Product Search
Product Menu
Shop Help
Need to talk to someone?
Call us on 08 9313 8884
Shop Safe!
Our site uses 128bit SSL encryption making your shopping experience safe and secure. All prices are shown in Australian Dollars.
Tummy Time
What is Tummy Time?
Tummy Time is supervised tummy play for awake babies, to develop their motor skills.
Why is Tummy Time important?
It is important to provide infants with the opportunity to play on their tummies in order to encourage motor skill development, while also preparing them to slide on their bellies and eventually crawl. During Tummy Time babies develop their neck muscles so they can hold up their heads and they eventually gain enough muscle strength to push up on their arms, roll over, sit up, crawl and pull themselves up to standing.
Tummy Time also allows your baby to experience the world from a new perspective. Whilst on their tummies they can see things in their environment not visible to them whilst on their backs. Furthermore it increases body awareness as it provides them with an opportunity to feel their bodies in a different position.
Additionally without Tummy Time babies continually lie in the same position and thus can develop a flattened spot on the back or side of their head called plagiocephaly. If not attended to this miss-shapen head won’t affect brain development but can cause hearing and visual problems down the track.
How can you encourage Tummy Time?
To begin with, some babies do not enjoy Tummy Time. As it is now recommended that babies sleep on their back they no longer spend as much time on their tummies. This makes this position unfamiliar to them so when placed on their tummies they appear to be uncomfortable and despondent. Here are a few tips to help make
Tummy Time more enjoyable for your baby:
- Keep your baby company during Tummy Time, reassuring them by joining them on the floor. From this position you can encourage your baby by talking to them, singing to them, pulling faces at them, playing peek-a-boo with them or showing them their toys. By lying on your back with your baby on your stomach you are in the perfect position to interact with them as they will have to lift up their heads to try and see your face. Baby’s siblings will also enjoy entertaining and keeping baby company during Tummy Time, giving mummy and daddy a well deserved break.
By interacting with your baby during Tummy Time you can distract them from noticing their uncomfortable and unfamiliar territory. Furthermore it will put you in the best position to supervise your baby to ensure that they don’t become overly distressed or get stuck face down, with their mouth and nose covered as they may suffocate. - You can distract your baby further by providing them with activities to entertain them during Tummy Time. Invest in a Tummy-Time toy or gym, place a mirror in front of your baby or put a book or their favourite toy within their arms reach. This will not only relax your baby but also help them exercise as they have to reach out to grab the toy. Furthermore you can place a number of toys in a semi-circle around the front of your baby giving them the opportunity to reach for toys at different points in order to develop a number of different muscles.
- Until your baby has proper neck strength, head control and can push up on their forearms prop them up by placing a rolled up towel, nursing pillow, or your arm or leg under their chest. This allows their arms to sit comfortably in front of the towel and prop up their chest. This will make tummy time a lot easier for them until they can independently push up on their forearms and hence the prop can be removed.
- Timing is everything! Tummy Time is hard enough for baby without them feeling hungry, overfull, tired, windy, cranky, too hot, too cold or have a dirty diaper. Make sure your baby is in the best frame of mind before attempting some Tummy Time.
- Tune into your baby and be aware of their cues so you know when they are particularly distressed, uncomfortable or have simply had enough. Don’t force Tummy Time on them, simply allocate some time to it and eventually their tolerance will build up to a point where they will actually enjoy it.
Finding the time for Tummy Time!
How much time a baby should spend on their tummy depends on their age and strength. To begin with place your baby on their bellies 2 to 3 times each day, for a short period of time. As the baby grows stronger and they begin to enjoy and tolerate this time more, increase the length of time they spend on their tummies.
It’s easy to find the time for Tummy Time. Some parents simply roll their baby over on to their tummies after every nappy change or before or after their bath. Mat time is another great opportunity for a bit of Tummy Time. It’s so easy to provide your child with valuable Tummy Time. Some parents even find that a little bit of Tummy Time helps to settle windy babies.
Important Note:
Sids and Kids recommends that babies sleep on their backs (even if it’s just for a short nap) and not on their tummy, hence Tummy Time should be limited to waking hours. Furthermore Tummy Time should always be supervised to ensure baby doesn’t become overly distressed or get stuck face down, with their mouth and nose covered as they may suffocate. Remember “Back to Sleep, Tummy to Play!”
Encourage Tummy Time with Toys from itz4kidz:
| Duck Water Ball $12.95 |
Double-Sided First Book $21.95 |
Tummy Play Trainer $42.50 |
|
| Smart Mat $77.95 |
Baby Summer Time $89.95 |
6 in 1 Baby Bumpa $116.95 |