Tummy Time: The Small Habit with a Big Impact

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“Back to sleep, tummy to play.” You’ve probably heard this before — and it’s true. But what’s behind it? And what if your baby starts crying the moment you put them on their tummy? I’ll explain why tummy time is so much more than a nice little exercise and how you can weave it playfully into your daily routine.

Why tummy time is so valuable

Tummy time is one of the most important positions for your baby’s development. It strengthens the back and neck muscles, creates flexibility in the chest and neck area, and directly supports good sucking motor skills and a proper latch at the breast.

What I see again and again in my practice: babies who practice tummy time regularly develop more freely and more evenly in their motor skills. Their whole body learns to straighten up, from the soles of the feet to the back of the head.

The problem: the time babies spend on their tummies has dropped dramatically over the past few decades. Sleeping on the back is right and important, but during the day, your baby needs tummy time to develop healthily. The goal: around 30 minutes per day, spread across several short moments.

Start slowly

This isn’t about “training” your baby. A newborn’s skull is enormously heavy relative to their small body. Lifting the head takes real effort, that shouldn’t be underestimated.

Imagine someone telling you first thing tomorrow morning: “You’re running around the lake today.” No preparation, no warm-up. I’d protest too. Your baby just can’t say it. They show you instead.

Start small. Several short moments add up to enough movement throughout the day. And eventually, when your baby starts to roll, the long tummy time moments will come all by themselves.

How to build tummy time in playfully

There are many ways, here are my favorites from practice:

  • On your chest. Lay your baby on your chest while you lie on your back. Your face is the best incentive to lift the head. This works from day one.
  • Laid-back breastfeeding. When you lean back comfortably while nursing, your baby is automatically in a slight tummy position, without either of you really noticing. A wonderful exercise for very young babies.
  • On the nursing pillow. Lay your baby tummy-down on the pillow, elbows under the shoulders. This lets them prop themselves up on their forearms and gently encourages them to lift their head.
  • Rolled-up towel under the arms. A small trick that makes a big difference: the towel adds a little height and makes lifting easier. A gentle counter-pressure on the bottom helps even more.
  • Over your leg. Sit on the floor, stretch your legs out, and lay your baby across your thigh. Hold a toy in front of them, attention guaranteed.
  • Rock & roll on the ball. An inflatable ball with a towel over it. Gently rock your baby back and forth, left and right. This stimulates proprioception, the body’s sense of position in space. In front of a mirror, it’s especially lovely.
  • Airplane. From around three months, an absolute favorite: you lie on your back, knees bent, baby resting on your shins, rock gently, make sounds, laugh. Success guaranteed.
  • Baby carrier. Carrying your baby in a sling or carrier also gives them a wonderful change from lying on their back, and quietly strengthens the core muscles at the same time.

When your baby doesn’t like tummy time

Challenging your baby is good, forcing them gets you nowhere. When they’ve had enough, stop and try again later.

But if your baby starts crying immediately every single time you put them on their tummy, they’re trying to tell you something. Their body is speaking, even without words.

In my practice, I often find that there are movement restrictions behind this: a blockage in the cervical vertebrae, tension in the neck or chest area, or a diaphragm that is still under tension. This simply makes tummy time uncomfortable. Your baby can’t turn their head freely, and lifting up takes too much effort. Digestive discomfort can also make a baby resistant to any pressure on their tummy.

In both cases, a closer look is worthwhile. The earlier a movement restriction is identified and resolved, the more freely your baby can develop, ready to discover the world.

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