Tummy Time for Babies

Exercises must be a part of our daily routine. A good start to exercise behaviour right from the newborn period would be 'tummy time'. It is one of the baby's first exercises.

Tummy time is the period when the baby spends some time lying on the abdomen (tummy). This has to be done only when the baby is awake. One can start with 1 to 2 minutes per day initially and increase the time to about 1 hour per day by 3 months of age. Tummy time must be given only as much as the baby is comfortable. To start with, one can put the baby in prone position (tummy position) on the mother's lap.

Tummy time improves baby's motor and sensory development and also visual development. It helps the core muscles of the back, neck and shoulder develop well. It also prevents positional flat head and twisted neck.