TUMMY TIME TIPS

​It was a priviledge to write a guest post for Teacher Types recently with my "Tummy Time Tips"! There are four tips to help new parents get started with tummy time!  Here is a sneak peak...

“Back to sleep, tummy to play” was coined as a response to encouraging parents to lay their babies to sleep on their back to help reduce the risk of SIDS- Sudden Infant Death Syndrome or "cot death".

Tummy time encourages a baby with the development of head, neck and upper body muscles.  This development is so important as baby learns to roll over, sit up, crawl, stand and walk.  All these activities need baby to have the strength to support themselves against gravity and develop postural tone.  Tummy time helps them to understand how to weight-shift and over time use both arms at the same time (bilateral coordination).  Weight bearing on baby’s arms and hands is an important benefit of tummy time and crawling that can be sometimes overlooked.  Tummy time also helps to prevent the development of flat areas on the back of their head.

Please head over to Teacher Types to read these tips as I encourage you to consider the time baby spends on their tummy as enjoyable and an opportunity for parent and child interaction. Read it in full here!

Looking for more information about "tummy time"?

• "Begin With a Blanket: Creative Play for infants" is a great resource written by Rachel Coley from Can Do Kiddo.  This book contains 45 super-creative, simple ways to play with your baby from a pediatric Occupational Therapist and mommy. Read more here!

     Have you read these articles from the YKOT archives?

• Terrific Tummy Time Positions
• Homemade Roller for babies
• Ask an OT: Does Crawling matter? Is it OK if my child skips crawling?

What tips do you give new parents about tummy time?
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Cindy is a registered Occupational Therapist practising in Sydney Australia.  She has two young children who are a constant source of inspiration and learning.  Cindy loves working creatively to help children to reach their potential, finding opportunities in everyday living and making learning fun. Cindy is the author of the Occupational Therapy blog Your Kids OT.

The information on this site is general in nature. The activities are safe for most children, however, you should consult an Occupational Therapist or health professional to address specific movement, sensory or other medical conditions.

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