Five Things That Actually Make Tummy Time Work

Tummy time is rarely anyone's favourite part of the day, certainly not in those first few weeks and months when all your baby wants, and if we're honest all you want too, is to be close to each other.

But we all know how important it is, because sitting, crawling and eventually walking all need the neck, shoulder, arm and core strength that tummy time builds, starting here, on their front, lifting that heavy little head. The goal is not to avoid it but to make it work better, for both of you.

We will be honest: our patterns and mirrors are one of the biggest tummy time hacks out there, and we will get to that. But alongside them, here are the positional tips, timing tips and genuinely human things that actually make a difference.

1. START THEM ON YOU, NOT THE FLOOR

If your little one finds tummy time difficult, the floor is not where you begin.

Lean back in a reclined position and pop one of our muslins across your chest, both to catch any sick or dribble and to give your baby something to look at, then place your baby tummy down so you are face to face. It counts, it works, and it is so much more comfortable for a young baby because the angle is gentler and you are right there, with your warmth, your heartbeat and your voice all doing their thing. From there, as they get a little stronger, you can gradually work your way to the floor.

2. TIMING IS EVERYTHING

A baby who is tired, hungry or unsettled is not going to enjoy tummy time, and neither are you.

The best moments are during a wake window when your baby is alert and content, and ideally not immediately after a feed. After a nappy change is a natural moment too, when they are already awake and you are already down there with them. Little and often is the approach that works, a couple of minutes here, a couple there, built into the rhythm of your day. The guidance is 30 minutes across the day, but please do not read that as 30 minutes in one go, because a two minute session counts, even a one minute session counts, and every single time you do it something real is happening. 

3. GET DOWN WITH THEM

This one sounds simple but it makes an enormous difference, so get on the floor, get at their level, and let your face help their mood.

Your face at close range is still the most interesting thing in their world, and seeing you right there with them changes the whole dynamic of the session. Talk to them, sing to them, make slow exaggerated expressions, because you are not just distracting them, you are giving their developing visual system something genuinely worth focusing on.

And if they cry, pick them up, because tummy time should be a positive experience, not an endurance test, and a short session that ends happily is worth so much more than a long one that ends in distress. You can always try again at the next nappy change or next day.

4. SUPPORT THEM WITH A TOWEL

A small hand towel or XL muslin, rolled up and placed from armpit to armpit under your baby's chest, can make a real difference particularly in the early weeks, lifting their chest just enough to make head lifting feel less impossible and taking some pressure off their tummy - which helps if your baby is prone to wind.

Placement really matters though because it needs to sit at shoulder level, under the chest, from armpit to armpit. Too low and it creates the wrong kind of pressure, too high and it tips the weight forward unhelpfully. We would also gently steer you away from dedicated tummy time pillows, because the concern from physios and occupational therapists is that they can prop a baby into a position rather than letting them build into it, which is the opposite of what tummy time is for.

The whole point is strength through effort, and a simple hand towel gives a little support without doing too much of the work.

5. GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO FOCUS ON

Here is where we come in, and I say it not just because it is good for business but because it genuinely works, just read the reviews.

When a baby is on their tummy, lifting their head is hard, and they need something compelling enough to make it worth the effort. High contrast patterns at close range are the most powerful visual stimulus for a young baby, and when something really captures their attention they will hold their head up for longer than any amount of encouragement from you ever could.

Our playmats are designed exactly for this moment, with our 0-4 month patterns on one side and our 5+ month patterns on the other, so there is always something at the right level for where your baby is right now.

And if you want to add another layer, pop our sensory strip upright in front of them, it stands perfectly and gives them something to focus on at eye level. A little tap or scratch on the pattern can help draw their attention to it if they need a nudge to lock on. 

The main thing is that you do not need to be perfect at tummy time, you just need to keep going a couple of minutes at a time, in the right moment, with something worth looking at right in front of them, and even the sessions that end in protest are quietly doing their job.

You are both doing brilliantly.

Jen x

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