What is tummy time?
Tummy time means placing your baby on their tummy to play while they are awake and someone is watching. It helps build the neck, shoulder and back muscles needed for rolling, sitting and crawling.
It also helps prevent a flat spot on the back of the head, and gives babies a new view of the world.
Why does it matter for a family?
Babies spend a lot of time on their backs, in car seats and in carriers. Tummy time balances this and gives the muscles a workout. Most babies protest at first, and that is normal.
Start with short spells after a nap or a nappy change, and build up as your baby gets used to it. Pick a time when your baby is calm, not right after a feed.
Safe-sleep reminder
Tummy time is only for awake, supervised play. Always put your baby to sleep on their back, on a firm, flat surface.
Never leave a baby alone on their tummy, and stop if they fall asleep. Move them to their back in a safe sleeping place.
An everyday example in Ipoh
A new mother in a terrace house in Falim finds her baby cries on the tiled floor. She lays a thin mat, rolls a small towel under the chest, and lies down on the floor facing the baby with a bright toy.
On warm afternoons she keeps the fan gentle and the baby’s clothes light. After a few days, the baby lifts the head for longer.
Related terms and our pages
- Motor milestones: the movement skills babies gain in time.
- Hypotonia: low muscle tone.
Read our baby milestones guide, head preference and torticollis and baby walkers and development. See motor development concerns if you are worried.