7 Steps to independent tummy time!
Photo by Polina Tankilevitch from Pexels
1. Baby is held up to adult’s shoulder while being burped or carried.
This is, of course, one of the most common first positions in which people hold babies so, CONGRATS! If you’re reading this post then you’ve likely already accomplished step one. This really is the first step to helping a baby learn to be comfortable in prone. The higher up on your shoulder you hold the baby, the more strength required to keep that head up and steady. While carrying baby up on your shoulder does not fit the definition of tummy time (and should not be considered a replacement for tummy time), it’s a great first step in helping baby ease into working on head control, in the context of the bigger picture.
2. Baby lies with tummy down on adult’s tummy/chest while sleeping or playing.
As with step one, this is also a very common practice among parents and caregivers of new babies. And — might I add — one of the sweetest and most memorable practices that occur during those early days and weeks of bonding. My first postpartum tears (tears of joy!) were shed while my baby nuzzled and napped on me in this position when he was about a week old. Oh how I miss those days! If your baby is not yet comfortable being horizontal on your tummy (which he probably won’t be while awake), you can simply adjust how far you lean back/lay down while he rests on you. Now’s the time to kick back in your recliner chair or prop yourself with some pillows on the couch to get yourself into just the right position — anything for the baby, right?
3. Baby lies with tummy down or sideways across adult’s arms while playing or being carried.
This one takes some practice, but the easiest way to accomplish this position is to place one forearm between baby’s legs up to the chest area, and then bring the other forearm down between the shoulder and ear that are closest to your own body. Confused? Picture what it would be like to hold her horizontal with her back to you, and then “roll” her forward to her tummy while still holding her in the air. (As a bonus, this can also be a great position for calming down babies who are fussy or gassy.) You can practice with a baby doll or while standing in front of a mirror if you’re still feeling unsure. Once you get the hang of it, have some fun with it and turn on some music so you can dance with your baby while carrying her in this position! I’m a fan of any kids’ station on Pandora. Some favorites on my Pandora account include “Raffi”, “VeggieTales”, “Yo Gabba Gabba!”, “Nursery Rhymes Radio”, and “Elizabeth Mitchell”. You can move baby fast and slow, up and down, round and round…however she likes to move! Just make sure to stop for a few seconds every minute or so in order to allow her body to really register the movements (the body gets used to the continuous movements and sort of “stops” feeling it if it goes on and on at the same pace and rhythm for long enough).You can also try a variation of this hold by playing “super baby” with your little one!
4. Baby lies with tummy down on exercise ball, beach ball, big pillow, or adult’s shins.
This is a great one because you can vary the angle at which your baby is positioned, thus determining how easy or difficult it is. A greater incline will be more comfortable for a baby who is just beginning tummy time (kind of like being up against an adult’s shoulder as a newborn), whereas a more flat position right on top of the ball, pillow, or shins will be more challenging and appropriate for those who are further along in the process. Once you get your baby into a position on the ball that is comfortable for both him and yourself, you can begin to slowly roll him forward and backward, making sure that you keep a good grip on him and that he is okay with how far and fast you are moving him. While you can certainly place your hands on baby’s hips and position yourself behind him as you roll, it’s even better if you can place yourself where he can see you so that he knows where you are and can interact with you. We did this one a lot in our parent-infant class and it was so great to see babies tolerating tummy time way better than when on the floor! If you don’t have an exercise ball, you can use a big pillow instead, placing baby’s chest at the bottom edge of the pillow and propping him uphill from there so that he is at an incline similar to if he was placed on a ball.
If you really want to get hands-on you can lay on your back, bend your hips and knees at 90 degree angles, and place baby on your shins as you hold onto him and vary the angle at which he is positioned (this one is best for taller people, who have longer shins than us short folks). The more bent your knees (i.e., the smaller the angle), the more inclined baby will be and, thus, the more comfortable he will be as he’s starting out. You can turn it into a game by putting him on your shins and playing “elevator” as you slowly move him up and down as you sing or talk or do whatever you must in order to make it fun!
5. Baby lies with tummy down across adult’s legs, with adult either sitting in a chair or on the ground (leg position can vary).
Believe it or not, I first discovered this position as I desperately tried to soothe my son during his colicky months as a newborn (so glad those days are behind us!). Boy, am I glad that my mother showed me this trick — prone across her legs while supporting his head (which gets turned to the side), rubbing or patting his back, and maybe even offering him a pacifier. Worked like a charm when she used it on him. It wasn’t until my baby was several months old that I discovered this position could actually be used as a means of introducing tummy time. My favorite was to sit on the floor with my legs extended so that he could start to put his arms out in front of him on the floor. This transitions nicely into step six…
6. Baby lies with tummy down and upper chest positioned over a rolled-up towel on the floor with arms over the towel.
You can also position the baby so her upper chest is Roll up a receiving blanket and place it under baby's chest to assist with making tummy time easier and happier for baby! Lots more tips in the article to make tummy time easier and less miserable for baby over your leg instead of a towel, or you can sit on the ground with your legs in a diamond shape (so the soles of your feet are touching each other) and position her facing away from you so her chest is over the part where your feet come together. You can place a toy, book, mirror, or even another person in front of her in order to make this position more interactive. Some people also choose to use a Boppy pillow at this point to assist their little one with tummy time, but I personally was never able to get my baby to enjoy this position with a Boppy — all he wanted to do was use his feet to push himself forward, which led to him pushing his head straight down into the ground as he curled forward around the pillow! I think we ended up kind of skipping over this step because he just wanted too badly to crawl, and this position just frustrated him. Do what works for your baby…she’ll let you know if she likes it or not!
7. Baby independently lies with tummy down on the floor.
Tada! Keep playing and challenging him and, before you know it, he’ll be pushing his little chest off the ground and getting ready to roll!
Originally Posted By: Christie Kiley, MA, OTR/L