Baby Tummy Time

There is recommendation for babies to be put to sleep on their backs in order to avoid from SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). However, it will reduce the time for the babies spend on their tummies, which can mean delays in their development of certain motor skills such as learning to push up, roll over, sit up, crawl, and pull to a stand. Even, we as the parents could exacerbate these problems if most of the babies waking hours are restricted in a container such as swing, bouncy seat/car seat.

When the baby is on his tummy, he has to lift his head and push up on his arms to see anything. These could strengthen and developed his muscles. Instead, when he's on his back, he can see everything simply by turning his head from side to side. Spending time on his tummy also encourages our baby to practice reaching and pivoting.

In other word, motor control means a baby gains control of his head first, then his shoulders, then his abdomen, and so on down his body. According to the researched, we can begin tummy time as soon as we bring our baby home from the hospital by playing and interacting with the baby on his or her tummy two to three times a day for short intervals. While his neck strength is still limited, we can lay him (tummy down) on our chest so that he can raise his head to see our face. As he becomes accustomed to the position and enjoys playing this way (which also means his neck is becoming stronger) we can increase the length of tummy time.

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How to encourage him?

Get down on the floor and keep him company. He might have a limited view of the world when he's on his tummy - especially when he doesn't have the neck (like Syifa’ was) or arm strength needed to push up and look around. So join him on the floor and talk to him, shake his rattle, make funny faces, sing or play peek-a-boo. Try lying on our back and placing the baby on his tummy on our chest. Then he will lift his head and use his arms to try to see our face.

Place a mirror or an activity mat on the floor underneath the baby to provide some entertainment for him. There is also recommendation for placing toys in a circle around the baby so he has to reach in different directions to get at them or see them. This will help him to develop the muscles he needs to roll over, scoot, and crawl. Or have an older sibling or child play with the baby while on his tummy (but always supervised them- or the bigger child will sit on the baby- like Suhaib did on her adik Syifa- Syifa’s face turned red for half an hour! Huh~ seriau sungguh mummy..)

Be careful!
Make sure the baby isn't full, too hungry or tired when we try tummy time. When he gets upset, try to entertain him and see if he'll stay there a bit longer; but if he's really unhappy, pick him up and try again later. The baby may only tolerate tummy time for a few minutes at a time until he gets used to it.

In a nutshell
Tummy time is not only an important developmental opportunity for our baby. It is also a great time for us to bond and play together. So as a working mother let us schedule some quality tummy time into every day.

Syifa (4mth) n her cuzin Danial (4 n half mth)

Both raising legs. Heyyyaaa...