When to start tummy time with a newborn

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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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.

Tummy Time (for Parents) - Nemours KidsHealth

Reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MD

en español Posición boca abajo

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

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.

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

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• 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

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. nine0003

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. nine0003

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. 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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Pediatrician Olga Ustinova, answering questions from TIA readers, told how to swaddle, apply to the breast and lay the newborn on the stomach

May 22 Chief physician of the Children's City Clinical Hospital No. 1, doctor of the highest category, candidate of medical sciences, pediatrician, gastroenterologist Olga Ustinova in an interview with TIA spoke about the nutrition and digestive problems of a child in the first year of life. Readers have asked many questions in the comments. Answering a question from a reader marusya, Olga Ustinova told whether it is necessary to swaddle babies and how to do it correctly, how to lay a newborn on her stomach and how to hold a baby while breastfeeding. nine0003

Swaddling

Mothers quite often ask the question: "Is it necessary to swaddle a newborn?". Here it is necessary to decide individually with each child. If the baby is very active, then in the first 4 months of life, when the physiological hypertonicity of the limbs persists, it is better to swaddle. But, for example, from two months you can only swaddle the legs, leaving the baby's arms free. The child wants to move, especially from the age of three months, they begin to reach for rattles, and parents should not interfere with development. There are children who from birth do not want to lie in diapers, but want to freely place their arms and legs in the crib, they easily get used to vests and sliders. Mom will see this right away, you should not go across such a desire of the child. nine0003

How to swaddle your baby properly
You need to swaddle slowly, without sudden movements.
Place two diapers on the changing table, one on top of the other. We will fix the legs with the top diaper.
The child lies on the back, on diapers. The arms are movable.
We stretch the legs so that it is comfortable for the child.
We wrap the right edge of the upper diaper around the right leg, the left - around the left. nine0128 We bend the lower end of the diaper and wrap the legs around them, we make a kind of cocoon in which the baby will be warm and comfortable.
Then we wrap the handles with the bottom diaper. We stretch the right handle along the body and wrap the diaper around the body. Then we repeat everything with the left handle. Next, lift the torso of the baby from below and wrap it.
A swaddled baby is comfortable to feed and hold in a column

Pediatrician Olga Ustinova, together with Ekaterina Filatova, a nurse from the neonatal pathology department of the Children's City Clinical Hospital No. 1, showed how to properly position a child in a column so that the baby burps up. nine0003

- Sometimes the air leaves quickly, but sometimes the mother has to wait. Breathing or spitting up (when air comes out with breast milk or formula) is accompanied by a characteristic sound. We are waiting for the air to come out twice, after which the baby can be put in the crib. The newborn sleeps without a pillow, the head must be turned to one side, changing side after each feeding (either to the left or to the right).

It is better to breastfeed your baby while sitting rather than lying down
From the point of view of the physiology of the child, during breastfeeding, the mother should sit, not lie down. Doctor Olga Ustinova and nurse Ekaterina Filatova told and showed how to properly hold the baby during breastfeeding.

- The baby's head and neck are on the mother's arm. In contact with the mother's body, feeling her warmth, the baby relaxes and begins to actively open his mouth, making sucking movements. He is ready to eat. The baby begins to suck, the semi-horizontal position helps the milk reach the stomach faster. If the mother has no medical contraindications to sitting feeding, then this position will be optimal. For her own convenience, a woman can put a bench under her foot, put pillows under her elbow and back. The time the baby is at the breast is 10-15 minutes, if the baby sucks sluggishly, then up to half an hour, you should not keep it at the breast longer, otherwise it will become a habit for the baby. Instead of getting used to resting in his crib, the baby will become tame and it will not be easy to wean him from this. nine0251