6 tummy time tricks for fussy babies
February 9, 2021
Tummy time is super important for your baby’s development – but they don’t exactly know that 🙃
Honestly, most of them hate it, especially at first. And when your child is wailing away, it can be hard to muster the excitement for it. So to help you get your little one on board with being on their front, here are some of my fave tummy time tricks to get them to enjoy it:
1. Start with doing tummy time on you
In the early days, it actually counts as tummy time to have your baby lying on you chest to chest. This may help them be more comfortable when you move to the floor.
2. Use a nursing pillow to help them brace
If you place your baby so their chest is on the nursing pillow with their arms out front, it can teach them to brace themselves. Then you can slowly reduce the size of the props until they’re completely on their belly.
3. Lie down in front of them
When my daughter was a newborn, I think she was nervous I was going to leave her alone, and that combined with the discomfort made her not the biggest tummy time fan. So I got down on my mat (kind of wish I’d had a bigger Toki at the time 😅) and lay face to face with her so she could see that I was right there. If you aren’t able to do this – sometimes tummy time has to fit around the rest of life! – putting them in front of a mirror can help a ton so they get to do tummy time with a “friend” 😉
4. Put their favorite toys in front of them
This is why I created the toy loops on the Toki Mats – so that their favorite toys were always right there! Why my son can do tummy time forever if he has his teether clip to chew on, I have no idea! But if it makes him enjoy tummy time, then that’s a win!
5. Try naked tummy time
I’ve heard so many parents swear by this one, and honestly I get it. If someone stuck me on a mat for half an hour, I’d probably be more comfortable without my clothes on 🤷♀️ Just make sure you have a safe, comfortable surface for them – our brand-new Everywhere Mats are perfect for that with their waterproof vegan leather covers! Or if you want a super soft surface, they’re interchangeable with the cotton ones, too.
6. Keep them comfortable
Of course, the most important thing is that they’re cushioned and cozy – and I may not be the most objective recommendation, but our Toki Mats are the perfect tummy time base to keep everyone comfortable.If you have any good tummy time tips, we'd love to hear them! Leave them in the comments below 👇
