanket with his head or wrapped tightly in it. In this case, it is recommended to use a sleeping bag for children.

Do not dress your child too warmly. His neck should not sweat, and his hands and feet should maintain the correct temperature.

Keep your child away from tobacco smoke.

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