You’ve mastered the diaper change. You have figured out a feeding plan. You’ve even had a few consecutive hours of sleep. In short, you are handling your new role as a parent like a boss.
Now that you’ve begun to establish a daily rhythm, it’s time to add in one of the rewarding responsibilities of parenting: It’s time to play! And your baby’s first experience with play will be tummy time. No gadgets or gizmos required. It’s important, easy and fun.
Here’s what you need to know about tummy time:
The best way to do tummy time is often.
Tummy time play is when you intentionally place your baby on a firm, flat surface tummy down, when she is awake. I tell my families the initial goal for tummy time is five minutes, five times per day. Most babies enjoy tummy time after being fed, changed and when calmly alert. Parents enjoy tummy time when they choose to put the phone down, get eye level with baby and relax. And it’s OK to start tummy time before the umbilical stump falls off; just be careful not to accidentally pull or loosen the stump.
[See: 10 Things No One Tells You About Breast-feeding.]
At first, it often happens that your baby will not like being placed belly down. She may cry or get agitated. If that happens, get on the floor with her to offer secure touch and eye contact; and add gentle songs or stories. Remember that every second adds up. You don’t have to leave her screaming on the floor for an extended period of time. That is not fun for anyone. Try just a few seconds of tummy time at first, slowly increasing the duration she may tolerate.
If she really hates tummy time, use a nursing pillow to raise her torso off the floor or place her belly down over your knees. These positions avoid the uncomfortable face-plants. Once tummy time is easier, try the floor again. Chest-to-chest time with a parent does count as tummy time, but remember it is resistance against a firm surface that assists in muscle development. That’s very hard to accomplish when your child is lying on your chest.
Tummy time is more than just flat head prevention.
The vast majority of parents put their baby on their back to sleep. The back to sleep position decreases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS. But over time it’s possible to get a flattened area on the back of the head from lying in that position for so many hours per day. Tummy time play helps preserve the rounded baby head shape we all love.
What most families don’t know is that tummy time does so much more than prevent flat heads. Remember that your baby had been curled up in a tight ball for quite a few weeks before delivery. There was not much room to move. Placing him on his tummy when he’s awake allows him to experience a new stretch and new gravitational position and develop muscular strength.
[Read: The Serious Business of Play.]
He can arch his back, lift his head and chest, pull up his knees and feel the floor. He can experience different temperatures and textures on his skin. It offers him an opportunity to focus on close-up toys or books, working the eye muscles and visual systems. Belly play also forces critical internal organs to work against gravity, altering breathing and heart rate. It can even aid digestion and move tummy bubbles through the digestive tract. Impressive, right?
Yes, your pediatrician can tell if your baby has been doing tummy time.
Gross motor milestones are intricately interrelated. One skill begets another skill in a specific order. If baby does not get tummy time, she may be delayed in rolling. If baby doesn’t roll, getting to a sitting position is more difficult. If sitting is difficult, first foods may be challenging. You get the idea.
Ultimately, tummy time matters because it helps your baby achieve the earliest skills of a predictive developmental series. Tummy time strengthens the neck, back and shoulder muscles to be able to move the head side to side by the age of 2 months. If a baby is not showing this progress, pediatricians get worried that she is not set up to accomplish the next big motor skill she is expected to achieve.
[Read: Sleep Schedules for Children 6 Months to 5 Years Old.]
The bottom line is that your doctor will be able to follow your baby’s developmental progress with you, but the work of that skill building happens bit by bit and day by day. By starting with tummy time, as simple as it may seem, you are setting her up for a chain reaction of success. So get comfy, slow down and enjoy the front row seat to watch your child grow.
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Tummy Time 101: How to Play With Your New Baby originally appeared on usnews.com
