Ask an Expert: Tummy Time With On-Track Baby

Jenny and Carrie, founders of On-Track Baby, lend us their expertise as pediatric occupational therapists who have devoted their practice to educating first-time parents on newborn care.

Love it or hate it, tummy time is a crucial piece of baby development. Because newborns spend so much time sleeping on their backs, it’s important for them to spend their brief wake windows working on strengthening their neck and shoulder muscles. Tummy time helps develop the muscles that your baby will need for all gross motor movement, like rolling over, sitting up, crawling, and walking. Since newborns aren’t able to support their heads for long periods of time, they need to build up strength with plenty of floor time on a comfortable play mat that allows them to tolerate being on their tummy. Containers, like bouncers and swings, don’t encourage this natural development, and many new parents aren’t aware that floor time is much more beneficial for their babies—even if their babies dislike it.

Meet Jenny and Carrie, two pediatric OT sisters who founded On-Track Baby to help new moms and dads navigate the uncertainty of caring for a newborn. After both sisters experienced developmental delays with their first babies, they dove deep into biology, neuroplasticity, epigenetics, and anthropology to create the now-viral NOEL method that has helped thousands of new moms help their babies grow strong and happy. On-Track Baby advocates for container-free living and plenty of floor play to build a strong bond between parent and child, and keep babies’ development on track. We spoke with On-Track Baby on all things tummy time and here’s what they had to say:

Q: Why is tummy time so important?

OTB: It’s so important because all milestones come from being belly down! This position is what makes the biggest difference in growing strong enough to hit all of the big milestones. Rolling, crawling, creeping, sitting, standing, and walking come from being belly down. Babies need to be given opportunities to discover how to move their tiny bodies and tummy time is one of the most effective ways to do so. 

Q: How early should a baby be introduced to tummy time?

OTB: From Day 1! The sooner you can start, the better. Parents are oftentimes intimidated to place their tiny newborn belly-down on the floor and we totally understand that! But these little humans are capable of so much and will surprise you with their strength. We teach this in our What To Do with Your Newborn Course for first time parents if you need more information. 

Q: How long should tummy time sessions be for a newborn? What about for a 3-month-old?

OTB: We tell our moms to focus on multiple tummy time sessions throughout the day rather than one long tummy time session. Your newborn may only last a few seconds when placed on their tummy. Follow his cues and don’t force it. Over time, you will find that your baby slowly becomes happier for longer periods on their tummy. 

When Jenny had her third baby, she opted out of a changing table and did all of her diaper changes on her amazing Toki mat! This helped to remind her to let her newborn move freely on the floor. Tip: try tummy time when your baby is happy and all of his needs are met to ensure the most success for your session. 

Q: If a baby does not do any tummy time for the first month or two of life, will there be any negative effects? If so, can they be reversed?

OTB: Tummy time is one of the most crucial activities for organizing and growing a baby’s brain. It is ideal to start from Day One; however, we understand some circumstances don’t allow for that, so simply start as soon as you can. Tummy time helps many areas of development including motor skills. In our pediatric occupational therapy clinic, we treated many babies who were behind on their milestones. When we dove into infant brain development, we found a huge correlation between the time a newborn spent unrestricted and belly down to hitting their milestones.

Q: What if a baby hates tummy time? Should parents force it even if their baby is crying?

OTB: Always follow your baby’s lead! Do not force tummy time if your baby is upset. Observe them closely and let your intuition guide you on when a good time is to go to the floor. Then lay down on the floor with your baby to encourage him and let him know you are right there with him. 

Q: Can tummy time be modified for a baby who suffers from reflux?

OTB: Yes! We love our TumTum Wedge. It was designed very intentionally by a pediatric physical therapist with this struggle in mind! The angle of the wedge encourages a newborn to lift their head which strengthens the overall body. You can also use a pillow, blanket, or towel but the wedge is hard to beat because of the precise angle. Bonus: it is lightweight and so easy to wipe clean! 

Q: What are some ways to help a baby tolerate tummy time better?

OTB: Do tummy time with them! Get eye-level and encourage them with words, touch, and closeness. Don’t force long sessions and let your baby lead. He will let you know when he is done. We always want it to feel fun!

Q: What age can babies stop doing tummy time?

OTB: A mobile baby is a happy baby! Once your baby starts crawling, cruising, walking, you will find they do not spend as much time on their tummy, which is normal.

Q: What will happen if a baby does less tummy time than what is recommended?

OTB: Tummy time promotes many areas of development and helps to strengthen a baby’s body. A baby that doesn’t get enough tummy time and free movement early on can be at risk for milestone delays. It’s that important for new parents to know about! 

Q: Is tummy time on the floor better than tummy time on a bed, a couch, or a parent’s chest?

OTB: We love tummy time on the floor! It’s one of the safest places for babies to play and allows them to move their whole body, completely free of restrictions. We found that adding a Toki mat underneath makes it super comfortable for mom and baby. We love how portable it is, which makes it super easy to move around the house and take on-the-go! However, tummy time on a bed, couch, or parent’s chest are also all great ways to get tummy time in! We suggest that when doing tummy time on a parent’s chest, to also do skin-to-skin at the same time.

Q: Some people say that time spent in a baby carrier counts as tummy time for newborns. Is this true?

OTB: Yes! A baby carrier is great for many reasons. First, it allows babies to be close to their parent, which promotes bonding. Second, the baby receives a lot of sensory input when the parent moves, bounces, rotates, being tummy to tummy. If you are needing more support, we put everything for first time moms in our What To Do With Your Newborn Course. Follow us over at @ontrackbaby for more!