If you are a new parent, you have probably heard the phrase tummy time approximately 947 times—from your pediatric provider, your neighbor, your mother-in-law, and that one friend whose baby rolled over at two weeks old and bragged about it like he’d accomplished an Olympic slalom run on his tippy toes! (You know we’re right – everyone has that friend!)
Let’s take a deep breath together, remember that gold medals are never awarded to babies, and take a look at what’s important here. Tummy time does matter—but it does not have to be stressful, rigid, or Instagram-worthy. Let’s break it down:
First Things First: What Is Tummy Time?
Tummy time is simply time your baby spends on their belly while awake and supervised. That’s it. No fancy mat required. No crying-it-out requirement. No gold star if your baby loves it immediately.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, tummy time helps babies develop the muscles they need for rolling, sitting, crawling, and eventually all the chaos that comes with toddlerhood.
When Should You Start Tummy Time?
Short answer: right away. Pediatric research and national guidelines suggest that tummy time can start as soon as your baby comes home, even in the newborn stage.
Longer answer: Early tummy time does not mean placing your newborn flat on the floor for 30 minutes and hoping for the best. In the beginning, it often looks like:
- Baby laying on your chest while you recline
- Baby across your lap
- Very short sessions (think seconds to a minute)
And yes—those absolutely count.
How Much Tummy Time Is Enough?
This is where parents tend to panic. So let’s make this realistic. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, babies should work toward about 30 minutes total per day by around 3 months of age.
Key phrase: work toward. That does not mean:
- 30 minutes at once
- 30 minutes on Day One
- 30 minutes without fussing
Instead, think: Little bits, many times a day. A helpful rule of thumb:
- Newborns: a few seconds to a minute at a time, several times a day
- 1–2 months: short sessions adding up over the day
- 3+ months: longer, more playful sessions as strength improves
Progress > perfection. Always.
“My Baby Hates Tummy Time.” Is That Normal?
Extremely. Wildly. Completely normal. According to pediatric motor development research summarized by the American Academy of Pediatrics, tummy time is physically demanding for young infants (translation – it’s hard!). Babies are lifting a relatively heavy head using brand-new neck, shoulder, and core muscles. Mild fussing is common as those muscles work against gravity. This does not mean tummy time is harmful—or that parents are doing it incorrectly. What helps:
- Try tummy time when your baby is awake, calm, and not starving
- Get down on the floor at eye level
- Sing, talk, make silly faces (this is not the time for dignity)
- Start with very short sessions and build up
Crying is feedback—not failure.
What Counts as Tummy Time?
This might be the most important section.
Both the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and the American Academy of Pediatrics highlight that tummy time does not have to happen on the floor to count. Any supervised time a baby spends on their belly while awake supports healthy muscle development. These all qualify:
- Baby on your chest
- Baby across your lap
- Baby on a firm surface with a rolled towel under the chest
- Baby propped on forearms while you read or talk
If your baby is on their belly, awake, and supervised—you’re doing tummy time. You can find additional ideas through resources such as Tummy Time Tools, written by providers from Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.
Why Tummy Time Actually Matters
According to multiple pediatric studies, tummy time helps:
- Build neck, shoulder, and core strength
- Support motor milestones like rolling and sitting
- Reduce the risk of positional flat spots on the head
- Encourage coordination and body awareness
And here’s the important balance:
- Babies should sleep on their backs (always)
- Babies should play on their tummies
Both are important. One does not cancel out the other.
The KidMed Takeaway
Here is what we want every parent to remember:
✔ Start early
✔ Keep it short
✔ Do it often
✔ Follow your baby’s cues
✔ Chest-to-chest counts
✔ Crying does not mean you failed
You are not behind. You did not miss the window. Your baby does not need to love tummy time to benefit from it.
And if you ever have questions about your baby’s strength, movement, or milestones—that is exactly what we are here for. You’re doing great. Even on the days it feels like you’re not. 💙