Affinity Health, a leading provider of high-quality health coverage, explores the importance of tummy time, its benefits, and tips for incorporating it into your baby’s daily routine.
“Tummy time is a simple yet crucial practice for infants that involves placing them on their stomachs while awake and supervised,” says Murray Hewlett, CEO of Affinity Health.
“According to the National Institutes of Health, tummy time can profoundly impact an infant’s growth and future motor skills.”
What is Tummy Time?
The concept of tummy time emerged in the late 20th century as a response to the Back-to-Sleep campaign, which began in the early 1990s to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) by encouraging parents to place infants on their backs to sleep.
While the campaign significantly decreased SIDS cases, it led to an increase in positional plagiocephaly (flat head syndrome). Paediatricians and child development experts introduced tummy time to balance this.
Benefits of Tummy Time
From building physical strength to enhancing cognitive skills, tummy time offers many benefits that lay the foundation for your baby’s future milestones. Let’s explore the many advantages of incorporating tummy time into your daily routine.
Muscle Strengthening
Tummy time is vital for building strength in the upper body. When a baby is placed on its stomach, it is encouraged to lift its head, which strengthens the neck and shoulder muscles. These actions also promote the development of the muscles in the arms and back, providing a foundation for rolling over, crawling, sitting, and eventually walking.
Preventing Flat Head Syndrome
A baby’s skull comprises flexible plates that act like moving puzzle pieces, allowing the head to grow. These pliable bones are excellent for protecting your baby’s developing brain.
However, they can flatten if your baby spends much time lying on their back. Some babies also come into the world with misshapen heads due to their position in the womb or their journey through the birth canal.
Tummy time helps distribute the pressure more evenly across the baby’s skull, reducing the risk of developing flat spots and promoting proper head shape.
Enhancing Motor Skills
Tummy time is the precursor to cognitive and sensory development as babies learn to interact with their environment.
When babies spend time on their tummies, they get a new perspective on the world around them. This helps them explore their surroundings more, boosting their visual and sensory development. They start to look around, reach for toys, and react to different sights and sounds, which all help spark their curiosity and learning.
Coordination and Balance
As babies lift their heads, arms and legs during tummy time, they practise coordination and balance. These early experiences are critical for developing the neural pathways that support complex motor skills later in life, such as running, jumping and throwing.
Bonding and Interaction
Tummy time is a great bonding experience for babies and parents. Engaging with your baby during tummy time through eye contact, talking, and playing can strengthen the emotional connection and reassure the baby.
How to Make Tummy Time Enjoyable
Starting Early: Begin tummy time soon after birth, starting with short sessions of a few minutes at a time. Slowly increase the duration as your baby gets stronger. It is recommended that you aim for at least 20-30 minutes of tummy time spread throughout each day by the time the baby is three months old.
Creating a Safe Environment: Ensure the area where you practice tummy time is safe and comfortable. Use a blanket or a play mat to provide a soft surface, and remove any objects that could pose a hazard.
Engaging with Your Baby: Make tummy time a fun and interactive experience. Get down on the floor with your baby, make eye contact, and talk or sing to them. Toys and mirrors can also entertain your baby and encourage them to lift their head and reach out.
Using Props: Using props such as a rolled-up towel or a tummy time pillow under the baby’s chest can make the experience more comfortable, especially for younger infants who may struggle to lift their heads initially.
Being Patient and Consistent: Some babies may initially resist tummy time, but consistency and patience are key. Reassurance and praise can also help your baby feel more comfortable and confident during tummy time.
Addressing Common Concerns
It is not uncommon for babies to fuss during tummy time, especially in the beginning. If your baby seems unhappy, try shorter sessions more frequently throughout the day. Gradually increase the time as they become more comfortable. Engaging with your baby and making the experience interactive can also help distract them from any initial discomfort.
What If My Baby Falls Asleep During Tummy Time?
If your baby falls asleep during tummy time, gently turn them onto their back and transfer them to their cot or crib.
Conclusion
Tummy time is a fundamental practice for infants that supports their physical and cognitive development. It helps build the muscles necessary for motor skills, prevents flat head syndrome, and provides sensory stimulation that promotes cognitive growth. Parents can make tummy time an enjoyable and beneficial part of their baby’s daily routine by starting early, creating a safe and engaging environment, and being patient and consistent.