The Importance Of Tummy Time – Parenthood
Baby on your stomach to make it stronger
As soon as your child is awake, lay him on his stomach. This position will help him strengthen the muscles in his shoulders, neck, arms and back.
Thanks to this position, he will have the opportunity to have a cephalic control allowing him to raise his head on his own; he will then use his hands to raise his chest, until he is able to get on all fours.
A position that allows him to observe the world
By lying on their back, your child will have a very limited perspective of everything around them. He will only be able to see what is in front of him and above his head.
The more you put your baby on his stomach, the more he will “get stronger” and the more he will have the possibility of widening his visual field.
He will observe everything around him and turn his little head all over the place to see what pleases him. He will also be able to rotate to put his head where his feet were a few moments earlier and thus see things that were previously behind him.
The baby’s tummy position encourages him to be independent
If your child cannot move around on his own, raises his head very little, and when carrying him you have to hold him under the armpits like a newborn baby, he will continue to be dependent on you. .
On the other hand, when he manages to stay on his stomach longer, he will understand that he does not need you to stretch out and to catch the lint that is far from him. This will be the start of its independence.
This position stimulates the development of his gross motor skills.
Put your baby on his stomach whenever you can to help develop his overall psychomotor skills, those that involve locomotion and mobility of his lower body, more specifically his legs.
By being on the tummy, your baby will learn that if he pushes a little with his feet and makes an effort with his forearms, he will be able to move to any place. He will then find that he can sit up and crawl forward.
The importance of putting the baby on the tummy
Place your baby on her stomach several times a day; so that he does not get tired, alternate with the position on the back, on the side and in your arms.
If he barely looks up, set three exercise schedules and spread them out throughout the day. Dedicate about 10 minutes to each of them.
The surface on which you lay it must be hard: the ground is the ideal place because there is not the slightest danger of it falling.
Place a blanket on the floor so that it does not get cold, and lay the baby there for the duration of the exercise.
Warning! Moments of activity should not be a punishment for him.
If you put your baby on his stomach and leave him in this position without giving him any attention, he will start to cry bitterly. So, whenever that little moment to strengthen his body comes, place cuddly toys and toys of all types in front of him to stimulate him.
You’ll also need to lie on the floor and talk to him enthusiastically so that he feels less pressure and is more motivated to lift his head.
At regular intervals, you can also lie on your back and place your baby on your tummy. He will be closer to you and protest less; even if he doesn’t feel very comfortable, he will still smile at you.
Final advice
If your baby starts to cry when you put him on his tummy and doesn’t stop until you hug him, don’t immediately get him out of that position. Even though it may seem cruel to you, you have to get her used to being on her stomach.
Wait at least a minute, take him in your arms to console him, put him back on his stomach for a minute and keep doing this until he stops crying; in this case, lengthen the duration of the exercise a little.
It is important to add that these exercises should be performed long after taking milk. This will prevent your baby from regurgitating the food he has just eaten.
It is also not recommended to place him on his stomach when he is hungry because, in this case, his grief will be even greater. Look for a balanced schedule and make these times of exercise enjoyable and beneficial.
