Whole Body LLC

Love is the first gift you give your baby, the second gift is Tummy Time!

What is Tummy Time?    

Your baby lies on his or her tummy, on a blanket, on the floor, while awake for play!   

Tummy Time "How to"

• Select a spot in your home that is well lit, open and near you.
• Place a clean blanket on the floor. 
• Place one or two toys on the blanket.
• Lay your baby on his or her back to start.   Sit or lay next to your baby. 
• Engage them in back and forth interaction e.g. cooing, talking or showing them toys.  When your baby has interacted with you for a minute or so, slowly ROLL your baby to their tummy.
• You can sing or talk to your baby, make gentle playful noises, show them toys, etc. to keep them entertained while baby is doing Tummy Time
• Your baby may push up with their arms or turn their head side to side.  The skills that your baby can do in this position is dependent on their age and experience with Tummy Time.  Babies who get consistent Tummy Time can spend longer periods of time and enjoy it more.
• When your baby starts to fuss or get frustrated, ROLL them from Tummy to back and give them lots of encouragement!!  "You did it!"  "wow, you are amazing on your Tummy !" etc.
• Roll your baby back into Tummy Time after a minute or so

You continue rolling in and out until the Tummy Time session is over (hopefully up to 10-15 minutes per session).

Tummy Time! recommendations:

• 3-4 sessions per day
• 10-15 minutes per session to start. 
• Gradually build up the minutes your baby spends doing tummy time!

Tummy Time! recommendations based on age:

Newborn-2 months old -  spend a minimum of 30 minutes per day during awake periods.

2-4 months old - spend a minimum of 45 minutes to 1 and a half hours per day during awake periods.

4-6 months old - spend a minimum of 1 - 2 hours per day during awake periods.

6-8 months old - the majority of waking hours will be spent in tummy time or sitting / learning to sit.  Babies should learn to sit before they learn to stand.

WHY? you ask.......

Because tummy time is the foundation of all sensorimotor skills throughout life! 

It is my personal philosophy that a lack of tummy time can contribute to ADD /ADHD, coordination problems, flexibility problems and decreased perceptual skills.

Researchers have found consistent tummy time to be associated with motor milestone development.  This means that babies who spent at least 30 waking minutes on their tummies scored higher on developmental tasks when compared to babies who did not.

• Helps your baby learn to push up with arms and hands and begin to use shoulders for support.
• Prevents head flattening
• Helps baby's stomach empty into the intestines on a timely schedule which decreases reflux symptoms.
• Promotes passing gas and passing bowel movements
• Provides warm and supportive sensory input especially on the hands and face
• Baby learns to control their body against the force of gravity! 
• Relieves tension in the neck, shoulders or back
• Encourages head turning from side to side
• Provides containment, which is nurturing to the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord)
• Promotes body awareness, which is a way that your baby finds it's place in this big world.
• Prepares baby for crawling and other fun developmental activities!

It's never too early or too late to start Tummy Time!

Consider a consultation if this describes your baby during Tummy Time.....

• fusses or cries consistently during Tummy Time
• arches his or her back consistently 
• difficulty turning his or her head side to side 
• not able to touch their face or mouth with a hand while in tummy time
• spends less than 10 minutes per day doing Tummy Time 

With consistent practice over a week or so, your baby should be getting comfortable with Tummy Time.    I highly recommend a consultation if your baby continues to have difficulty with Tummy Time.      Tummy time promotes critical developmental milestones for your baby. 

Consider enrolling in a Tummy Time class at the Cincinnati Family Enrichment Center www.theplaceforfamilies.com   Classes are currently in session July through August.    Tummy Time class will be offered in the Fall.  Call or email for details.

A note about crying:

Crying serves many purposes in life. For babies, it can mean "I need help..., a diaper change..., I'm hungry...", to "I need to blow off some steam!".

Crying serves two purposes:

1.  Communication

2.  Release tension or stress

Listening to the unique cries of your baby will help you determine how you are going to respond to your baby.   It is NOT recommended for you to attempt to repress your baby's crying.  If baby is crying because he or she is hungry, feed the baby, however if you have offered the breast or bottle several times and your baby is still not content, your baby may need to cry to release frustration or stress.  I do recommend that you gently and lovingly HOLD your baby while they cry.  It can be helpful for you to be available to them for eye contact.    Crying to release tension can be a natural healing mechanism for your baby.   Many babies need to cry about a difficult delivery or rough handling or just because they are getting used to life outside of the womb.

4 types of cries that require immediate response or some type of change:

1. Hunger cry.  This is typically repetitive and the baby will alternate between crying and rooting around, searching for something to suck on.  It  has probably been 2 or more hours since the last feeding.

2.  Wet or soiled diaper cry.  This cry sounds like baby is talking and they squirm around a little more than usual.  Check diaper and change if necessary.

3.  Pain cry.  This cry typically comes on strong and may get higher in pitch and rate.  Baby will probably be crying with their eyes closed.  Check to be sure baby is not laying on something.

4. Alone cry.   This sometimes sounds like a questioning cry, it is not as loud as hunger or pain cry.  Baby may look around a little while they are crying.  Babies have a small space where they sense people near them. Stay close to your baby so they can sense / feel your presence.

Otherwise, crying can be helpful, especially during tummy time. It can be quite frustrating for a baby to learn to push up with their arms and learn to control their bodies. Allow your baby to express frustration.   Experiencing tummy time is the path to development for babies.   Speak soothingly to your baby.   Reassure your baby you are near and you love them for all their effort and determination!   I do NOT recommend letting your baby cry when they are alone.  Please understand that your baby needs your peacefulness and gentle reassuring love to work through some of their troubles. 

Listening to our babies cry can bring up strong feelings in us.  These feelings can range from powerlessness, helplessness, anxiety, grief and even anger.  Babies do not misbehave or do things to annoy us.  They do things to get a need met.  It is recommended to meet your baby's need for unconditional love by providing gentle, caring touch / holding and deal with our strong emotions or reactions to our baby's cries with a friend, a spouse or even a therapist or counselor.

Some examples of ways to calm your baby:

• Be calm yourself (take a deep breath, relax any tense muscles, etc.)
• Gently and slowly swing side to side or up and down 
• Offer something for baby to suck on (pacifier, empty breast, your clean finger
• Gentle pats on the back or bottom 
• Sing in quiet soothing voice
• Sit down and hold your baby gently while they cry.   Often this will help your baby sleep for a longer period of time, as they have released many emotions.
• Swaddling with a blanket.  This keeps baby's arms and legs close to their body and prevents startling or jerkiness secondary to sudden movements.

 Tummy Time  !!!

 The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends:

Back to Sleep (SIDS campaign) - Position your baby on his or her back for sleeping.   This is recommended until your baby is able to roll independently.

Tummy to Play -  Beginning the first day home from the hospital, play and interact with your baby while he or she is awake and lying on tummy.. 

Remember....Back to Sleep, Tummy to Play

Click on  www.healthychildcare.org for more information.