8 Secrets Of Tummy-Time

Help your tot enjoy it with these game-changing tips, says neonatal physiotherapist

- Hilary Cruickshank

1 You can start from day one

After being curled up in your womb, your newborn isn’t used to lying on his tummy, which is why he’ll most likely cry if you lay him down on his front in the early days. The key is to ease him gently into the process, and slowly build the muscle strength he needs. Start by holding him so his tummy is against your chest when you’re sitting down. His neck doesn’t have any strength in the early days, so you’ll need to support his head. But he’ll start to use his neck muscles to push his head up to see you and, in this position, he won’t have far to drop back when that becomes tiring. As he gets stronger, you can gradually lean back, until you’re at a 45-degree angle. He’ll get used to feeling that pressure on his tummy while he’s all snuggly next to you.

2 Be patient ’til he’s past the jerky stage

At birth, your baby’s head makes up a whopping third of his body. When he’s all grown up, it’ll only be around an eighth. And to lift his big ol’ brain-packed head, he uses two sets of neck muscles. Sternocleidomastoid are the large muscles on either side of his neck, while the trapezius runs from his shoulders to the back of his neck. And because these muscles are fairly weak to begin with, he’ll lift his head with a jerky movement. But, as they grow stronger, his head control and the ability to move it from left to right will become much smoother. And your baby will be far happier if you only begin moving him into a fully horizontal position once he’s past the jerky stage and has some control of his head.

3 Keep him close to you at first