Help! My Baby Dislikes Tummy Time
By Sarah Russell
From those early days as a newborn to when they start crawling and sitting, tummy time is an important play position for your little ones. Playing on their tummies provides babies with the opportunity to develop their neck, back, and upper body strength, and in combination with other play positions, encourages well-rounded muscle development.
As babies get older, tummy time is a stepping stone for moving about. At around four months of age, babies will generally start pushing up through straight arms, which lends itself to opportunities for them to roll from their tummy to their back. Many babies will also use tummy time as a transitional position to get into crawling and sitting and it’s through spending time on their tummies, that they develop the strength, motor planning, and sensory awareness to then master these milestones.
Tummy time is also important because it helps prevent plagiocephaly and brachycephaly—when flat spots form on the back and/or the sides of babies’ soft, malleable skulls. Since the introduction of the life-saving initiative ‘Safe to Sleep’ (also known as ‘Back to Sleep’), babies have become more prone to developing these flat spots, and there has been a steady increase in plagiocephaly and brachycephaly. Tummy time is a suggested strategy to help prevent misshapen skulls in babies.
Despite its importance, babies may not enjoy tummy time for a a number of reasons. Babies with low muscle tone have to work harder to 'activate' their muscles, resulting in them getting tired faster. Other babies simply don’t like the sensation of being on their tummies. This may be due to torticollis, reflux, colic and food allergies. For other babies, it’s just something they are not used to, but with some gentle persistence, they will go on to tolerate if not enjoy it.
Whether your baby likes tummy time or not, the good news is there are many ways you can encourage it without having to place them on the floor and hope for the best.
Familiarize your baby with the tummy time play position from day one
For your newborn’s tummy time, you can support them by resting them on your chest before, during, or after feeding. If possible, try some direct skin-to-skin contact, which babies and their caregivers generally enjoy.
Parents often ask me if it's safe for their baby to be face planting into their chest, the mat, or changing table. The simple answer is ‘yes’. Your baby is supervised and inherently wants to be able to lift up and see what’s going on around them. Face planting will strengthen their necks and is to be encouraged because it means they are working and, in turn, developing. It is typical and expected, so try to relax and allow them to get stronger.
Aim for short bursts of tummy time each day, gradually building up over time
As a first time mum, to ensure my son experienced enough tummy time in between all the feeding, burping, settling, and sleeping, I would roll him over onto his tummy after each nappy change. Ten nappy changes or so a day certainly added up to a fair bit of tummy time each day.
Keep tummy time dynamic and mix it up
Tummy time is one of many positions for babies to safely play. Play with your baby by laying them on their side, back, and tummy. Roll them around the mat, sit them on your knees or lap. While tummy time is important, variation in play positions is equally as important.
Try placing your baby on a foam wedge, a tummy time pillow (crescent shaped foam pillow) or a rolled-up hand towel. Sometimes a little support makes all the difference.
You can also get out an exercise ball and place baby on their tummy, gently holding onto them as you rock them back and forth. Sing, show them an interesting toy, or recruit a sibling to make funny faces.
Hold baby on their tummy along your forearm. Although this is not an active tummy time position in that baby isn’t working as hard against gravity as they would be on the floor, for example, it is a wonderful position to help expose your baby to the feeling of being on their tummy. Change arms each time you hold your baby in this position, so they have the opportunity to turn their neck both left and right.
Water mats are also fun and engaging. Older babies will enjoy the sensation of the water moving about, and visually tracking and trying to grab objects floating in front of them.
Tummy time mirrors are also a favorite because babies love looking at themselves. You can place mirrors in front AND to both sides of your baby to encourage them to turn their head and further stretch and strengthen their neck muscles. Black and white high contrast cards and picture books work well, too.
Make tummy time a noisy and sensory experience when baby is in their nappy with the use of soft blankets, bubble wrap, and other textured materials to provide interesting tactile input to their bellies and arms.
Your baby may fuss and seem uncomfortable during tummy time. This is normal, and it’s likely harder for you to watch than it is for them to experience. It's all part of your baby learning and figuring things out. If needed, rub baby’s back, sit close, and offer words of encouragement and a cuddle.
While it’s our responsibility as parents to provide our babies with safe and engaging opportunities to learn and develop, we don’t always get it right (and that’s OK!). For further support, please reach out.
Photos from Canva.
References
Collett, B., Breiger, D., King, D., Cunningham, M., & Speltz, M. (2005). Neurodevelopmental implications of "deformational" plagiocephaly. Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics: JDBP, 26(5), 379–389. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3393045/
Moon, R. (2021). How to Keep Your Sleeping Baby Safe: AAP Policy Explained. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/sleep/Pages/A-Parents-Guide-to-Safe-Sleep.aspx
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (2021) Safe to Sleep. https://safetosleep.nichd.nih.gov
About the Author
Sarah Russell is an Australian-trained pediatric occupational therapist. Since 2014 Sarah has been working in South East Asia, formerly in an international school and private practice, until becoming a mum herself. Sarah is particularly interested in empowering babies to move, grow, and thrive through simple, yet fun and interactive play. To contact Sarah, please email: stamburrini@gmail.com