Ideas for babies who hate tummy time

It’s well known now that tummy time is a great way to develop strength in your baby’s core and back muscles, which will eventually support them to sit up, crawl and walk. However not all babies like it and that's ok! There are other ways you can support the development of the same muscles without doing tummy time in the traditional sense. 

Babies and core strength 

When you hear the phrase ‘core strength’, your mind may immediately jump to images of people lifting weights in the gym, but it is much more of an everyday skill development than you may think.   

Core strength helps babies to carry out many movements and actions in their daily lives, such as rolling, crawling, sitting up and eventually standing and walking.  

Supporting core strength without tummy time  

When it comes to supporting core strength development, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends engaging your baby in interactive play on the floor.[1]   

Traditionally this is done through tummy time, with added aspects and objects to engage your child (if you are stuck for ideas, we have plenty on the app – don't forget to check out your daily mix of six!).   

But many babies do not like this, possibly because they don’t like the sensation, or miss being near you! 

So why not try... 

Holding them gently across your knees

Gently start with their head slightly higher than their body and continue to talk to them and rub their back as you go. 

Rest them on your chest 

While you’re alert, lean back on a chair and place the baby on your chest (skin to skin if you’re able) and place them so their belly touches your chest. You can then look into their eyes and talk to them (but this is also very comforting so they might fall asleep!). 

Make them comfortable 

Some babies hate the sensation of carpet or hard floor, so try resting them on different surfaces, such as a shiny bit of material, a thick towel or a soft rug. Think about the temperature of the room and even the sounds in the room. It might be that you do it in a room that is nice and toasty with some gentle rain sounds or white noise playing in the background. Just ensure they’re supervised at all times. 

Give them something to look at 

It’s likely that your baby will mostly want to watch you, so if you can, get onto the floor with them and lie in front of or next to them. Alternatively, find some interesting objects to look at, such as shiny metal spoons, black and white pictures, dangly ribbons or maybe even a star projector (a great impulse purchase in the middle of the night which can often make bathtimes more interesting for them too). 

How much tummy time or similar core activity does a baby need?  

The WHO recommends that in the first year of life, a total of around 30 minutes a day spent on tummy time is great for developing core strength. You can do this in little chunks throughout the day.[1] 

Reference:  

[1] https://www.who.int/news/item/24-04-2019-to-grow-up-healthy-children-need-to-sit-less-and-play-more