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GRADE 0: NEWBORN & INFANTS: Tummy Time in the water, on the rafts, on the table castle

1,360 views · Published 15 December 2018 · 5:19 · Indexed 25 October 2026

Channel: Watersafe SwimSchool · 2018 · Film & Animation

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The importance of tummy time cannot be overstated. Daily practice helps babies develop strong neck, core, arm, and leg muscles.  Lying on their stomach prepares the newborn and infant 
to explore the world on their own.  
*  The popularity and increased use of infant seats, swings, and carriers have also meant less tummy time. As a result, today's babies have fewer chances to practice using their arms, back, neck, and head to lift themselves up. 
* Tummy Time can be more rewarding and acceptable for babies, when doing it on these devices in the water, because they are able to be at eye level with the grown-ups.
*  "Many babies don't enjoy tummy time at first, but gradually get comfortable on their stomachs as they build up strength, says pediatrician Ari Brown, M.D., author of Baby 411. "It takes some work to lift that head up and it isn't always fun," she says. "It's a workout."

We know that it's safest for babies to always sleep on their backs, thanks to guidelines established by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) in 1994, but that means infants spend up to 15 hours a day facing the ceiling. The popularity and increased use of infant seats, swings, and carriers have also meant less tummy time. As a result, today's babies have fewer chances to practice using their arms, back, neck, and head to lift themselves up. Lying on his stomach prepares your newborn to explore the world on his own.

    RELATED: Your Guide to Tummy Time

How Important Is Tummy Time?

Leaving your baby on her belly for a few minutes while she's awake helps her work all the muscles in her upper body, promoting trunk stability and head control.  "Tummy time helps your infant build strength in his back, legs, arms, and neck," says Joanne Cox, M.D., a pediatrician at Children's Hospital Boston. "This helps with further development, such as rolling over and sitting."

Tummy time also encourages your little one to practice reaching and pivoting, skills that are often precursors to crawling. And research shows that a lack of tummy time can delay your baby from meeting physical development milestones like lifting her head, rolling over, sitting up, and more. 

Other Benefits of Tummy Time

Regularly spending time on his stomach also helps your baby avoid developing a flat spot on the back of his head, which became more common after the AAP's aforementioned "Back to Sleep" campaign to help prevent sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). In severe cases, head flattening, or plagiocephaly, can distort facial features. Tummy time is also helpful for babies with the condition torticollis, which causes the head to tilt unnaturally because the neck muscle is stiff and tight.

Put your baby belly down for a bounty of benefits.

When to Start Tummy Time

Begin at 2 weeks old with short sessions of 30 seconds to one minute. Try placing your newborn belly-down on your chest or across your lap so he gets accustomed to the position. To make it part of your routine, put your baby on his tummy after each daytime diaper change. Just don't do it right after a feeding, when pressure on his stomach may cause him to spit up.

    RELATED: Help! My Baby Hates Tummy Time

Don't be surprised if your baby fusses or simply lays his head down; just try again later. "Many babies don't enjoy tummy time at first, but gradually get comfortable on their stomachs as they build up strength, says pediatrician Ari Brown, M.D., author of Baby 411. "It takes some work to lift that head up and it isn't always fun," she says. "It's a workout."
*  The added challenge of keeping their head above the water can help encourage the head lift. This also helps them learn breath control. Through trial and error they learn the consequence of water entering the nose and mouth when they do not keep their mouth closed or blow out the nose. 
*  By 3 or 4 months, babies should be able to lift their chest off the floor and lean on their elbows with their head upright. They may even be able to lift their arms off the floor (or table castle), arch their back, and kick their feet. After 4 months, most babies may be strong enough to start rolling over during tummy time—something that will surprise and thrill them on land, and eventually - in the water.
*  Little Cooper (in this video) is developmentally delayed.  His pediatrician and therapist recommended he take lessons at our school.

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