| Tummy time: Helping your baby | 296.000000000000 | Tummy time: Helping your baby | Tummy time: Helping your baby | T | English | Developmental | Newborn (0-28 days);Baby (1-12 months) | Stomach | NA | Conditions and diseases | Caregivers
Adult (19+) | NA | | 2010-03-05T05:00:00Z | | | | | | 7.00000000000000 | 70.9000000000000 | 816.000000000000 | | Health (A-Z) - Conditions | Health A-Z | <p>You can position your infant on their stomach while they are awake and supervised to prevent head deformities and promote healthy child development. Learn about the benefits of tummy time, and how to encourage it for your child.<br></p> | <h2>What is tummy time?</h2><p>Your baby should always sleep on their back. This has been shown to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). But if a baby spends too much time on their back, it can lead to a condition called positional plagiocephaly or baby flat-head. This is when a baby's skull becomes deformed by spending too much time in the same position. Ensure your baby is turning their head to the left and the right while sleeping on their back. Also make sure they are spending time in a variety of positions when they are awake.</p><p>To help prevent head deformities and promote healthy development, you can position your baby on their stomach while they are awake and supervised. Babies should spend a total of about 1.5 hours (90 minutes) every day on their tummies. Remember, "Back to sleep — tummy to play!" </p><div class="asset-video">
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</div> | <h2>Benefits of tummy time for your baby</h2>
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<img src="https://assets.aboutkidshealth.ca/akhassets/Baby_on_tummy_MED_ILL_EN.jpg" alt="Baby lying on the floor on their tummy, playing with blocks" /> </figure>
<p>Placing your baby on their tummy has many benefits:</p><ul><li>prevents baby flathead, or deformed skull (positional plagiocephaly)</li><li>helps your baby develop head control<br></li><li>strengthens the upper body, including back, neck, shoulders, arms and hands</li><li>promotes development of gross motor skills like crawling, sitting and rolling</li><li>promotes development of fine motor skills and play skills</li><li>promotes sensory development by changing the environment and how your baby sees the world around them</li></ul> | <h2>Key points</h2>
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<li>Babies should sleep on their backs. Their heads should be turning to the left and right while sleeping to avoid flattened head syndrome.</li>
<li>Babies should spend a total of about 1.5 hours (90 minutes) every day on their tummies. This can be spread out over many short periods of tummy time. </li>
<li>Tummy time prevents head deformities and promotes healthy child development. </li>
<li>There are many ways to help your baby enjoy tummy time. </li>
</ul> | | | | | | | | <h2>Activities for tummy time</h2>
<figure><img src="https://assets.aboutkidshealth.ca/akhassets/torticollis_exercise_tummy_time_EQUIP_ILL_EN.jpg" alt="Baby lying on the floor on their tummy with a rolled towel under the chest" /> </figure>
<p>To make sure your baby spends time in a variety of positions, try these activities:</p><ul><li>Position toys on both sides of your baby's head within their field of view. This will help your child learn to turn their head in both directions and give them something fun to look at.<br></li><li>Place your baby's chest on a rolled towel, cushion or over your knees. This may be more comfortable for your baby. It can also improve upper body strength and head control. </li><li>Lay your baby on your chest while you are lying back. This will help your baby develop head control and upper body strength in a safe and enjoyable position.</li></ul><p>Once your baby can lift their head and push up onto their forearms, try these ideas:</p><ul><li>Use mirrors and toys around your baby to encourage weight shifting and reaching. This strengthens the arms, hands and back muscles to prepare your baby for sitting, rolling and crawling.</li><li>Play Peek-A-Boo while you and your baby are both on your tummies. Hold a blanket between you, and encourage your baby to pull down the blanket. This game helps strengthen the muscles your baby uses for crawling, sitting and fine motor skills. It also helps with language and with social and mental skills.</li></ul>
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<img src="https://assets.aboutkidshealth.ca/akhassets/Tummy_time_Airplane_game_EQUIP_ILL_EN.jpg" alt="Smiling mother lying on her back while holding baby in the air above her" /> </figure>
<p>Once your baby has good control of their head and is able to sit, try playing "airplane." Lift your baby at the hips and/or waist, or rest your baby on your bent legs and move them up and down. This will help strengthen neck and back muscles to allow your baby to lift their head up.</p><p>We live in an era where children are consistently placed on their backs: in car seats, in bed and in strollers. Try holding your baby in a variety of positions, including over your knees or chest, to increase tummy time.<br></p><h2>Encouraging tummy time with your baby</h2><p>If your baby dislikes being on their stomach, here are some ways to encourage tummy time:</p><ul><li>Give your baby something fun and interesting to look at, like a toy, a mirror or your face.</li><li>Slowly increase tummy time. Short and frequent tummy time experiences allow your baby to become familiar and feel safe in this position.</li><li>Include short tummy time experiences whenever you change, dress or hold your baby.</li><li>Slowly roll your baby from their back to their tummy. This can be less startling for babies compared to simply placing them on their tummies.</li><li>Firm, flat surfaces can be easier for babies as they learn to use their upper body muscles while playing on their tummies.</li></ul><h3>If your child is in hospital</h3><p>If your child has to spend time in hospital, it may not be possible to place them on their stomach. Talk to your occupational therapist and/or physiotherapist for ideas on how to encourage your child's development during this time.</p> | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | <h2>Virtual care services for children<br></h2><p>Boomerang Health was opened by SickKids to provide communities in Ontario with greater access to community-based services for children and adolescents. For more information on virtual care services in Ontario to support tummy time, visit <a href="http://www.boomeranghealth.com/services/neural-development-children/">Boomerang Health</a> powered by SickKids.<br></p> | | | https://assets.aboutkidshealth.ca/AKHAssets/tummy_time_helping_your_baby.jpg | tummytime | | | | | | Tummy time: Helping your baby | | False | | | | | | | | |
