Supporting Baby's Tummy Time: Why It Matters and How to Make It Work

If there is one activity that comes up again and again in conversations about newborn development, it is tummy time. Recommended by paediatricians, midwives and health visitors across the board, tummy time is deceptively simple — place your baby on their tummy while they are awake and supervised — and yet it has a remarkable impact on their physical development in the early months.

 

The challenge is that many babies do not enjoy it at first. If your baby fusses or cries during tummy time, you are far from alone. The good news is that with the right approach, most babies come to tolerate and even enjoy it — and the developmental benefits are well worth the effort.

Why Tummy Time Matters

 

When babies spend time on their tummies, they are working against gravity in a way that lying on their back does not require. This effort builds the muscle strength and motor control that underpins almost everything that comes next.

 

Here is what regular tummy time supports:

 

Neck and shoulder strength — lifting their head is the first real physical challenge a newborn faces. The muscles developed here are the same ones needed later for sitting, crawling and eventually walking.

 

Core strength — tummy time engages the deep muscles of the abdomen and back, building the core stability that supports all future movement.

 

Preventing flat head syndrome (positional plagiocephaly) — babies who spend a lot of time on their backs (which is correct for safe sleep) can develop a flat spot on the back of the head. Tummy time reduces this risk by redistributing pressure and encouraging the skull to develop evenly.

 

Motor development — the progression from lifting the head, to pushing up on the forearms, to reaching and eventually crawling all begins with tummy time. Each session is practice for the next milestone.

 

Sensory development — tummy time gives babies a completely different view of the world and engages their proprioceptive sense (awareness of their body in space) in a new way. This sensory input is important for overall developmental progress.

When to Start

 

Tummy time can begin from the very first days of life — but the form it takes changes as the baby grows.

 

Newborn to 1 month: The gentlest form of tummy time is skin-to-skin on a parent's chest. Lying on your bare chest, your baby naturally attempts to lift their head to find your face. This is tummy time in its most natural form and is comfortable and reassuring for newborns.

 

1 to 3 months: Begin placing baby on a firm, flat surface — a play mat, a folded blanket or a firm cushion — for short sessions of 1 to 2 minutes, several times a day. Build gradually as tolerance improves.

 

3 to 6 months: By this stage most babies can manage 15 to 30 minutes of tummy time spread across the day. They are pushing up on their forearms, lifting their heads confidently, and beginning to reach for objects.

 

6 months and beyond: Tummy time naturally transitions into crawling preparation. Many babies at this stage spend significant time on their tummies independently as they build toward mobile exploration.

How Much Is Enough?

 

The general recommendation is to work toward a total of 30 minutes of tummy time per day by the time the baby is 3 months old. This does not need to happen all at once — short, frequent sessions throughout the day are just as effective as one long stretch and far more manageable for most families.

 

A simple rhythm that works well for many parents:

• A short session after each nappy change
• A session after a daytime nap
• A session during a period of calm alertness

 

Starting with 1 to 2 minutes per session and adding 30 seconds every few days is a gentle, sustainable way to build toward the 30-minute daily target without overwhelming your baby or yourself.

Making Tummy Time Comfortable and Engaging

 

Start on a soft, firm surface. A play mat or firm folded blanket works well. Avoid surfaces that are too soft, as babies need a stable base to push against.

 

Get down to their level. Lying on the floor face-to-face is one of the most effective ways to keep a baby engaged during tummy time. Your face is the most interesting thing in their world — use it. Talk, sing, make sounds and expressions. A baby who is engaged with you will tolerate tummy time much longer than one left alone on a mat.

 

Use toys and mirrors strategically. Place a colourful toy, a high-contrast black-and-white card or a baby-safe mirror just in front of and slightly to the side of your baby. This encourages them to lift their head and look around, building the neck muscles they need. Rotate toy positions to encourage turning in both directions.

 

Offer a soft comfort object. Placing a familiar soft toy — a personalised Jellycat bunny works well — within sight during tummy time gives the baby something to focus on and reach toward as they grow stronger. A familiar scent and texture can also be reassuring for babies who find tummy time challenging.

 

Try the lap position. If your baby strongly resists the mat, try placing them tummy-down across your lap. Your thighs provide a gentle incline that makes head lifting slightly easier, and the closeness is more reassuring for anxious babies.

 

Time it right. Tummy time is most successful when the baby is calm, fed and alert — not immediately after a feed (which can be uncomfortable) and not when they are overtired. A period of calm wakefulness between feeds is usually the sweet spot.

What to Do When Your Baby Hates Tummy Time

 

Some babies resist tummy time strongly in the early weeks, and that is completely understandable — it is physically demanding and a new position. A few things that genuinely help:

 

Keep sessions short and frequent rather than long. One minute five times a day is better than five minutes once a day for a resistant baby. Progress comes with consistency, not duration.

 

Stay present and engaged. A baby who is alone on a mat will protest far sooner than one who has a parent at eye level talking and singing to them. Your presence makes a significant difference.

 

Respond to genuine distress. There is a difference between a baby who is fussing mildly (tolerable, keep going gently) and one who is genuinely distressed (stop, comfort, try again later). Learning to read your baby's cues takes time but becomes natural quickly.

 

Persist gently. Most babies who resist tummy time strongly in weeks one and two are much more accepting by weeks three and four. The developmental gains build on themselves — as they get stronger, tummy time becomes easier, which makes it more enjoyable, which makes them more willing. Trust the process.

Building Tummy Time into Your Day

 

The most sustainable approach is to weave tummy time into existing routines rather than treating it as a separate activity to schedule. Some ideas:

• After a nappy change — a natural moment when the baby is already awake and settled
• Before a bath — a calm, warm period of alertness
• During play time — get on the floor with your baby and make it a shared activity
• On your chest during skin-to-skin — counts as tummy time, especially in the early weeks

 

Having a small basket of tummy time props nearby — a toy, a mirror card, a soft comfort object — makes it easy to start a session without any preparation. The lower the barrier to starting, the more consistently it happens.

Looking for a Gift That Supports Early Development?

 

If you are shopping for a newborn gift that supports a baby's early physical and sensory development, our personalised baby learning and development gift set includes thoughtfully chosen items — soft comforters, engaging rattles and sensory toys — that complement tummy time beautifully and encourage early exploration.

 

Our newborn gift collection also includes soft essentials that are used from the very first days, each personalised with the baby's name and delivered with a complimentary gift box and handwritten card.