Skip to content

Expert-designed in the UAE. Trusted by families across the Emirates.

The Benefits of Tummy Time: Why Your Newborn Baby Needs Tummy Time Every Day

The Benefits of Tummy Time: Why Your Newborn Baby Needs Tummy Time Every Day

Three questions you can expect as a new mom: 1. how’s your baby’s sleeping; 2. how’s your baby’s eating, and 3. How often does your baby have tummy time? But there’s a good reason that you should invest a portion of your baby’s awake time in tummy time.

Newborn on tummy during daily tummy time

When your baby is on his tummy, you are helping him lay the foundations for reaching, sitting up, crawling and walking. It will be one of your baby’s most important exercises and it can be done from birth throughout his first year. 

Baby lifting head during tummy time session

The top three reasons you need your baby to do a few minutes of tummy time daily is:

  1. To develop neck, back, and shoulder muscles as well as core muscles
  2. To meet developmental milestones, such as moving his legs and arms off of a surface when excited and reaching and pivoting - skills leads to crawling.
  3. To possibly help prevent motor delays and conditions, such as flat head syndrome and positional torticollis (twisted neck).
Tummy time exercise for infant development


Begin at around two weeks (or after his umbilical cord has fallen off and healed) with short sessions of 30 seconds to one minute. Try placing your newborn belly-down on your chest or across your lap, just don’t do it directly after feeding your baby.  

Dad and baby bonding during tummy time activity

You might find that your baby fusses during tummy time, but that is normal. Try to make tummy time part of your routine as soon as your baby is awake and alert (and never left unsupervised). After a diaper change is also a great time. You also don’t have to be bound to the floor for tummy time - check out this post for alternatives that your baby won’t hate.

Baby practicing tummy time for neck strength

 

Previous Post Next Post

Featured Play Tools

Look With Me

Regular price 399 AED
Sale price 399 AED Regular price

 Your newborn, who is already highly responsive to light and sound, is gradually processing their new environment. This Montessori-inspired PlayBox is designed to help them build rich neural pathways and brain connections through high contrast and sensory PlayTools.

✔️ Track sights and sounds
✔️ Build new brain connections
✔️ Make the most of tummy time