It’s 11 a.m. on a Monday morning, and you have a few hours to spend some quality time with your one-month-old daughter.

During this time in the day, you’ll usually engage in something called ‘tummy time’, which your paediatrician has been encouraging you to begin for the last few weeks to promote your baby’s healthy development. Although you were slightly hesitant at first, it turns out that your little one absolutely loves tummy time, as it allows them to feel relaxed, free to stretch out on the blanket and strengthen their limbs in the process!

But what exactly is tummy time?

What is tummy time?

Tummy time is supervised front-down play that helps a baby strengthen their neck and arms in order to progress towards developing what are called “prone skills” – pushing up, rolling over and eventually, starting to crawl.

Although tummy time is a well-known concept, many parents actually question how necessary it is for their babies' healthy development.

Let’s firstly find out what the reasons are for this.

Why do some parents believe that tummy time isn’t necessary for their baby?

They find that it makes their baby unhappy and they worry that it might be harmful when the baby is very young.

They believe that tummy time is an overreaction by authorities. These overreactions are said to stem from fears that babies were spending too much time on their backs. Some parents believe that this reaction is completely unfounded and that babies spend as much time on their backs as they do sitting in carriers and strollers.

What are the reasons some parents want their child to engage in tummy time?

Tummy time strengthens a baby’s neck, arms and shoulder muscles. As a baby grows, it’s important that they slowly but surely develop strength in all different parts of their body. Therefore, parents that are for tummy time believe that this activity will greatly help this area of their child’s growth.

It also improves a baby’s motor skills – which contributes to them being able to learn to crawl and walk when they are ready. Again, motor skills are another incredibly important area of a baby’s physical skills that need developing. Motor skills ensure that a baby is able to learn to crawl and eventually learn to walk.

It gives them a breather from being on their backs – and helps to prevent flat spots on their heads. Many parents aren’t fans of their babies being on their backs too often, as this can cause them to develop flat spots on their heads. They love tummy time as this is said to reduce the chance of these types of issues developing.

It’s a lot of fun for parents to get involved with! Tummy time is also a wonderful opportunity for parents to spend time with their little one, and bring some creativity into the mix, too! For example, parents will often like to bring along a toy or other fun object for their child to engage in during this time.

So, now that we’ve thought about both sides of the argument when it comes to tummy time, what decision will you make?

How can I use this information to make an informed decision?

It’s up to you whether you want to make space for tummy time in your baby’s life. However, in general, paediatricians will recommend that you do! Tummy time is not only a fun, dynamic activity for your baby that gives them a sense of freedom, it’s also good for their health and development. Nevertheless, it’s important to also understand that a baby should lie on their back when sleeping to reduce the risk of SIDS, so please always remember this.

Ultimately, people will always have differing opinions when it comes to tummy time. And when it comes to your baby, and what they need, you should always be guided by what you believe – as the human that knows them the best!

Top tip: We’re sure you’ll already know this, but if you’re going to engage in tummy time, ALWAYS supervise your baby. If you can see they are in distress, stop tummy time immediately. If you can see they are benefiting from it, then allow them to enjoy it!

How important is tummy time?

On our Baby Development Journey, we look at the importance of tummy time.