- Parents often ask me
why they need to do tummy time with their little one
when their parents and grandparents never did tummy time
with their babies and they turned out completely fine.
Well, this statement isn't that correct.
Your parents and grandparents
did do tummy time with their babies,
they just didn't know they were doing it,
and there are some negative consequences
of not giving a baby any time on their tummy.
So in this video, I'm going to dispel the myth
that our parents and grandparents never did tummy time,
and also share with you what happens
when a baby spends all their time on their back
and doesn't get the opportunity to play on their tummy.
But before we cover that,
make sure you click on the free PDF document
in the description box below
to get that free developmental checklist
for your baby's first year of life.
Firstly, let's talk about the belief
that our parents and grandparents have
that they never gave their babies tummy time.
What they don't realize is that before 1994,
all babies were predominantly put to sleep on their tummy.
And when they were falling asleep,
waking up between sleep cycles,
or waking up after a sleep,
those babies were having tummy time.
It just wasn't a scheduled activity as it is now.
But after 1994, the American Academy of Pediatrics
recommended that babies were put to bed for sleep
on their back because this reduces the risk
of sudden infant death syndrome.
Now this campaign was a huge success,
but as a result, parents became extremely fearful
of placing their babies onto their tummy for play
when they were awake.
And what pediatricians noticed
is that parents were only letting their baby lie
on their back or placing them in play equipment
and not giving them any time on their tummy.
And as a result, there was seen an increase
in number of babies
presenting with positional plagiocephaly.
So positional plagiocephaly
is when there is a flat spot
that develops on the back of a baby's head
and this happens because the baby skull bones
are extremely soft and if there is constant pressure
being applied to the same spot on their head,
those bones flatten, then it gets worse overtime.
Now if it becomes severe,
then there is facial asymmetry that occurs.
So because the flat spot on the back of the head
pushes that side of the face forward,
the face is no longer symmetrical
and there can also be vision problems associated with that.
Pediatricians also noticed that there were more babies
with positional torticollis.
So positional torticollis is when the muscles
on a baby's neck become really tight
and this generally happens
because when a baby is lying on their back,
particularly under three months of age,
they don't yet have the ability to bring their head
into the middle of their body
and their head naturally falls to the side.
And if that head falls to the same side every time,
then those muscles on that side of the neck
become extremely tight,
and then it's really hard for them baby to move their head,
so they end up having a head which tilts to one side
and they can't turn it all the way to the other side
and this results in the baby favoring that one side
of the body.
They also noticed that babies who were not spending any time
on their tummy, so spending all their time on the back
or in that play equipment,
were also more likely to achieve
gross motor milestones later.
And that is because when a baby is on their tummy,
it gives them the opportunity
to lengthen the front of their body
because naturally when they come out,
they're a bit more flexed
and when they're lying on their back,
their bodies are really quite tight.
But when you place them onto their tummy,
it gives them the opportunity
to lengthen the front of their body
and also strengthen the muscles on their back and their neck
because they have to lift their head up to do tummy time.
And it also provides an opportunity to strengthen their arms
because they're having to support their head
by pushing down through their arms to lift their head
and then eventually their chest.
Also, when a baby is lying on their tummy,
it gives them the opportunity
to work on the skill of rolling.
It is through tummy time
that a baby learns to firstly shift their weight
from one side to the other and then roll over.
So if they aren't given this opportunity,
then they are more likely to achieve
those gross motor milestones
later in their first year of life.
Now, it is because of these observations
that the American Academy of Pediatrics
actually adjusted their recommendations.
So they still continue to recommend
that babies are placed on their back for sleep
to reduce the risk of SIDS,
but they also recommend tummy for play.
And that is how tummy time itself
became a kind of scheduled activity
that parents were encouraged to do.
Now, I know tummy time can be extremely stressful
for you as parents when your little one
isn't that happy in that position,
but tummy time doesn't need to be hard.
It can be just another way that you carry your little one.
It can be another way that you give them cuddles,
and it can be another way that you just play
with your little one.
So if you want to understand the different ways
that you can do tummy time with your little one,
which will be more enjoyable for you and them,
then make sure you check out this video.
And don't forget to click on that free PDF document
in the description box below,
and I will see you next week
where I'll share more parenting tips and tricks.
(gentle music)