To perfectly nail baby growth and development, learn why tummy time is important and how to make it more fun.

With all the struggle to make your little one lie on the back, you often forget how much important is tummy time for the baby’s development. While you might think it uncomfortable when the baby struggles to life his or her head half-way, it actually has some major benefits when it comes to strengthening the neck and back. Moreover, it prevents the flat spots that appear on the back head from constant lying the back. This tummy time also prepares the baby for the next milestones of crawling and rolling over.

What is tummy time?

Tummy time is simply the time that the baby lies on his or her stomach under your supervision. When you put the baby in this position, it lets him lift the head which brings major benefits of strong head, neck, back and shoulders and also, makes motor action more efficient.

Why is tummy time important?

We understand the effort it takes to make the baby indulge in a task he or she is so not excited about, but tummy time definitely proves its worth. Apart from giving you with sweet bonding moments, it has major advantages that are:

• Acts as a practice session for next milestones like crawling, sitting upright and rolling over.
• Energizes the skills of motor perception
• Lets the less involved muscle groups get engaged
• Prevents flat head syndrome, known as plagiocephaly
• Aids the baby in mastering the control of head movement
• Lowers the gas pain
• Gives a different angle of exposure

When should you start tummy time?

There is no specific time limit defined for this activity. According to several doctors, parents can start this practice as early as possible. In fact, the babies that are born with no issues regarding health can be put to the tummy side as soon as they get home from the hospital. Just keep in mind to be awake and fully attentive when the baby is having his tummy time. Don’t be intimidated or surprised if your little one doesn’t like the tummy time one bit and gets all cranky about it. They might be down for about a minute at first, but later with continuous practice, they’ll become accepting of this routine and start to enjoy it.

How long should the tummy time last?

Even a little amount of this activity can have immense effects down the road. Try to aim for at least two to three practices for at least three minutes a day. The ideal times are after diaper change or nap, giving the baby his ideal play time. As he or she grows up, this ‘workout’ session becomes more enjoyable and gives the parents the time to make lasting memories with their babies. Make the sessions longer to about half an hour, and keep up with these sessions until the baby learns to efficiently roll over.