By: Lizzy Cingari MSOT, OTR/L
Tummy time is prime time for babies to strengthen their neck, shoulders, and trunk muscles. Strengthening of their trunks carries over to various other areas of development such as rolling, crawling, sitting up and walking. Similarly, the strengthening of neck muscles in babies will be helpful down the line in the development of hand and arm strength and stability. Babies that spend time on their tummies develop sensory processing skills due to the different textures and temperatures of the surfaces they are on (tactile), the active resistance of the surface (proprioception), the variety of head positions (vestibular), and tracking and scanning toys and faces (visual). Tummy time also plays an important role in preventing flat spots on the back of your baby’s head.
Tummy time can be implemented into your daily routine as soon as your baby is born. The optimal time to practice tummy time is when your baby is awake and alert and not too soon after a feed to avoid vomiting or discomfort. The optimal frequency and duration of tummy time increases from birth to 4-6 months and varies from baby to baby.
0-3 Months
● 10-20 minutes per day
3-4 Months
● 30-40 minutes per day
4+ Months
● 60 minutes per day
Implementing a routine will help you to assess milestones and observe how your baby is reacting to tummy time. As babies grow and begin to enjoy tummy time, you may increase the length of the sessions. Alternating directions and environments for tummy time will provide your baby with a variety of sensory information. This can include different rooms of your home or even outdoors. Newborns may begin tummy time on their caregivers chest. If you lean back in a chair or couch and place your baby on your chest this allows for a comforting introduction to tummy time.
Once your baby has been introduced to this new activity, you may spread a blanket across the floor and position yourself at eye level to interact with your baby. Some ways to engage your newborn during this time are to read to them, sing to them, and mimic their facial expressions. At 3-4 months, you may begin introducing different toys to expose your baby to new shapes, colors and sounds.
Always remember to supervise your baby during tummy time and have fun!