Do you spend enough time doing tummy time with your little one?
Since the introduction of back to sleep by since in the 80’s, baby’s spend most of the time on their backs. This has increased the incidence of Plagiocephaly, also known as a flat head syndrome, which is a condition characterized by an asymmetrical distortion (flattening of one side or the back) of the skull. It is for this reason that the introduction of tummy time came around prior to this it was just normal for babies to spend time on their tummies as it was often recommended that baby slept on this way it is for this reason that the introduction of tummy time came around. Prior to this, it was just normal for babies to spend time on their tummies as it was often recommended that baby slept this way and therefore had plenty of tummy time exposure from very early on.
Now with the back to sleep recommendations, we need to remember that baby spends most of the times on their backs so we need to make sure that they are getting enough exposure to tummy time. It’s recommended that we start tummy time from very early on.
Building up from just a few minutes to longer as your baby grows and gets more comfortable with it.
Do parents think I get it they need to learn how to roll over and be comfortable on the tummy bug so much more goes on when you’re teaching your baby tell me time?
Tummy time helps strengthen your babies neck muscles and head control
Help strengthen their arms and upper body for preparation of crawling and reaching for objects.
It helps develop the hand archers improving the fine motor and pincer grasp.
Tummy time can help settle a windy/uncomfortable tummy.
I always remember when I was a kid seeing grown-ups putting babies on their stomachs across their laps and patting their backs or bums. I now know that they did this to settle a fussing uncomfortable baby.
Tummy time also gives your little one a new view on the world around them and exposes them to different ways of seeing their environment thus improving their brain and eye development depth perception and spatial awareness.
Tummy time helps strengthen your little ones back which improves their back muscles posture back strength and skeletal alignment
Moving down from the back and help us strengthen and flex their hips hip muscles and hip joint and last but not least obviously help strengthen the legs in preparation for crawling walking and eventually running rings around you.
Tummy time doesn’t need to be for long but it does need to be often.
Tummy time doesn’t always have to be on a flat surface sometimes it can be lying on your chest lying on the pillow slightly elevated and it doesn’t have to be up for a long time it just has to be what are comfortable with and often so they become more comfortable with it. Try to do tummy time before a feed or once their tummy has settled after a feed
