Tummy Time: Tips and Tidbits

Tummy time is more than just a fun alliteration; it is the foundation for your baby to develop his or her gross motor skills. Let's discuss why tummy time is so important and ways to help your baby tolerate this position better.

When should you start tummy time? Placing your child on his or her stomach can begin as soon as you come home from the hospital. Often newborns tolerate being in the position curled with their knees in front of the hips, mimicking the position in the womb. For babies who show extreme distress in this position, there are ways to grade the task to make it more tolerable.

Why is tummy time important? The "Back to Sleep" campaign recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics means your baby is likely already spending a significant amount of time on his or her back. Giving your baby a break from this position decreases the risk of developing Flat Head Syndrome (Plagiocephaly), as well as torticollis. During tummy time, your baby must activate important back, neck, and shoulder muscles to move

against gravity. Strength to these muscles is needed to get on hands and knees (quadruped), crawl, and a number of other early gross motor milestones. As your baby gains proficiency, he or she will begin to press up onto elbows and eventually hands. This not only provides improved shoulder stability, but forearm and hand strength to grasp and perform other fine motor tasks.

In order to interact with their environment when in tummy time, babies are motivated to lift their head to look around and give them a new perspective for the big world around them. When on their backs, babies have a more limited view of their surroundings (i.e. the ceiling) and are less likely to move their heads against gravity.

What if my baby hates tummy time? There can be many reasons why a baby becomes upset during tummy time. One reason can be they feel abandoned if caregivers aren't in their line of sight and they don't quite have the neck strength to look around. Another possibility is they feel stuck since they might not have figured out rolling yet.

Make tummy time an interactive experience; get involved too!


Particularly for younger babies, lying them on the caregiver's chest not only will work on anti-gravity strengthening, but it also allows time to bond by making eye contact. This can be a way to grade down the difficulty of tummy time compared to lying on the floor.

Other ways to perform tummy time that might be better tolerated include holding your baby like "superman." You can place the baby's upper body on pillows, a boppy, or on an incline wedge to provide more trunk support so they can lift their heads.

How long to stay in tummy time? Make sure to build up your baby's tolerance. Start off lying the baby on his or her stomach and helping them roll to his or her back. This will help teach them the motor planning of rolling and get them to feel more comfortable on their stomach. Try to make tummy time part of the routine following diaper changes or bath time. Once your baby becomes comfortable with the position, aim to spend at least 20-30 minutes in tummy time throughout the day, broken down to smaller increments.

*These are ideas based on clinical experience. Consult with your healthcare provider if you have concerns with your baby.