Written by Dr Jane Williams and Bindy Cummings

You have been blessed with a baby, you’ve heard about tummy time, and you’ve heard it’s important. But why and how young do you start tummy time with your little one, how long do they need to stay on their tummy, how often do they need to do it and what do you do if they doesn’t like it??? Help!!

Firstly, let’s dispel a common myth. Tummy time does NOT involve leaving babies screaming or unhappy on their tummies on the floor. Very little development happens under stress and none of us learn well when we are unhappy. 1

Tummy time while your baby is awake is very important for development. It is not only a wonderful brain and body-building activity 2 but can also be a beautiful bonding time.

Here are some ways tummy time helps your baby’s development.

You can start tummy time from the minute your little one is born. In many cultures, newborn infants are placed on their tummies, directly onto their mother’s stomach. This is not only the first exceptional skin-to-skin bonding experience, but it also immediately stimulates an early infant reflex that results in the baby moving up mum’s stomach, encouraging neural connections from the very start! The earlier you start tummy time with your baby, the better.

How long do babies need to remain on their tummies?

When babies are very little, start with short periods of tummy time, often while they are building up their strength. They will eventually choose to spend most of their waking day on their tummies. Always change their position when you see signs of tiring or discomfort. Remember, that head is very heavy!

There are lots ways to do tummy time and many of them do not involve the floor. Take a look here:

If your baby doesn’t like tummy time yet, don’t worry. With all that muscle strengthening going on, tummy time can be hard work!! It’s never too late to start, and every bit of tummy time makes a difference.
Enjoy more from GymbaROO’s free online video series for parents and babies here: http://activebabiessmartkids.com.au

Dr Jane Williams (PhD, BMgt, RN(Paeds)) is one of Australia’s leading experts on baby and child development. More on Dr Williams here:

Bindy Cummings (B.Ed hons) is a teacher, GymbaROO early childhood neurodevelopmental consultant, early childhood development lecturer, GymbaROO teacher trainer, INPP consultant and iLS consultant. She is the Editor of GymbaROO’s First Steps magazine and digital articles.

References:

1. Mendres‐Smith AE, Borrero JC, Castillo MI, Davis BJ, Becraft JL, Hussey‐Gardner B. Tummy time without the tears: The impact of parent positioning and play. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. 2020;53(4):2090-107.
2. Carson V, Zhang Z, Predy M, Pritchard L, Hesketh KD. Longitudinal associations between infant movement behaviours and development. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition & Physical Activity. 2022;19(1):1-15.