Tummy time for babies: What you should know?

Tummy time is a crucial developmental milestone for babies and holds numerous benefits for their physical and cognitive growth. This simple practice involves placing an infant on their stomach while they are awake and supervised. In this blogpost, we will explore the importance of tummy time and provide valuable insights into what parents should know to ensure the well-rounded development of their little ones.

When to start and how much is enough?

Parents may wonder when to introduce tummy time. Pediatric experts recommend starting tummy time as early as the first few weeks of life, incorporating short sessions multiple times a day. As babies grow, gradually extend the duration of tummy time to ensure a comfortable and positive experience.

Benefits of Tummy Time

Building Strength and Motor Skills: Tummy time serves as a pivotal activity for building essential muscle strength in a baby’s neck, shoulders, and core. As babies lift their heads and explore their surroundings from this prone position, they develop the necessary muscles to support later milestones such as crawling, sitting, and eventually, walking.

Preventing Flat Head Syndrome: Regular tummy time is effective in reducing the risk of developing positional plagiocephaly, commonly known as flat head syndrome. This condition can occur when babies spend too much time on their backs, leading to a flattening of the back of the skull. Tummy time provides an excellent opportunity for babies to relieve pressure on the back of their heads and promote a more symmetrical skull shape.

Enhancing Sensory and Visual Development: When placed on their tummies, babies engage with their environment in a different way, stimulating their sensory and visual development. This unique perspective encourages babies to lift their heads and explore the world around them, fostering visual tracking and depth perception.

Encouraging Independence and Confidence: Tummy time allows babies to gradually gain a sense of independence as they learn to control their head movements and explore their surroundings. This newfound confidence can contribute to a positive self-image and set the stage for future developmental milestones.

Making Tummy Time Enjoyable

If you are looking to make tummy time enjoyable for your little ones, seek the support of Maika’s newborn/baby care nurses. Our nurses can create a positive and interactive environment during tummy time, helping babies to build a foundation for a healthy routine.

Ensure a healthy and happy start for your babies by seeking the professional care of our nurses. For more details get in touch with us.