Tummy time

What is tummy time?

Tummy time is time your baby spends lying on their tummy rather than their back. It's important for your baby to be supervised and awake during tummy time. They'll try to lift their head and shoulders, and strengthen their neck, arm, shoulder, stomach, and back muscles while in a tummy-down position. 

Lying on their tummy is a workout for your little one, and though your baby may not like it, tummy time is essential to help your baby grow strong. Researchers have found that babies who spend time face-down develop motor skills faster than those who don't. For more information on helping your baby (and you) enjoy tummy time, check out Meeting physical milestones through playOpens a new window, BabyCenter's premium course about using play to foster your baby's healthy development.

Tummy time helps babies eventually learn to push up to all fours, roll over, sit up, scoot on their belly, crawl, and pull to a stand. It also builds cognitive skills by giving your little one a different perspective. 

More specifically, tummy time helps your baby:

• Strengthen the muscles they'll need to sit, crawl, and walk
• Avoid getting flat spots on the back of their head
• Practice lifting their head and chest
• Improve their motor skills (actions that involve using the muscles)
• Improve their hand-eye coordination (when they reach for toys during tummy time)

When should babies start tummy time?

Experts say babies should start tummy time right away. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends giving your baby some tummy time on their first day home from the hospital. The sooner your baby starts practicing tummy time, the sooner they'll get used to it.

Start with two to three sessions of tummy time each day. Keep each session short – just a few minutes. Some newborns can only take a minute on their tummy before they start to fuss. It's an unfamiliar position, and your baby may start crying immediately after you lay them down. If your baby starts to wail, pick them up and try again later.

As your baby gets older, give them longer sessions of three to five minutes each. Eventually work up to 30 minutes to an hour of tummy time each day, broken into several sessions.

How to do tummy time

To start, find a safe spot on the floor and put down a soft blanket or tummy time mat.

Make sure your baby isn't hungry or tired when you set them tummy-down. It's also a good idea not to place them on a full belly, which might be uncomfortable. (Wait about an hour after feeding to avoid spit-ups or acid reflux.) A good time to try tummy time is when your baby wakes up from a nap, or after a diaper change.

Stay within arm's reach of your baby so you can keep them safe. You might lie down with them or sit nearby. Scatter a few toys nearby for your baby to look at – when they're older, you can encourage your baby to reach for them.

If your baby starts to cry, try to coax them to go a bit longer by talking, singing, or playing with them. When your baby has definitely had enough, pick them up and try again later.

Your baby's tolerance for tummy time will increase gradually with experience and a bit of coaxing. Many babies become more content on their tummy as they get stronger and feel more in control. Think of it like your own workouts: They're a lot more enjoyable as you get accustomed to them.

To get in a routine, some parents roll their babies over on their tummy for a few minutes after every diaper change. It's easy to remember to do it, and your baby may come to expect it. Your baby may also enjoy the view if they're up on a changing table. Just be sure to keep a hand close so your little one can't roll off.

If your baby falls asleep during tummy time, gently roll them onto their back – the safest sleeping position for babies. As the AAP advises, "Back to sleep, tummy to play."

Tummy time by age

Tummy time may be a struggle at first, but soon your little one will master skills like lifting their head and chest and rolling over – and tummy time will be just part of their usual routine. Here's what to expect by age.

Newborn tummy time

In this early period, one to two minutes at a time, four to five times a day may be all your newborn can handle. Before they can turn or lift their head, tummy time doesn't have much appeal. To make tummy time more enjoyable for your newborn, try going tummy to tummy: Lie down on your back and put your newborn on your chest.

1 month old

Now that your baby is more used to tummy time, try to increase the length of each session by a minute or two. Aim for sessions of three to five minutes. At this age, your baby may start to lift their head briefly while on their tummy and turn it from side to side.

2 months old

At 2 months, your baby will probably be more used to tummy time and do it without fussing. Expect your baby to lift their head while on their tummy and move it from side to side. To encourage them, put interesting toys in their sight line on both sides. Or, sit to one side and encourage your baby to move their head to look at you.

3 months old

At 3 months, aim to have your baby spend 30 minutes on their tummy each day, broken into shorter sessions. Your baby's probably much better at controlling their head now – they may be able to raise their head up to 45 degrees while on their tummy and hold it steady. (You can encourage them by holding a toy at eye level in front of your baby.) Some babies can do a "mini-pushup" by lifting their head and chest and using their forearms for support.

4 months old

At this age, your baby may prefer being tummy-down on the floor, where there are so many opportunities to explore! Expect your baby to hold their head up high without any support, push up on their elbows, and raise their chest up off the floor. They may reach for a toy dangling above them and start to roll over from tummy to back.

5 months old

Your baby may now be able to roll from back to tummy and tummy to back – meaning that your little one could be rolling around the room. At this point, you don't need to worry about how much tummy time your baby is doing, because they've nailed it. While tummy down, your baby may rock on their stomach, kick their legs, and make swimming moves with their arms. They may also move their hands forward to reach for toys.

6 months old

Many babies are masters of tummy time at this age. They can roll onto their belly and roll to their back when they've had enough. Some babies may even start to push up from their tummy to a sitting position, or get onto all fours and rock back and forth.

What if my baby hates tummy time?

Many babies are more comfortable on their back, where they spend most of their time – including sleeping hours and time spent in car seats, swings, and bouncers.

So if your baby seems miserable on their belly, it could because it's unfamiliar. Early on, it's hard work for babies to keep their head up when they're on their tummy. Plus, they can't see much of anything from down there.

Here are some ways to make tummy time more appealing:

Keep your baby company

One strategy is to distract your baby from the unfamiliar feeling of being face-down by joining them on the floor. Talk, sing, shake a rattle, make funny faces, or play peek-a-boo. Or you could grab a mat yourself and exercise. Your baby might enjoy watching you do yoga or crunches.

Another option is to lay your baby tummy-down on your tummy. You can do this while you lie on the floor, in bed, or even in the bath. They'll lift their head to look at you – just be aware that their head will come crashing down eventually!

Let's Play: Weekly Baby Activities

Find two perfect, development-boosting activities for every week of your baby's first year.

Once your baby has enough head control – at around 4 months – you can play airplane: Lie on the floor and on your back and bend your legs. Put your baby's tummy against your legs, with their head at your knees. Then bend your legs while holding onto your baby firmly. They'll probably love the new view.

Tip: Make sure your child's sitter or daycare provider knows about the importance of tummy time when your baby is awake, as well as the importance of placing your baby on their back to sleep.

Provide entertainment

Prop open a board book in front of your baby or place a favorite toy within reach. You can buy a tummy-time toy or gym designed for babies to play with while on their belly. Some gyms have lights, mirrors, moving pictures, music, and squeaky toys attached.

Or place your little one on a colorful quilt or activity mat. Some mats have prop-up toys or mirrors. Others are filled with water for added fun. Take your baby's socks off to provide more traction on the mat.

Tip: If you have older children, ask them to play nearby during tummy time. Some older siblings love this task! And watching an older brother or sister – or even a family pet – can keep babies happily distracted.

Prop your baby up

Some parents like to give their baby a new perspective by propping them on a rolled towel or pillow placed under their chest and armpits. When your baby is around 3 to 4 months old, this can give them enough leverage to lift their head and chest. (If your baby tends to roll over unintentionally when propped like this, keep your hand on their bottom.)

When your baby can get up on their forearms independently, remove the props to help them develop motor skills without them. And of course, never leave your baby unattended while they're propped up on a rolled towel or pillow.

Tip: Some babies enjoy rolling on a big exercise ball. Hold your baby on it, tummy-down, while you gently rock the ball back and forth.

Tune in to your baby

If your baby still hates tummy time, try to figure out if there's something else about it that your baby finds distressing. Maybe the blankie underneath them gets too scrunched for comfort. Maybe it's too cold on the floor, or maybe they want you to come down to their level. You can also try playing their favorite music to see if that helps.

Tip: See if your baby likes to be massaged during tummy time. If so, a gentle massage might make them feel more comfortable.