When Freddy was first born we did what many first-time parents do and went down to the local health clinic. The team of staff and midwives were amazing and had so many wonderful resources to share with us. One of these was raisingchildren.net.au – it is full of just about every question I had in the first six months. Here is some of the wisdom that I found on Tummy Time…

‘Tummy time happens when your baby lies on his tummy with weight on his forearms. Tummy time builds head, neck and upper body strength for when baby is older. Your baby should do it a lot each day.’

Did you know you can start tummy time soon after birth? Even during those first few weeks babies can try 1-2 minutes at a time spread out through the day.

To encourage your baby to enjoy tummy time try these tips:

• Place safe objects and toys close to your baby. Move them from side to side in front of her face. This encourages her to move, lift and turn her head.
• Get down on the floor next to baby. Turn pages in picture books or magazines. This develops baby’s eye strength and keeps her interested.
• Put a non-breakable mirror next to your baby so she can see her reflection.

A safe and stimulating environment such as a padded baby play mat on your floor is perfect for tummy time as the colours and shapes provide stimulation and motivation as they explore their surroundings. And finally always ensure you supervise your baby during tummy time.

For further information and tips, be sure to check out raisingchildren.net.au

Resource: http://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/pip_tummy_time.html

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