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Short amounts of time lying on their tummies is good for babies' physical development. It lets them learn how to move their head, limbs and neck.
It can also be a good time to talk to them, so they hear plenty of words. If you talk to them and praise them throughout, it can help soothe them through what can be a stressful time for your baby.
Remember - babies should only ever be placed on their tummies when they're awake and you're in the room with them.
Watch the video below to see tummy time with a young baby in action.
The benefits of tummy time
- The NHS recommends tummy time as a way to build muscles that your baby will eventually need for sitting and crawling.
- By stretching and moving in the tummy-down position, your baby will strengthen their back, neck and shoulder muscles.
- They will also improve their general coordination as they get used to being in a different position.
- This type of development - the ability to make big movements of the whole body - is often called gross motor skills.
When to start tummy time
You can start trying tummy time from birth. But to begin with, itâs best to try it with your baby lying on your chest, rather than on the floor, so that you can keep control of what theyâre doing.
It's important to make sure that your baby does not get too hot so donât use blankets over you both.
And make sure that you are wide awake. It's easy to feel sleepy while enjoying a lovely face to face cuddle, but falling asleep with your baby, especially on a sofa or armchair, can be dangerous.
When theyâre ready, try moving them to the floor.
Your baby may not enjoy tummy time at first, but hopefully over time they will start to like it more. Stick with it and try to build up the amount of tummy time they have gradually.
Things to do during tummy time
Tummy time is a great opportunity for face-to-face interaction with your baby, which can help them learn language skills as they develop their motor skills. Not only that, but providing a distraction for your baby will help them to enjoy tummy time more.
Touch and soothe them with reassuring words and a calm voice.
Offer plenty of encouragement and praise for their physical movements like lifting their head.
You could try playing games like peekaboo, or engaging them with rhymes that involve your touch such as:
Round and Round the Garden, with your fingers âwalkingâ on the babyâs back
Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes, touching babyâs body parts in time to the song
Check out our article with more information on tummy time and ideas for play.
Image caption, Tummy time lets baby learn how to lift their head, neck and limbs. This is great for eventually learning to sit up, stand and crawl.
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