Thursday, June 15, 2017

Why Babies Need Tummy Time

If you’re a parent (or soon to be one), you likely already know that ‘tummy time’ refers to placing a baby on his or her stomach (while supervised, of course). But why is time spent in this position so important?

It’s quite simple – babies need time on their tummies to develop strong neck and shoulder muscles, which will help your little one accomplish physical milestones like sitting, crawling and walking. Tummy time is also an important factor in the prevention of positional plagiocephaly (the back of your baby’s head becoming flat). This is because if a baby’s head is left in the same position for long periods of time, the developing skull plates may move in a way that creates a flat spot.

After placing your baby down for tummy time (which should start the first day home from the hospital), he will naturally start trying to lift his head to see what is going on around him. However, he won’t be able to hold his head up for long periods of time until 3-4 months.

Only play with your baby on her stomach when she is awake and alert. When you are playing, you’ll want to be on a hard surface, such as the floor. However, we recommend using one of our plush animal mats so your baby stays comfortable (and enjoys the company of their favorite animal friend!)

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