Whether your baby hates tummy time or loves it, it is extremely important for continued infant development. Not only to improve physical strength, but to provide sensory stimulation for left and right brain coordination. Improves near vision and helps overcome primitive reflections such as footstep and startle reflexes.
Since 1994, parents have been encouraged to put babies to sleep on their backs to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). This sleeping position has seen a massive decline in SIDS, but parents now seem fearful of putting babies on their tummies. This lack of tummy time has led to an increase in flattened head shape and excessive use of sitting aids for babies.
Tummy time describes a time spent that is set aside for placing the baby on his tummy. As a newborn, this position could be skin-to-skin on your chest or lying on your forearm or thighs. Start with short intervals offered frequently and, by three months, expect your baby to have about an hour of accumulated tummy time throughout the day and not including tummy time. Giving him tummy time in short bursts and often at first allows muscle and ligament strength to develop slowly, helping your baby feel more comfortable as he learns to lie down in a forward-facing position. .
The floor is a good place to hang out on your stomach. Prepare a suitable area using a firm rubber surface covered with a colored quilt. This will bring comfort and visual stimulation. If you have a boisterous and clumsy toddler or preschooler in the house, place your little one in a playpen so that he is on his stomach. When your baby is on his tummy with his knees slightly bent, place your hand against the soles of his feet and feel him push against you, propelling himself forward.
You can rest your baby’s chest on a rolled-up mat or towel during tummy time to encourage tummy time a little longer. You can also try lying in front of him to keep him entertained or placing a mirror or some colorful toys nearby that will grab his attention and tempt him to lie on his stomach for longer. Your baby’s head is heavy and difficult to lift when he is tired. For this reason, try to spend time on your stomach during the first half of your waking time and not near the end when you are tired and getting ready for sleep. Forcing your baby to spend time on his tummy when he hates him will only be a negative experience for everyone. Another way to give him tummy time is to hold him firmly in your arms facing the floor and rock him and rock him in the air. Move to music for added interest and stimulation.
Lying on the stomach allows your baby to see the world from different angles and perform different actions. Provides a continuous opportunity to lift the head and chest, strengthening ligaments, neck and back muscles, and forearm development. Tummy time helps drain the tubes between the ears and the nose which, when blocked, lead to ear infections. Lifting the head is hard work at first, but with regular repetition it becomes easier and your baby will learn to love this position and all the stimulation and development it provides.
As your baby grows and develops, he will begin to coordinate his body to slide forward, backward, and in circles. These are important actions for connecting pathways in the brain. These pathways form the basis for developing more advanced coordinated movements, such as crawling.
If you’ve encouraged your baby to enjoy tummy time in every way possible, but he still hates it, there may be a number of reasons to make it more difficult or painful. For this reason, it is important to have it evaluated by a child health professional as soon as possible. Once treatment is provided and the cause is fixed, your little one will be able to do what he is supposed to do: spend regular time on his tummy until he gets up and walks.
