5 BIG Benefits of Tummy Time

I am sure you have heard everyone tell you that you should be putting your baby in tummy time, but why does it really matter? That’s a great question and we are here to answer it for you!

Tummy time, especially within the first few months of life, is critical to help infants build strength, joint stability, coordination, and motor skills. It helps them learn not only about their body and where it is in space, but also about this big, new world they are living in. 

Why Tummy Time REALLY Matters:

1. Strengthens muscles - Tummy time helps babies develop neck, shoulder, and core strength needed for milestones such as sitting, rolling, crawling, and meeting general milestones on time.
2. Prevents flattening of the skull (or plagiocephaly) - You may have heard about this in some of our other blog posts, but tummy time reduces prolonged pressure on the skull. When too much time is spent with pressure on one spot, especially when a baby prefers to look to one side more than the other, they may have flattening of the skull in that spot. 
3. Enhanced fine motor and gross motor skills - Tummy time encourages turning the head and reaching the arms toward stimuli while the muscles are actively working and bearing weight, unlike when the baby is on their back. Engagement in tummy time is also directly correlated with self-care and academic skill in later childhood such as manipulating fasteners, handwriting, utensil use, and many more activities that begin with shoulder stability and weight-bearing through the upper arms when in tummy-time.
4. Visual development - Tummy time helps babies develop spatial awareness and depth perception as they learn about where their body is in space (proprioception) through weight bearing and moving while on their stomachs.
5. Sensory development - Tummy time provides a great opportunity for babies to explore textures, look toward sounds and engaging sights, strengthen their vestibular system with movement to help them roll over between 4-6 months, as well as improve their tactile sense and body awareness (proprioception). 

Maybe you’ve tried tummy time and your baby simply HATES it or cannot tolerate more than about 30 seconds at a time? Maybe your baby loves tummy time but you always end up with stiffness or muscle tension? This is not uncommon and we are here to help! 

Pelvic Pride is hosting monthly Baby Wellness classes consisting of small-groups split between 0-6 months (Tummy Time) and 5+ months (Movers & Crawlers) for individualized and milestone-specific  tips and tricks for both you and your little one to thrive. The focus will be on both infant development and parent body mechanics to reduce the strain of floortime and improve happiness and joyful engagement for everyone! Learn more about our classes here.

Classes will include:

• Personalized strategies for increased engagement 
• Adjustments for comfort - If your baby resists tummy time, we can help identify underlying issues that may be present, such as muscle tightness or a side-preference.
• Guidance for parents/caretakers 
• Early detection of developmental delays - While tummy time struggles don’t always indicate a problem, collaboration with an OT or PT can help reduce risk of delays down the road.