Babies Need Tummy Time ! by : Saima
This little boy is 11 months old and should have a nice round head and developed S curves in his neck and lower back and flexible legs that move in and out of various sitting positions . Unfortunately , with lack of tummy time and overuse of bouncy seats , swings , and car seat carriers , he has Positional Plagiocephaly ( flat skull ). A big C curve in his spine is preventing him from crawling on his hands and knees and his hips and legs are so tight he can ' t even straighten his knees !
( The baby in the picture fits the description . It is not meant to be judgmental but informative on what can happen ).
Tummy time is important for overall development of babies . They need this time to develop strong neck muscles which will help them reach their physical milestones like sitting , crawling , and walking . Tummy Time does not have to be on the floor , it can be on the caregiver ' s chest , supported over their lap or bent knees or on a nursing pillow for younger babies . Eventually the baby will use this position to roll over , crawl , and support themselves with their arms .
Don ’ t be surprised if babies hate tummy time and those initial attempts are met with some resistance . It ’ s about getting them used to being in that position . You will probably have to start with short sessions and work your way up . As babies get older and begins to enjoy laying in this position , you can gradually increase number and duration of tummy time sessions . Try aiming for around 20 to 30 minutes a day of baby tummy time by the time they are 3 or 4 months old . Keep this practice up until the baby can roll over on their own , some babies accomplish this at around 5 or 6 months .