Tummy Time Archives - Move Play Grow

Why Moving Matters

April 19, 2019June 24, 2021 by Wendi McKenna 6 to 9 months, Infant Development, Move Play Grow, Movement, Parent Strategies, Plagiocephaly, Play, Prevention, Torticollis, Toys/Equipment, Tummy Time

Sitting is the new smoking. And, yet, “sitting still” is the gold standard for good behavior in preschoolers? We continually design technologies to position and do and move for us. And, yet, we expect our littles to be more independent?

Everything we do, all that we be requires movement. Yet in our culture, starting as babies and lasting through the golden years, we don’t move the way we were designed. Nor do we nourish our body and brain with the movement required for optimal health and well being. The consequences are big:

Flat-head syndrome and asymmetry in babies (1 in 5!).
Higher-level motor skills not reached in 5-year-olds, a sign they won’t be accomplished at all.
Back pain in elementary students.
High and rising rates of depression, anxiety with all the secondary consequences in adolescents.
The skyrocketing incidence of metabolic disease, obesity, emotional health breakdown.

The list goes on.

We are failing at nourishing our bodies and brains with the movement required for optimal health.

Only 22% of children get the required amount of exercise per day. And, it’s worse with adults…18%. But, when we design public places with escalators next to stairs (or worse, hide the stairs), is it any wonder? I frequently see people line up to get on the escalator when the stairs are EMPTY! We are waiting in line to not move even more! Doesn’t that seem CRAZY?!?

But there are solutions. Many. And everyone can find one that works for them.

You do not need to be an Olympian triathlete to reap the benefits of exercise. You just need to be aware and to choose to move.

The brain and body work together

Behavior becomes biology. Form follows function. Our skeletons were designed to walk and run. Our brains were designed to feel, to process, to plan and execute, to problem solve, to create. The “soft-wired” integration of brain and body connections is plastic, malleable, adaptable, flexible. And we change the structure and chemistry of our brain DAILY!

If we neglect one part, the other will “feel the pain.” If we feed both body and brain what each need, we don’t just survive, we THRIVE! And, the change happens as soon as you DECIDE and ACT.

So, what happens when we DO move our bodies? When we do get outside? Just stepping outside and moving your body decreases your worry and anxiety. Even if you can’t directly control the circumstances around you, you can change the way you respond. Being outside helps you to get present in the NOW. You relax, you feel connected and nourished, integrated and whole. You feel FREE and, therefore, better equipped to respond.

What else happens when you move? Here’s what the research says:

EXERCISE…

Enhances learning capacity. 20 minutes of exercise where your heart rate is at 70-90% of its maximum increases your focus and learning capacity for up to four HOURS afterward. Just think what our kids could learn if PE were FIRST in the day. Before-school running/ninja warrior clubs come to mind. It’s NOT just about more hours in the classroom. Let’s be strategic, effective and efficient. >>> Get your FREE JUMPSTART PE classes HERE
Boosts brain drivers! Exercise modulates and enhances the activity of dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin in the brain, responsible for how we feel, think, adapt, problem solve, remember, move, and keep our brain structure HEALTHY AND GROWING. The benefits are dosage-dependent, but it ALWAYS begins with ONE STEP.
Improves your mood. This is a BIG one and I see it with myself, my husband and my children on a daily basis. My kids know to send me outside or to the gym when I start to “lose it.” And I know that when kid behavior gets “crazy,” outside time with them (combining movement, outdoors and quality time) is GOLDEN!
Increases your focus. Moms, multi-tasking is NOT something to aspire to. Sometimes it’s necessary, but it is not efficient and effective. Distractability isn’t just a “thing” for kids. Get some movement (dance, jumping jacks, high knees, mountain climbers, jumpies, you name it) and then define a “Power 20!” Give yourself ONE task and do it for 20 minutes. Be amazed at all that can be accomplished in a short time.
Protects your brain. Just as pumping iron increases your muscle mass, exercise in the long-run increases brain growth, especially in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. These areas are essential for executive functioning and laying down memories. The more robust they are, the stronger foundation there is for any neuro-degeneration in the future. Do the work NOW and CONSISTENTLY. I know we all say it, but you really have nothing if you don’t have your health. Take care of you, because YOU is all you have. Get moving!
Launches you into high performance. You need (at minimum) 3-4 times per week of vigorous exercise, 30 minutes per session. BUT, even 5 minutes is better than NONE so as Nike says, “Just Do It!” Also, if you want to be a “high performer” in your life, increase that to 5x/week!

Exercise is the MOST TRANSFORMATIVE thing you can do for yourself TODAY. Of course there are other physical, emotional, and psychological pillars of health required for maximum performance, but NONE of them have such a PROFOUND, IMMEDIATE effect as exercise. Take it to heart, practice it over and over, and inspire your kids to do the same.

What about the flip side?

When you don’t move, you limit your ability to participate (now and in the future); your heart strains to keep the blood moving; your muscles atrophy; you experience pain; your endurance plummets; your brain deteriorates; you are weak; you have trouble playing on the floor with your babies and grandbabies; you are frail and fragile, ready to break.

Of course that’s not YOU, though…Right? The problem is, you won’t recognize any of the above until it’s reached a critical point. And you certainly won’t see the difference between where you are today and where you could be unless you commit to moving vigorously and often.

A sedentary life is unhealthy. There is no way around it. And it’s certainly the outcome your children will face if the love of moving and participating and pushing their body to the limits isn’t ingrained from an early age. It’s never too late to start, AND it’s always easier the earlier it becomes a habit.

Get out and move!

You don’t need to be a fine-tuned athlete or rugged outdoors person. If it’s like pulling teeth to get you out the door, it’s ok. Any type of movement can inspire and make a difference. You may need to dig a little deeper to find what lights you up, but I promise, it’s there. You have a body; it was designed to move, it wants to move, you just need to find what inspires.

And, sometimes you have to climb Mt. Everest of resistance just to reach the start. If getting going is your pain point, recognize that and create a no-back-door situation so you stop fighting an unnecessary battle. Save the battle for when your body wants to quit! And, know that will power is not enough. A plan with best intentions is not enough. You need accountability.

Find a partner who won’t let you back out. A class that will charge you if you don’t show up. Add your movement time in your calendar and star it as the MOST IMPORTANT meeting of your day. Do NOT cancel on yourself. (Side note: The way you do one thing is the way you do everything. If you cancel on yourself, you cancel on others, too.)

Make it fun and inspiring, think outside the box. Parkour, pole dancing, belly dancing, surfing, plyometric routine up and down your street (that was one of my favorite workouts in college). Meet a friend. Do it with your children and make it a game.

I was trying to inspire my 8-year-old son to do pushups. He didn’t want to. I told him I’d hold a plank until he finished them. I almost died holding that plank, and eventually, he pushed up 5 times and LOVED that he “saved” me! Laughter all over.

Oh, and if you laugh during your workout routine, you engage your core up to 40% more than doing core work alone! LAUGH A LOT!

Bottom line, don’t overanalyze your resistance. Just take your first step and GO! Every time you conquer that resistance, you create a win. Every win builds confidence. Every repetition builds resilience and grit. Every time you move, your body comes alive, and isn’t that what it’s all about?

Create environments where movement is inspired. The more you and your children move, the more you receive the benefits of that movement. And, the more you move, the more you want to move. Let’s all get on the spiral upward.

And, here’s the thing. It’s not just about your kids moving. It’s YOU moving WITH your kids. You don’t need to be there 100% of the time, but what they want is connection with you. Love them by moving with them, participating with them.

If you happen to coach sports, create opportunities for parents to come out and play the last 5 minutes of practice. I’ve done this for a few years now and it is SOOOOO fun. The only rule is that parents CANNOT talk. Their children get to lead and instruct and inspire and initiate the connection with YOU!

What if my child doesn’t want to move?

Sometimes I meet a family who talks about their easy baby (sometimes labeling “lazy baby”) being content sitting still and watching. Usually, mom and dad aren’t worried. They are grateful for the break. However, in the back of my mind, I wonder, what could be possibly going on with this baby that they don’t feel comfortable moving? Often, these are the kiddos who end up having some more overt challenges later on.

What to do? Don’t accept “Wait and See” as an answer. Don’t try to answer what’s going on with YOUR child by reading about other people’s children. Google casts a wide net, but it can’t go deep with you and your child. Everyone is unique and deserves to be seen as such. Schedule a screening or evaluation with a local pediatric physical therapist or occupational therapist. Get answers from the people who know infant and child development best.

Get Moving!

We are blessed to have bodies that feel, move, and connect. When we don’t move, we clog up our brain, our thoughts, and our emotions. Movement is essential to keep things free flowing. From day one until the day we say goodbye to this life, our body is our home. Honor it and give it what it needs. And then teach, show, and inspire your children the same.

Final Thoughts

If you want fun new ways to MOVE, I’m gifting you my JUMPSTART PE, Check it out HERE

The Defense of Tummy Time

November 8, 2015July 10, 2017 by Wendi McKenna Infant Development, Philosophy, Sensory, Sleep, Torticollis, Tummy Time

Just yesterday, as most days, a colleague at Kids Unlimited posted an excerpt talking about the importance of tummy time. Some responses offered an alternative article written on the RIE/Janet Lansbury blog highlighting the case against tummy time. I would like to directly respond to this article. There is much of RIE, Resources for Infant Educarers, I love and respect and use on a daily basis with my patients, clients and children. However, I do not agree with their beliefs on tummy time.

Tummy Time Tips

October 9, 2015May 21, 2017 by Wendi McKenna Tummy Time

Move Play Grow is three years old and I now have a “preschooler” on my hands. I’ve learned so much from the over 450 babies and families I’ve taught in that time and I want to take this moment to thank you all, to share some great photos of my happy babies in tummy time, and of course to offer some tips to help the next generation of happy tummy timers! See you in class!

To Sit…Or Not to Sit: Developing Functional Sitting Skills in Babies

July 14, 2013May 21, 2017 by Wendi McKenna 6 to 9 months, Infant Development, Movement, Philosophy, Tummy Time

A celebrated developmental milestone is when a 6-month-old baby (give or take a few weeks) can sit up independently. But, what does that mean? The reference books say independent sitting is when a baby is placed in sitting on the floor and can remain there without help from caregivers, other supportive props or gear, or the use of their own hands for balance. But, is this independent sit functional for baby and why does it matter?

The Importance of Tummy Time

May 4, 2013May 21, 2017 by Wendi McKenna Move Play Grow, Tummy Time

Wendi was recently featured as an expert guest on ParentSavers.com, talking about the importance of tummy time! The podcast is a total of 30 minutes with the feature interview taking place after the initial discussion about an application called Alert ID. Click on the link below to listen! We would love any and all comments! Stay tuned for a video of a Tummy to Play Everyday class from Parent Savers, which streamed live at the Your Natural Baby Fair 2013!

Is My Baby’s Head Normal?

February 15, 2013May 21, 2017 by Wendi McKenna Infant Development, Parent Strategies, Plagiocephaly, Prevention, Torticollis, Tummy Time

Today, many more babies have flat spots on their heads than 20 years ago. In fact, it is now common to see babies out in public wearing orthotic helmets and to hear stories about their courses of physical therapy. Diagnosis of positional plagiocephaly/brachycephaly and often-concurrent torticollis, two mostly preventable conditions, is on the rise. What can we as parents, caregivers, and medical practitioners do to reduce the risk of these diagnoses?

Buy This: Multi-Purpose Items

December 9, 2012May 21, 2017 by Wendi McKenna Toys/Equipment, Tummy Time

Buy this: items that serve more than one purpose. As discussed earlier, infant positioning and alignment are important but often overlooked. One item that accomplishes all these criteria is a U-shaped head support pillow that cradles baby’s head in car seat, keeping it in midline. Car seats often have infant inserts, but they rarely keep baby’s head from falling to the side. These pillows, when used correctly, successfully do so most of the time.
This pillow also serves as a great prop for tummy time for younger babies up to 5 months. It lifts baby’s chest slightly, not overextending her back, helping her weight to shift backwards towards pelvis. It hugs her chest to prevent rolling to the side. It provides a barrier to keep elbows in line with or in front of shoulders.
I love finding truly useful, multipurpose items that are reasonably priced. The infant head support pillow fits these criteria beautifully.

Buy This….Not That: Tummy Time

December 2, 2012May 21, 2017 by Wendi McKenna Toys/Equipment, Tummy Time

This December will be dedicated to offering ideas on the great and not-so-great gifts for infants birth to 12 months! Check back often!

We start with my favorite find for our 3rd child, wishing of course we had found it for #s 1 and 2! It’s the Lily Pad playmat by Nook. It is portable, washable and is PERFECT for tummy time! The cushion is made of breathable air cells, so there is always good air flow around your baby’s precious nose and mouth no matter what his head position. It is firm enough for baby to push into and work to pick his head up, YET cushy enough to soften the inevitable head bob face plant, even when placed directly on hardwood floor!

Enjoy this find and Happy Tummy Time!

Just as there are products out there that truly help our babies discover new ways to move, become aware of what their bodies can do, and encourage active development of pathways to increase the body-brain connection, there are also products that do all this hard work for them.

Product manufacturers create new items every year that make the hard work of developing seemingly easier and more fun, but often with unintended consequences. We don’t want our babies to be passive participants in the hard work of creating foundations for their own independence.

The Wingbo, pictured here, is an example of a product that seems to solve the problem of tummy time blues. However, the swing carriage is plastic and is the same every time you put your baby in it, offering no variety, the very hallmark of movement and movement development. Though it adds the element of whole body movement through space that your baby otherwise would not get, it does not encourage absolutely essential components of being on the tummy, which are:
1) getting active elongation/stretching of the hip flexors (hips are encouraged to be flexed),
2) active connection of the upper body and lower body through lateral weight shifting (upper body is wedged in a hard plastic container inhibiting active abdominal contraction), and
3) free exploration of movement on all planes of motion: front/back, side to side, and rotation (movement from legs and swing is primarily frontal).

All of these essential items are accomplished by simply placing baby down on a play mat surface, holding baby across your chest or lap on their tummy, or carrying them in a tummy down position.

So, please consider saving your money with this product and opt for a great playmat where your baby can do her own independent exploration of movement. If you have this product, no need to stop using it, but please have your baby enjoy it in small doses!

Tracking Tummy Time to Prevent Plagiocephaly and Torticollis

October 31, 2012May 21, 2017 by Wendi McKenna Infant Development, Movement, Prevention, Tummy Time

The importance of tummy time play cannot be overstated. Since the introduction of “Back to Sleep” in 1994, many published studies have cited an increase in medical diagnoses such as plagiocephaly, brachycephaly and torticollis*(see below for descriptions) and developmental delay of gross motor milestones. Though this program successfully cut in half the rate of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), the rise of other mostly-preventable diagnoses illustrate some of the unintended consequences of “Back to Sleep.”

Many parents are anxious or even fearful about the tummy down position because of its connection to SIDS. Just because an infant is awake, that anxiety does not dissipate, so parents often avoid placing their infants on their tummies from the start. In addition, parents are not aware of the importance of tummy time when babies are awake, so there is little reason for them to even try.

Tummy time is important for many reasons. Babies are often positioned in utero in asymmetrical positions, and many stay in the same position for most of pregnancy. These asymmetries do not disappear overnight after babies are born. They need to be worked out with babies’ spontaneous movements against the floor and gravity. Babies need to have plenty of time to move freely on the floor, to be out of containers such as car seats, infant seats, swings, and strollers. The position of choice when putting an awake baby down should be tummy down. Newborn babies do not have the strength to lift their heads for sustained periods of time. They rest their head on the floor with their cheek in contact and their neck turned 90 degrees. As long as they position themselves looking both directions, gravity and the floor provide a long, low-load stretch on the SCM and other muscles implicated in torticollis. Tummy time also eliminates any pressure on the back of the head, preventing flatness or allowing any flat spots to round out.

Parents should look at their baby from head to toe after birth to look for any asymmetries in baby’s preference for turning his head or flexing his body one direction or another. Parents can also take pictures of head shape over time to ensure that any flat spots round out. Keeping a photo diary or a log of activity over time helps parents to determine patterns that either exacerbate or alleviate any asymmetries present at birth.

I looked at a few different smart phone applications that would help me do just this after my son was born. I settled on iBabyLog, which is a great tool to track nursing, diapering, sleeping, and activity schedules (many other categories are also available for tracking). I can customize my comments, take photos, and easily look at patterns over time to track progress. For example, when putting my newborn son down for sleep, I make sure that he looks to the left one time and then to the right the other. When working on awake tummy time, I also track the time he looks left versus right. With the ability to track and summarize positions and alignment over the day and the week, it is easy for parents to notice any asymmetries that are present. And, at this very young age, parents have the power to fix asymmetries early with great results.

Using iBabyLog or other tracking tools to document positions during sleep and awake times can help parents to be more aware of their baby’s alignment. Proper alignment is a crucial foundation to symmetrical movement, which is essential for baby to properly achieve motor milestones. By being aware and tracking some of the foundation elements of movement, parents can intervene early and prevent medical problems in alignment and movement from ever occurring.

* Plagiocephaly is a misshapen head secondary to abnormal and asymmetrical forces placed upon the skull as an infant’s head is growing. It causes a diagonal asymmetry with flatness on the back of one side of the head and protrusion of the opposite forward side. It affects the shape of face, position of eyes and ears, and shape and symmetry of joints of the jaw and cervical spine. Since “Back to Sleep” began, the incidence of plagiocephaly has increased from 1 in 300 to 1 in 15. Though many pediatricians state that misshapen heads are merely a cosmetic issue, there are two very important joints that articulate with and are affected by skull shape: the jaw (TMJ) and the upper cervical vertebrae (OA). Atypical alignment in any joint, but especially those that require simultaneous action of two sides, increases abnormal wear and tear, leading to premature joint breakdown, arthritis and pain. Though this is a well-known and accepted medical phenomenon, because the first “Back to Sleep” babies are only 18 years old, long-term consequences of this specific malalignment due to misshapen heads have not yet been documented in medical literature.

* Torticollis is a shortening of the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle on one side of the neck. Other neck muscles can be involved as well, but this muscle is most often implicated because of its long ropelike and very superficial location. When this muscle is short/contracted, your baby will have a head tilt to the same side, rotate to the opposite side, and prefer to extend head backwards rather than tuck his chin. Babies often avoid turning their head in the other direction and cannot achieve midline orientation of the head. Torticollis can be congenital, most often due to position in utero, or acquired, often due to asymmetrical head shape and positioning, such as with plagiocephaly. These two diagnoses frequently present together.

* Brachycephaly is a flatness on the back of the head that is more symmetrical from left to right, but causes protrusions laterally on both sides, making the face and head wider than otherwise would be. It reduces the space for the cerebellum to grow and decreases the distance between the back of the head and spinal cord, possibly placing the spinal cord at greater risk for injury with any head injury. It also changes the orientation of jaw and cervical spine joints. Brachycephaly is due to constant pressure on the back of the head from sleeping and positioning in infant “containers” such as car seats, infant seats, strollers, and swings.

Tummy Time, Part II: Newborn to Four Weeks

September 23, 2012May 21, 2017 by Wendi McKenna Infant Development, Movement, Tummy Time

The tummy down position for newborns looks awkward to adults. Babies have their little tushies in the air like a beetle, their legs tucked underneath them, and all their weight pushed forward on their upper chest and face. To most of us, that position looks like torture. To others, it may remind them of the yoga “child’s pose” that is meant to relax and center us, bringing our spirit back to a state of equilibrium. This position is actually exactly what a newborn infant needs to help calm and give them the opportunity to learn how to self-soothe. When newborns are on their tummy, the floor provides support to counteract the ballistic movements that are typical and can disorganize babies’ states of consciousness. Their arms are tucked underneath them with their hands conveniently close to their faces and mouths. Newborns frequently get their hands to their mouths when in this position. However, when on their back, they do not have the motor control to easily reach their hands to their mouths. The floor provides that support.

Full term, healthy newborns can turn their head each way and effectively clear their airway when awake and placed on a firm surface, so there is no need to be concerned about suffocation when baby is in this position. They drag their faces, including cheeks, lips, and chin across the floor, which provides rich sensory information to those parts of the face. Again, conveniently, these are the parts that are essential for feeding; the extra sensory information provided by the floor causes more frequent firing of neurons in this part of the brain, and strengthens the pathways that are needed to reinforce successful feeding.

In regards to vision, newborn infants see best 8-12 inches from their face. When on their tummy, parent and caregiver faces and voices (the best toy around) can easily be positioned in that precise spot so you can marvel, talk to and bond with your baby where they see you best. It also gives the parent an opportunity to lie down: Something all new parents need to do! Also, if babies’ hand happens to move a bit away from their face, they can visually regard it and start learning about self-discovery: Wow, that is MY hand!

You can also start working on the coordinated connection/integration of auditory and visual information with behavioral/motor responses. By positioning yourself on the opposite side of way baby is facing and softly calling to your baby, they will first hear and then listen, locating your voice and the hearing sound of their name, responding with motor movements to try and turn their head the other direction in order to SEE the source of what they heard. This simple game helps to connect sensory information with motor output AND ends with an amazing gift to both you and the baby: They get to see your smiling face! Added bonuses are that they 1) crossed midline in the process, which strengthens the integration of right and left sides of the brain, and 2) practiced looking both directions, increasing mobility, length, and strength of joints and muscles on both sides of the body. It truly is amazing how a simple game can positively affect so many systems and contribute to their development and maturity.

One of the best ways to ensure that your baby likes tummy time is to start at birth. If your baby is still not tolerating this position well after consistently practicing throughout the day for a couple of weeks (such as short times after each diaper change), there are many ways to modify the tummy-down experience to make it easier and more successful. Try chest to chest tummy time, lap soothe tummy time, and tummy down carrying. If you are still struggling to help your baby enjoy this time, live workshops and individual consultations are available in the San Diego area and online video consultations are available for those further away!

A recent search for online videos of infants on their tummies highlighted a misconception that many parents have. Despite the very calm, happy babies that were on the floor on their tummies for minutes at a time, parent’s voice-overs indicated they thought they were torturing their babies, that they were doing this merely to follow doctors’ orders to force their babies to “workout.” Rather than interpreting what your feelings would be in this position, take the time to read your babies’ expressions. This position is one that calms and nurtures our newborns’ immature systems; it provides rich sensory and motor experiences that no other position provides; and it allows the opportunity for babies to build foundations in these domains that will positively contribute to development for the weeks, months and years ahead. Enjoy this position with your baby; it is one of the easiest and least expensive ways to support your babies’ development.

Tummy Time, Part I: Why are we talking about this?

September 20, 2012May 21, 2017 by Wendi McKenna Infant Development, Tummy Time

The “Back to Sleep” program, introduced by the American Academy of Pediatrics after comprehensive research from multiple continents, was one of the most successful public relations campaigns. From 1994 to 2006, the frequency of babies placed on their backs to sleep increased six-fold while at the same time the SIDS rate was reduced by 50%. However, there have been many unintended consequences. Before the back to sleep program, infants had a combined awake and asleep time on their tummies of at least 18 hours per day. We are lucky these days if infants experience even 30 minutes per day. That is a lot of time lost in a position that is imperative for proper development in many domains and body systems. Research has repeatedly shown that a lack of tummy time contributes to gross motor delays such as lifting head up/head control, rolling over, pushing up and crawling. However, tummy time is imperative not only for gross motor development, but for the foundation skills required for fine motor, oral motor, body awareness, vision, and self-soothing skills. This series will address the importance of tummy time from birth to seven months, provide benchmarks for each stage and the developmental importance of tummy time for many domains and body systems.

A parent’s anxiety about tummy time can negatively affect how their infant perceives and experiences this important position. SIDS is a scary thing, but parents feel they have a strong, effective tool to help combat the likelihood of it happening to their child: by placing their infant on their back to sleep. Unfortunately, even if a parent understands that it is during sleep time that the back position is important, it is difficult to turn off that anxiety about the tummy time position even during awake hours. In turn, when a baby fusses or cries while on his tummy, parents swoop in to rescue them versus calmly trying to modify the situation to truly figure out why the baby is upset. Babies have great instincts and they figure it out quickly that the tummy is a position that should cause anxiety. Thus, many babies do not tolerate it well.

There is much parents can do to help babies develop happy routines on their tummies. The easiest way to start is at birth when a baby is used to being “smashed.” A full term baby’s house is very small before birth when she is most often supported in a “fetal position” by the uterine walls. After birth, the floor can also provide that kind of comfort barrier. Because it is more difficult for babies to remain in a flexed position on their back, often nurses and families choose to swaddle to contain them as if still in utero and to support them before their muscles really have had a chance to first stretch out and then learn to move efficiently and with control against gravity. The tummy down position after birth is comforting. If it is repeated frequently and consistently everyday, trying it first whenever you place your baby down, it remains a very comfortable position and a place where your baby can happily learn to move, play and grow.

For a photo essay and general description of what to expect the tummy position to look like from newborn to seven months, see blog post, Madeline’s Tummy Time Journey: Birth to Seven Months. Future blog posts will also describe this journey in greater detail to explain why your baby’s posture and movement changes as she matures. Stay tuned!

Madeline’s Tummy Time Journey: Birth to Seven-Months

September 1, 2012May 21, 2017 by Wendi McKenna Infant Development, Tummy Time

This series of photos and captions follows one baby girl, Madeline, from six days old to seven months in order to illustrate the typical progression and development of posture and movement skills while on the tummy. Disclaimer: Rather than choosing to use infant seats and other containers, Madeline was placed on her tummy first every time she was put down on the floor. She practiced tummy time regularly and usually enjoyed more than 60 minutes per day from birth and more than 90 minutes per day after three months of age.