Pediatricians are always advising parents to place babies on their backs to sleep, so I suppose I shouldn’t have been surprised by the look of shock that crossed one mom’s face when I asked her whether her two-month-old was getting any tummy time. “But Doc, you said he supposed to sleep on his back!” She was absolutely correct. I had advised her that her little one should be placed on his back to sleep. We know that healthy babies are safest when sleeping on their backs at nighttime and during naps. Tummy time is an entirely different matter. It’s for babies who are awake and being watched and it goes a long way to helping babies strengthen their neck and shoulder muscles, and improve motor skills.
Tummy time is important for newborns and older babies alike. In newborns and infants zero to three months, it helps with developing good head and neck control. It allows infants to develop and strengthen the muscles they’ll need to roll over, sit up, crawl, and walk. Even older babies, four to seven months old should spend time on their bellies. It helps them practice lifting their head and chest further by straightening their arms. This strengthens arm, chest, and back muscles. Additionally, tummy time is useful for newborns who have a neck condition called torticollis. Tight neck muscles keep the baby from turning their head. Tummy time encourages babies to look around, and along with exercises your doctor will show you, can help your baby’s neck muscles relax.
Like most things with babies, there is a right and wrong way to go about it. Tummy time should always be with baby awake and supervised. For newborns, start them on tummy time by placing them belly down on your chest or across your lap for a few minutes at a time, two or three times a day. While lying on their belly, they can practice lifting their head and strengthening the neck and shoulder muscles. For older babies, place a blanket down in a clear area on the floor. Place your baby on their stomach on the blanket for three to five minutes to start, several times each day. Your baby may get fussy and frustrated in this position. Keep the first sessions of tummy time brief and gradually lengthen them. It’s also a good idea to do tummy time when your baby is fed, changed and happy.
Many babies don’t enjoy time on their bellies initially, but there are things that you can do to make tummy time more enjoyable so that your little one can get the most out of it. Place yourself or a toy just out of the baby’s reach during playtime to get him to reach for you or the toy. Place toys in a circle around the baby. Reaching to different points in the circle will allow him to develop the appropriate muscles to roll over, scoot on his belly, and crawl. Engage older siblings by allowing them to play with baby while on his tummy. Be sure this playtime is supervised. Young children can get down on the floor easily. They generally have energy for playing with babies, may really enjoy their role as the “big kid”, and are likely to have fun themselves.
Watching your baby develop new skills is one of the most exciting aspects of child rearing. Tummy time is a useful tool for promoting motor skill development. If you have questions about your baby’s growth and development, don’t hesitate to reach out. Remember, your pediatrician is here to help you raise happy and healthy kids.
• Dr. Tamarra Moss is a pediatrician committed to helping you raise happy and healthy kids. You can find her at Dr. Carlos Thomas & Pediatric Associates in Nassau, Lucayan Medical Center in Grand Bahama, or on Instagram @mykidsdoc242.
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source https://thenassauguardian.com/tummy-time-babies-need-exercise-too/
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