TUMMY TIME: GREAT BUYS FOR BABY

Tummy time was a nightmare with my baby; I used to dread placing her on her stomach.  As soon as I put Emily down on her tummy, she would shriek and cry and I would just give up after a minute or so.  The following are a couple of my favorite products that helped make tummy time a happier and more peaceful process.


Tiny Love Tummy Time Play Mat - Lady Bug

The Tiny Love baby gym was a godsend for tummy time.  In the beginning, Emily loved the crinkly parts and the bright colorful patterns.  Later one, she started lifting her head to watch her reflection in the mirror.  I really liked the small size u-shaped padded pillow for chest support.  It is not as thick or tall as the boppy pillow I was using previously and she seemed more comfortable resting on it.


Sassy Crib & Floor Mirror

I loved this mirror for tummy time.  Emily lifted her head to reach for the crinkly leaves and black and white spinning ball.  She was mesmerized by the contrasting colors.  Now that she's 12 months old, she still plays with it.

TIPS FOR HAPPY TUMMY TIME

Getting a baby to spend 50% of the time she is awake on her tummy is a daunting task for any parent or caretaker.  It's especially difficult when your baby despises being on her stomach.  Here's a couple of tips to help make tummy time more productive!

• Try doing tummy time on the dining room table or bed for easier face to face time.  It's boring to always look down at the floor. On a higher surface, there are so many interesting things for the baby to see.  Put a yoga mat or a towel down first to make the surface comfortable and supervise at all times! 

• Clothes hamper natural body movement and make tummy time more cumbersome for the baby.  Get your baby down to just her diaper or no diaper on a waterproof mat and see how much more mobile she is. 

SITTING UP BABY

It was very exciting for me when Emily was first able to sit independently at 5 months.  I had been propping her up against the couch for a while.  I was glad because she was spending much more time off her back and I thought this would help her crawl and be more comfortable on her stomach.  I could not have been more wrong!  My baby still hated tummy time and now wanted to sit slouching back all the time.

Sitting babies up prematurely prevents them from rolling, scooting and crawling because it does not help their muscle development.  Therefore, limit sitting as much as you can and let the baby spend more time on her tummy to help develop those neck and back muscles.

If your baby does love to sit, make sure she sits on her sit bones not back on her spine.  Proper early posture is essential for strong muscle development.  It is common for babies to develop poor posture if they have learned to sit slouching back early on.  Encourage your baby to come up onto her sitting bones by reaching up or out with both hands for any object or toy while sitting. 

BABY TUMMY TIME: USE A MIRROR

A mirror is essential for tummy time!  Emily loved seeing her reflection in the mirror and would raise her head to stare at herself and touch the mirror.  We used the Sassy crib and floor mirror as well as full length mirrors.  She was fascinated to see the reflection of her surroundings including mommy and daddy. 

BABY TUMMY TIME: CARRY YOUR BABY LIKE AN AIRPLANE

The airplane carrying position is great for when you are just playing with the baby and still want to work her back and neck muscles.

How you do it is you place you arms underneath your baby from the front and back so she is lying on her stomach and then just hold her in front of  you like below.

It's important to keep it fun when engaging the baby in an exercise that's hard on her body.  To keep Emily from fussing, I sing songs and make funny noises; the sillier the better!

BABY TUMMY TIME: CARRY BABY LIKE A SACK OF POTATOES

When your baby hates tummy time, you want to strengthens those muscles by alternative means.  It sounds funny but carrying the baby like a sack over your shoulder does a great job of working her neck and back muscles.

The sack of potato position is the one my husband utilized the most.  It was harder for me to do because it required a bit more muscle and it was hard to keep the baby horizontal.  What you do is you hold the baby around her hips and legs and place her tummy on your shoulder.  She should be lying horizontal as she lifts her head to look around.

TUMMY TIME ALTERNATIVE

While tummy time on the floor is the ideal position for babies, they often fuss and find it uncomfortable.  If your baby hates tummy time, practice carrying her in positions that exercise her neck and back muscles.

Carrying the baby facing out and tipped forward is my favorite alternative tummy time position.  It's very easy to do and especially great for heavier babies and petite moms because you do not need a lot of muscle to do this.  In fact you can do this sitting or standing.

What you do is hold the baby against your stomach or hip while she's facing away from you.  Lean her forward at the hips so she has to work to keep her body and head up.  You can place a toy in front of her and then tip her forward.  When she reaches for it, let her come back up by herself instead of assisting her.

THE IMPORTANCE OF TUMMY TIME FOR BABIES

Tummy time is crucial for a baby's proper development.  It stretches and strengthens neck and back muscles that help a baby crawl, sit, stand, and walk.  Babies who spend most of their time on their back or sitting up usually walk later and can develop flat spots on the back of their heads.

My own baby hated traditional tummy time, that is when I placed her flat on the floor with nothing.  She would cry incessantly and I would give up and pick her up after a minute or so.  I later learned from therapy that I can carry my baby in certain positions that qualify as tummy time and strengthen the same muscles the traditional position does.

Please read my blog for several exercises that every mom and dad can easily do at home with their baby.  I had varied success with different positions and your baby might like certain positions more than others.