22 Mar 😳 Have you been trying to place your baby on Tummy Time to play from Day 1, but baby hates it cries all the time 🥺Is your baby now 4 months old and struggling to hold their head upright

Tummy time helps strengthen the baby’s neck, shoulders, back, and trunk muscles, which are essential for rolling over, sitting up, crawling, and eventually walking. Regular Tummy Time can prevent the development of flat spots on the back of the baby’s head, known as positional plagiocephaly. Tummy Time can begin right from Day 1.

Despite understanding the importance of Tummy Time, parents often report struggling with Tummy Time because baby “hates” Tummy Time and cries every time they are placed on their tummy. As Paediatric Physiotherapists we see the 3 common mistakes that parents make with Tummy Time which can contribute to why Tummy Time is a struggle for baby.

1. Placing baby on Tummy Time soon after a feed which causes baby to vomit their feeds with the pressure on their tummy. Vomiting is unpleasant and baby becomes unsettled, and soon both baby and parents associate Tummy Time with vomiting. The solution to this is to place baby on Tummy Time to play before feeds or at least 2 hours after feeds.

2. Placing baby on the floor without any toys or support which makes it unstimulating and challenging for baby to attempt to prop themselves up to play. Instead prop baby on their elbows, on a fat pillow at 45 degrees from the ground, so that it is easier for baby to lift their head up to look around. Place some toys in front of baby to attract their attraction.

3. Picking up baby the moment they start to fuss which teaches baby that if they cry, they will get picked up. Instead patting baby to settle them or distract them with a toy, so they are settled and calm before you pick them up. This teaches baby that crying is not associated with stopping Tummy Time.

If your baby is struggling with tummy time, ring My Favourite Physio on (02) 9790 4233 or DM us @myfavouritephysio to speak to one of our Expert Paediatric Physiotherapists today!

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