Empowering Parents: Tummy Time

HOW MUCH TIME SHOULD WE SPEND DOING TUMMY TIME?

From infancy, it is very important that babies get plenty of tummy time throughout the day.  We typically recommend for babies to get a minimum of 1 hour of tummy time each day.

This does not have to be all at once and usually works better to spread out over the day.  You can break this into several 5-10 minute increments to get the proper amount of tummy time in throughout the day. 

One good way to remember to incorporate tummy time is to make it a part of your routine. For example, you may decide to do 5-10 minutes of tummy time following each diaper change. 

Babies who are 0-3 months will often not appear to like tummy time and they often do better with some modifications, such as having the baby positioned on mom or dad’s chest while leaned back in a recliner.  This allows you to interact with the baby during this time and will keep them from getting bored and crying.  Also, by their head being slightly elevated above their body, it will give them some support and assistance for their body weight and make this activity easier for them. 

We encourage tummy time because it will help to strengthen the muscles in their neck and their back which are important for helping them learn to hold their head up on their own as well as needed for sitting and crawling.

If you have a question for one of our therapists, email us at empoweringparents@pediatricsplus.com. All question submissions will remain anonymous. We will post answers on a weekly basis. Please know that if you feel your child needs therapy services, we advise that you consult your pediatrician.