Tummy Time for Babies - How Can You Make Tummy Time Exercises More Fun for Baby?! - What to Expect

How can you make tummy time less torture, more fun? Try these tricks. Just remember: tummy time should always be carefully supervised time.

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Transcript:

Let's face it: you can lead a baby to his tummy, but you can't always make him happy there. For a lot of little ones, tummy time can seem more like torture time, especially before they've developed the muscle power to lift their heads out of that awkward face plant position.
Still, just a few minutes of tummy play a few times a day will give your baby the chance to flex a different group of muscles than he'll work on his back, muscles he'll need to eventually master a variety of skills, including sitting.
How can you make tummy time less torture, more fun? Try these tricks. Just remember: tummy time should always be carefully supervised time.
Combine tummy time with your workout time. Lie her on your chest or abdomen while you do your sit-ups. Add some funny faces and silly noises with each rep to keep her attention. Lay her on your legs, tummy down, and holding tight, take her for an airplane ride or roll her gently and securely on your exercise ball, covered with a blanket to make it comfy, or just lie her across your legs for tummy time. Try lying on your bellies together, face to face or side by side. Make sure it's a comfy surface like a yoga mat or blanket but not so cushy that your pumpkin can't push up easily.
Hold his interest with smiles, sweet talk, and toys. The idea is to entice him to hold up his head before he even notices he's on his belly.
Try a tummy time pillow, a boppy, or play mat for more interesting perspective, or just give her a lift by putting a soft rolled towel or receiving blanket under her upper chest, armpit to armpit. Just make sure she also gets to work those muscles from a flat on her tummy position. You can also try rolling her gently into tummy time from her back.
A strategically placed baby-safe mirror in front of him or on one side or the other can keep him entertained during tummy time. After all, is there a cuter sight to see than his own face?
So can a rolling ball or a toy that lights up or makes music or other sounds, or if she's a fan of massage, give her a rub during tummy time. The best time for tummy time is always when she's awake, alert, and happy, not when she's hungry, sleepy, or fussy. Remember, tummy time is hard work, and a workout for those brand new muscles.
Baby still not taking the belly bait? Don't force it, but don't give up either. Just keep rolling out new tricks while he gets the hang of holding his head up high and eventually his shoulders and his chest. Go gradually too, working up to a minute tummy down and then two minutes, and then five.
In between tummy time sessions, make sure your little one gets lots of other chances to flex her little muscles by mixing up positions often. Too much time spent sitting it out in a swing or bouncy seat can keep her from getting a move on. Here's to the happiest of tummy times.