The magic of tummy time

Babies spend a lot of time on their backs every night while sleeping, so it's important to ensure they get adequate time on their tummy during the day. Tummy time is a critical component to your newborn's development as it helps strengthen muscles, improves coordination and even engages their brain.

Why is tummy time necessary for newborns?

It's natural to lay your baby on his or her back. Your baby is comfortable and it's the safest position in most scenarios, especially while sleeping. On their backs, babies are at lower risk for suffocation, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and other sleep-related deaths.

But if your baby spends too much time on their back, they can develop flat spots on their head, known as plagiocephaly. It may also lead to some neck muscles being less developed and the need for physical therapy and possibly a cranial remolding helmet. In addition, when a baby doesn't have ample tummy time, he or she may fall behind with developmental milestones such as rolling belly to back, sitting, crawling and pulling to stand.

"Tummy time is necessary for developing neck muscle strength needed for head control. It also helps develop shoulder strength. Positioning your baby on their stomach allows them to gain the strength and coordination they need for future motor skills like rolling, sitting, crawling and walking," said Suzanne Barje, PT, manager of Wolfson Children's Rehabilitation at Baptist Medical Center Clay and Baptist HealthPlace at Nocatee.

What are the benefits of tummy time for newborns?

Here are seven benefits of tummy time:

1. Strengthens back, leg, hip, arm and neck muscles

2. Develops upper body strength and head control

3. Prepares baby for sitting, scooting and crawling

4. Can prevent flat-head syndrome (plagiocephaly)

5. Aids fine motor skills in hands

6. Helps gas and constipation

7. Good for brain and eye development

When should I start tummy time with my newborn?

For babies who are born at full term, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends doing supervised tummy time starting in the first week after the belly button stump falls off. For newborns, you can start with short one-minute sessions, two to three times a day. Introducing tummy time early on has many benefits and increases your baby's tolerance to this position.

"When you start tummy time, we often get the question 'How long should they be there?' The answer is, initially to their tolerance, but then you want to increase this time to up to an hour per day. You want to make tummy time fun," said Barje.

What if my newborn hates tummy time?

Tummy time is hard work for babies. When you introduce it, make sure your little one is happy and not in a fussy mood.

You can use a towel or baby blanket and shape it into a "C" and place your baby's arms over it to give them some support. You can also try to place your baby on your chest while in a semi-reclined position so you can interact with your baby while placing them in an inclined position, which may be more comfortable.

There are plenty of ways to distract your baby during tummy time to make it more enjoyable. Talking, reading a book or singing to your baby not only engages their brain, but also strengthens the bond between baby and parent.

Remember, even if your baby loudly disapproves of tummy time, be patient, don't give up and be consistent with it each day to their tolerance. They will learn to enjoy it as they get stronger.

Don't skip tummy time with your newborn

To learn more about tummy time as well as other safety tips for infant sleeping, visit wolfsonchildrens.com/safesleep. If you have concerns about your infant's development, a pediatrician can help answer your questions. To find the right one for you, call 904.202.4YOU (4968) or fill out the appointment request form.

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