From Hip Carriers to Toys: 5 Tummy Time Tips

If you’re a first-time parent, you may have heard of the benefits of doing tummy time. That said, you may be wondering: how do you do it? How often or how long should you do it? Does babywearing count as tummy time, as other parents suggest? Worry not – you’ll find five helpful tips to get started below. 

• The Sooner, The Better

Experts advise starting tummy time, or the practice of placing your awake baby on their stomach for short periods, immediately once they come home from the hospital. After all, it comes with a lot of benefits.

For one, it can help strengthen various muscle groups and improve motor and hand-eye coordination skills, essentially laying the foundation for rolling, sitting, and crawling. 

Tummy time can also help with mental development. It allows your baby to move in space and respond to the information around them, which is crucial for gaining awareness. 

Following tummy time tips can also help resolve torticollis, a condition where the baby’s tight neck muscles prevent them from turning their head. Tummy time can help relax your little one’s neck muscles as they go and look around.

Likewise, spending time on their stomach can help prevent flat spots on the head. Also known as positional plagiocephaly, this happens when babies spend too much time on their backs. 

According to experts, babies should get 15–30 minutes of tummy time a day once they hit two months. By three months, they should get about an hour of tummy time daily.

• Do It on Your Chest or Lap

The key tummy time tip for babies aged 0–3 months is to place them on your chest or lap for 3–5 minutes at 2–3 sessions a day. These short bursts will allow them to lift their head, which can help strengthen their head and neck muscles along the way. 

If your baby has torticollis, place them on your lap with their face turned away from you. Sing or talk to your little one to encourage them to move their head. Do this for about 10–15 minutes. 

Once your baby gets used to tummy time, you can extend their sessions a bit longer.

• Use a Low, Flat Surface

For babies aged 4–7 months, the key tummy time tip is to do it on a floor with a colorful activity mat or blanket. 

Start by placing your baby belly-down on the surface. Prop them up on a rolled-up towel as needed; remove it once they’re able to use their forearms independently. Let them do tummy time for 3–5 minutes several times a day. 

Here are more tips to keep in mind when doing tummy time with an older baby:

• Always stay with your little one while they’re on tummy time.
• Start with a few minutes at first before gradually extending their tummy time sessions. 
• Avoid placing them on the sofa or bed, as that could cause suffocation risks.

Always follow these tummy time tips even if your baby knows how to roll around and crawl. Spending time on their belly can help straighten their arms so they can lift their head and chest further. The result? Stronger arm, chest, and back muscles. 

• Make Tummy Time More Enjoyable

It’s not uncommon for babies to be fussy when belly-down, but it’s easy to prevent. 

For starters, do it when they’re fed (ideally an hour after to prevent spit-ups), changed, done with a nap, and/or happy. You can also try massaging them, as this will make them more relaxed while they’re doing tummy time. 

If they’re wearing socks, a key tummy time tip is to remove them. Being barefoot will give them better traction on the mat/blanketed surface. 

Try to get down on the floor to be eye-to-eye with your baby. Sing songs, play peek-a-boo, or make funny faces to keep them entertained. 

It will also be good to have colorful toys or a tummy-time gym nearby. Encourage your baby to look up and push up by shaking a rattle or making noises. You can also use toys to promote reaching or forward movement simply by placing them a bit out of their reach.

Another useful tummy time tip is to change the location from time to time. This will give your baby new things to look at and explore. 

• Try Babywearing

You may wonder: does babywearing count as tummy time? The answer is a resounding yes. 

One of the many benefits of wearing a baby carrier is that it activates the head and neck muscles since your baby has to stabilize their core in order to hold their head up. In essence, babywearing helps strengthen head and neck muscles, polish motor skills, and prevent flat spots on the head, which is what tummy time essentially does. 

Given the many advantages of babywearing, one important tummy time tip is to choose the best baby hip carrier on the market. Enter Huggs®, which we have designed with both the baby and parent in mind. 

Certified by the International Hip Dysplasia Institute, our infant hip seat is designed to maintain the M position, which supports hip development and facilitates proper posture. 

With its velcro-free waistbelt, you can reposition your baby easily, even when they’re fast asleep. It also has a dual-layer breathable center panel, which can keep your little one comfy no matter the weather. 

Our Huggs® hip carrier not only helps with implementing tummy time tips, but it’s also good for offering balanced weight distribution. It has padded shoulder straps that help distribute weight evenly, reducing pressure on the back and shoulders. 

Tummy time, whether done on the floor or in a baby carrier, is a must-do for your baby. After all, it can help promote physical and mental development, manage torticollis, and prevent flat spots. While your baby may make a fuss while they’re belly down, following our tummy time tips above can make it more enjoyable for them.