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| Having Fun with Tummy Time Now that parents have learned the importance of putting babies to sleep on their backs, newborns are spending more of their early days in that position. That's great news for preventing cot death, but it means parents need to make sure their babies spend plenty of supervised time on their tummies. This will help them build up strength in their necks and shoulders and eventually help them learn to roll, sit and crawl. It also helps stop your little one from developing flat spots on their head.
Make it fun When placing your baby on their stomach, make sure they have something nearby to keep them busy. A rattle, baby mirror or favourite cuddly toy are all ways to keep them entertained. You can even get on the floor with them and play peek-a-boo. Make it part of their routine and you'll quickly notice how they adapt and learn to love tummy time. Make it frequent Hungry or tired babies probably won't enjoy time on their tummies, nor will newborns that have just been fed. If your baby does start to cry, try picking them up and playing with them for a minute or two. As they get more experienced with this new position, they will enjoy it for longer periods of time. Why not try a bit of tummy time after each nappy change or whenever you get them dressed? Make it mobile Babies can work their neck and shoulder muscles, even when they're in your arms. Try carrying your little one belly down, resting on your arms right against your chest. You can pull them close to you and cradle their head with your hand. When your baby is older, stronger and capable of supporting their own head, you can carry them face forward, supporting them with one hand under their bottom and another around their chest. They'll love gazing round the room, I play the Superman theme with my son Adam and he loves it. |
