Picture this: You gently place your baby on their tummy... and within seconds, they're red-faced, crying, and arching their back. You pick them up feeling defeated and think, "Are we doing this wrong?"
If that sounds familiar—you're not alone. And here's what you need to know: tummy time doesn't have to be a battle. In fact, with the right approach, it can become one of your favorite bonding moments with your little one.
In this episode, we're diving into everything tummy time—why it matters, what's really happening in your baby's brain and body, and Sarah's best OT tips to help your baby not just tolerate it, but actually thrive during it.
What You'll Learn:
- Why tummy time is a full-body, full-sensory workout (not just about building neck strength!)
- How tummy time develops ALL of your baby's sensory systems
- How tummy time naturally integrates retained primitive reflexes (like the ATNR)
- Why the "Back to Sleep, Tummy to Play" rule matters more than ever
- How much tummy time your baby needs at each age (and how to build up gradually)
- Sarah's personal story: Her anxiety with tummy time as a first-time mom and what she wishes she'd known
The Science Behind Tummy Time:
Tummy time strengthens your baby's neck, back, core, shoulders, and arms—all critical for future motor tasks like crawling, walking, running, and jumping. But it's doing so much more:
- Building visual perceptual skills (the foundation for reading and writing)
- Developing body awareness (proprioception)
- Activating balance systems (vestibular receptors in the inner ear)
- Integrating primitive reflexes back into the nervous system
- Creating sensory tolerance (reducing hypersensitivity to textures)
When babies don't get enough tummy time in their first year, they may exhibit tactile defensiveness, coordination challenges, and delayed motor milestones.
The AAP's Safe Sleep Campaign:
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends placing babies on their backs for ALL sleep (naps and nighttime) until at least one year old to reduce SIDS risk. But as an unintended result, babies are spending less time on their tummies and are simply not used to the position—making tummy time during wake windows more important than ever.
Remember: "Back to sleep, tummy to play."
Key Takeaway:
Tummy time is exhausting for your baby—it's like a difficult Pilates class! Start slow (2-4 minutes, 4-5 times a day), stay consistent, and build gradually. Short, frequent bursts throughout the day are more effective than one long session.
If you can master tummy time, your baby is going to learn subsequent milestones—like rolling and crawling—so much faster and easier.
Sarah's Upcoming Workshop:
Sarah's 1-hour workshop will cover ALL her best tips and tricks for getting your baby to be successful during tummy time. Tummy time should be fun for you and your baby—not something you dread.
Free Resource:
📥 Download your FREE Ultimate Baby Motor Milestone Checklist (Birth to Walking)
This visual guide includes tummy time milestones for each phase of development.
Perfect For:
- Parents whose babies hate tummy time
- First-time parents anxious about "doing it right"
- Babies with reflux or medical issues that made early tummy time difficult
- Parents told "your baby will find another way" but want to support proper development