Tummy Time Tips: Making It Easier, More Fun, and More Effective
“This is ridiculous. I give up.”
Every Parent Everywhere
Tummy time is hard. It’s hard to watch your baby cry face down in a blanket. It’s hard to feel like you’re forcing her to suffer. It’s hard to see the benefit of something that feels right now like harm.
But there is definitely a benefit, and it’s a big one.
The truth is I’m also much happier being held, curled up in a chair, or propped up on a comfy couch surrounded by pillows. Tummy time is crucial for your baby’s core strength development though, and she can’t wait until she’s 35 years old to sign up for a butts-and-guts fitness class. She has to start working right away if she’s going to be the next Serena Williams or Megan Rapinoe.
This activity is especially important early on. It might seem like your baby can’t move. He may be acting like he hates it or is totally stuck—and he probably is, but he will learn to get unstuck. It just takes time and practice.
While in utero, and for much of their time following, babies are in physiological flexion, cute and curled up, with their arms and legs tucked in close to their bodies. Since flexion is a natural position of comfort for babies, it’s important for parents to encourage tummy time as soon as their babies are born. They need to develop extension strength and control throughout the posterior chain of their bodies, including the muscles around their necks, shoulder blades, and down their backs. Building strong muscles through tummy time is vital for later developmental sequencing and the motor control necessary for rolling, sitting, standing, walking, and playing.
Still, we can make this better for everyone. Tummy time doesn’t need to be stressful and difficult.
Here are some strategies for making the experience fun and effective:
Begin right away.
Soon after your baby is born, you should start putting them on their stomach for short, supervised tummy time sessions. A warm and pleasant way to begin is to put your baby on your chest after each feeding. Newborn babies are still in physiological flexion, with hips and knees flexed or curled up towards their bellies, arms flexed and tucked in close. When placed on their bellies, most of their weight will be pushed slightly forward onto their arms and face. To relieve some of that pressure for them, try placing a hand on their back and hips and gently rocking your hand back towards their buttock.
Get close.
You want your baby to feel good about this process. To keep her comfortable and feeling secure, you should lay on the floor next to her, saying encouraging phrases, smiling, and speaking in a positive, pleasant tone. Your baby will feed off your energy and intention, especially when they’re attempting a new task. She’ll be comforted by having you by her side while she takes on this challenge.
Make it a party.
We don’t want this experience to feel just like something to overcome. Avoid saying things like, “I know this is horrible” or “Just 30 more seconds and we can be done.” Think about when you’re at the gym and you hear a trainer screaming at someone to do 10 more push-ups. On the other side of the space, you hear the fun, boisterous spin instructor encouraging their class and talking about the view from an imaginary mountaintop? Be the spin instructor.
Use a Water Mat:
An inflatable water mat toy is a great tool for tummy time. The moving water assists with sensory integration and the unstable surface also promotes dynamic balance and shoulder strengthening! If you’d rather not purchase a water mat, you can fill a gallon resealable freezer bag with a little bit of water and add some water-safe toys or food coloring!
Resealable or Ziploc bags are not safe toys for babies to play with independently, so this activity requires constant and dedicated supervision.
Get Painting:
Similar to the DIY water mat, tummy-time painting can be a fun activity for the family! Place a sheet of plain paper in a resealable freezer bag with a few dollops of baby-safe paint, close the bag, and have your little one smash, poke, and squish the paint!
Again, resealable or Ziploc bags are not safe toys for babies to play with independently, so this activity requires constant and dedicated supervision.
Grab a Friend:
Siblings, cousins, and friends should all join in on the tummy-time fun!
Find a Mirror:
There are baby-safe tummy time mirrors out there, but your full-length closet mirror or a make-up mirror will also work. Just make sure there aren’t any sharp edges!
Get a Good Prop:
If tummy time seems extra challenging for your little one, try placing a rolled towel or an infant pillow (like the Infantino Go-gaga Prop-a-pillar) under their chest to help support him.
Start small.
Begin with small increments of time, 20 to 30 seconds, and work up to one or two minutes. Eventually, you should get to five minutes three to four times a day. I know we often only have mornings together while everyone is getting ready for the day and evenings before we head to bed, so it’s hard to find the time. These sessions don’t need to be spread out through the day though. A new tummy time session can be just a few minutes after the last one, giving your baby a break and a few snuggles in between. At about three to four months old, the goal is for babies to get to around 20 to 30 minutes of tummy time each day, broken up into different sessions.
Take Breaks:
Learning to be comfortable on their stomachs isn't a randomly chosen position by experts to push babies. Getting on her stomach is a natural transition for your baby, and rolling her in and out of tummy time helps to show her that.
Try to roll her out of tummy time at the first signs that she needs a break. Use your both hands fully to move her, tuck her arms as needed, and support her head. Follow this change with lots of cheer and praise! Remember, we're trying to show her that playing on the floor is fun! It is especially important to roll your newborn to the side before picking her up in order to help her feel supported.
By doing this, you’ll show your baby that tummy time is an enjoyable experience, not something to be dreaded, and a transition step to doing other things.
Be Prepared.
Use play mats and toys to encourage time on your baby’s tummy. Play mats are designed to stimulate a little one’s mind visually and tactically. However, just like with anything we buy, not all play mats and toys are created equal.
There are a ton of options, but from our experience and research, we’ve found three playmats and multiple toys that will help your family make tummy time an enjoyable, productive experience.
Check out the play mats we recommend and the toys we think will encourage excellent tummy time play.
As your baby gains strength, typically around three to four months, he’ll be able to pull his forearms farther underneath him, he’ll be more steady, and he’ll enjoy lifting his head during tummy time to see his toys, your face, and his surroundings from a different point of view! From this strong developmental position, he can work on reaching and playing on his tummy and eventually progress to crawling. On the flip side, if you wait until he’s a few months old to begin tummy time, his head and trunk will feel so heavy that he will struggle to enjoy this position. It is important to start early!
You should always supervise your baby when she’s playing on blankets, sheets, or mats, since any loose fabric can be a suffocation hazard. Follow all guidelines for the play mats and play gyms, and be sure to be near your child and pay close attention to her when she’s playing on any fabric. Tummy time should always be a closely monitored and interactive activity.
Jessica is an experienced physical therapist passionate about early development, gross motor play, and improving daily function for those with neurological diagnoses. She earned her undergraduate degree in kinesiology from Michigan State University and her doctorate in physical therapy from Daemen College. Practicing for nearly seven years, Jessica has worked with children and families in hospital, outpatient, early intervention, school-based, and private clinical settings.
Jessica lives in northern Michigan, where she spends as much time as possible outside. She’s mom to five-month-old Declan and aunt to two energetic toddlers, two-year-old Tallulah and three-year-old Grayson.
