Why does my baby hate tummy time?

Initially, tummy time is hard! At birth your baby’s head accounts for about a quarter of its entire weight. This means that your baby will naturally find it hard to lift and move their head. In the first few weeks, try tummy time for 1-2 minutes. You can then look to build up to 10-15 minutes several times a day by 3 months of age.

 Safety note: Always closely supervise babies during tummy time.

Tummy time is a valuable activity for babies as it provides numerous physical and developmental benefits. Here are a few key benefits of tummy time:

• Strengthens muscles: Tummy time helps babies build strength in their neck, shoulder, and arm muscles, which are important for crawling, sitting, and other physical milestones.

• Improves motor skills: By spending time on their stomachs, babies learn how to control their movements and develop their motor skills, such as reaching, grabbing, rolling over and crawling.

• Promotes cognitive development: Tummy time gives babies the opportunity to explore their environment and helps stimulate their senses

• Prevents head flattening: Spending time on their stomachs can help prevent a condition called plagiocephaly (flat or misshapen head) that can develop from babies spending too much time on their backs.

• Increases independence: As babies get stronger and more comfortable with tummy time, they can eventually learn to push themselves up and crawl, which increases their independence and ability to explore their environment.

If you are concerned about your babies ability to lift their head, play on their stomach or their headshape Contact us to have a paediatric physiotherapist assess your child in the comfort of your own home.