Tummy time: your complete guide

Tummy time (sometimes called ‘belly time’ for infants) is the time your baby spends, supervised, lying on their front while awake. It’s not just a fun activity for your baby, but a really important part of their development from the moment they’re born. 

Regular tummy time is a simple and safe way to support your baby’s physical and cognitive development, helping lay important foundations for future skills like rolling and crawling¹.

Here you’ll find all the information you need on when to start tummy time, how to do tummy time with your newborn and for how long, as well as how to make it enjoyable for your baby as they develop (even if they seem a little reluctant at first).

Tummy time (or ‘belly time’) is when your baby spends supervised time lying on their stomach while they’re awake and alert (babies should never be asleep during tummy time). Experts recommend that all babies have daily tummy time from their first few days until they start walking².

While older babies’ tummy time can be done on the floor, you might be wondering how to do tummy time with a newborn. When you first start, lay your baby on your chest, stomach, or arm, as this will help them get used to the sensation when they’re very young².

Your baby’s tummy time plays an essential role in helping develop the strength, motor skills, and sensory awareness they need to reach key milestones as they grow.

Regular tummy time helps your baby build strength in their arms, neck, back, shoulders, and core^2,3. This strength will help them gain better control of their neck, lift their head, push onto their arms, roll, crawl, sit up, and eventually walk. Studies show that tummy time can improve motor skills and overall development⁴.

Babies’ skulls are softer than ours, and because they spend a lot of time lying on their backs (the safest position for sleep), the pressure can cause a flat area on the back of their heads (known as flat head syndrome or positional plagiocephaly)⁵.

Flat head syndrome affects around 1 in 5 babies⁶. It doesn’t have any effect on your baby’s brain development and usually corrects itself over time. Some parents consider using helmets or headbands to prevent flat head syndrome, but the NHS doesn’t recommend this. The best thing you can do is give your baby plenty of supervised tummy time to relieve the pressure on their skull⁷.

When you ask, ‘why is tummy time important?’ the most common answers are usually about your baby’s physical development. But did you know it can have benefits for their brain development, too?

Seeing the world from a different angle, from a different position, helps improve your baby’s eye control and depth perception. It also encourages them to explore the world around them, helping them connect what they see, hear, and feel³.

Experts recommend starting tummy time from the day your baby is born, either on the floor or lying on your chest².

Tummy time for newbornsLying on their stomach is safe for newborns, and tummy time can begin from the day your baby is born. In their first few weeks, you can start with 1-2 minutes of tummy-to-tummy time with your baby lying on your stomach or chest³. This can be comforting for you both and help you to bond. Tummy-time for infants is safe even before their umbilical cord has come away, but they might be more comfortable lying on a flat surface, like a play mat or a blanket.

Your baby’s neck and back muscles will tire quickly when they’re a newborn, and tummy time should be limited to a couple of minutes at a time. As your baby develops, you can transition to the floor or a playmat for longer tummy time sessions³.

Follow these steps to introduce your newborn baby to tummy time³:

• Wait until your baby is awake, alert, and content (not when they’re hungry, tired, or have just been fed). Make sure you’re not likely to fall asleep either.
• Lie back on a sofa or bed, and lay your baby on your chest or stomach facing you.
• Talk and sing to your baby to encourage them to look at you.
• Do this for 1-2 minutes per day until your baby seems comfortable.
• You can then transition to a clean, firm surface, such as the floor or a playmat.
• Lie your baby on their stomach and position yourself in front of them to encourage them to lift their head.
• Again, keep these sessions very short at first and gradually extend them as your baby seems comfortable.

The amount of tummy time your baby needs changes as they develop. Use the below tummy time chart by age as a guide to how long your baby’s tummy time should be month by month.

It’s important to remember that this chart is here to help give you an idea of what to aim for rather than a set of rules. The main thing is that your baby is getting daily tummy time and making gradual progress. As your baby gets older and can roll over on their own, tummy time will just naturally become a part of how they play, and you won’t need to do it quite so deliberately.

Your baby’s tummy time doesn’t have to be flat on the floor. There are lots of different positions you can try to get them used to lying on their stomach.

The tummy-to-tummy position is a great way to introduce tummy time to your baby when they’re very young. Simply lie back on a bed or sofa and place your baby face down on your chest so they can look up at you.

This is a nice introductory position, especially if your baby seems a little reluctant to try tummy time, because the natural curve of your body means your baby isn’t lying completely face down. Plus, they’ll likely find it comforting to be so close to you³.

Make sure both you and your baby are awake and alert before any tummy-to-tummy time¹.

You can also rest your baby on their front across your lap for tummy time, which can be another nice alternative to being on the floor⁸. If you slightly raise the knee under your baby’s chest so they’re not too flat, it can help encourage them to lift their head and look around, strengthening their neck muscles.

This tummy time position is great if your baby has any trapped wind after feeding, as it gently applies pressure to their tummy. You can support their chin with one hand and gently pat their back with the other to encourage a burp⁹.

Lie your baby’s tummy along your forearm with their head near your elbow and their legs straddling your hand or wrist. Hold them close into your body and make sure their chest is supported. Even if your baby isn’t completely flat facing the floor, this still counts as tummy time⁸.

This time position allows you to move around with your baby while they have tummy time, rather than being static on the floor. It also gives them a whole new view of the world, which is good for sensory stimulation. It can also be a comforting position if your baby has colic¹⁰.

As your baby grows and gets more comfortable with tummy time, you can transition to a firm, flat surface⁸. The floor works best as there’s no risk of them falling anywhere – just make sure it’s nice and clean. You can also lay a playmat down. Avoid soft surfaces like mattresses for tummy time, as these can be more difficult for your baby to push against to raise their head and chest.

You can lie in front of your baby or introduce high-contrast toys or a baby-safe mirror to encourage them to lift their head. As they get stronger and more confident in this tummy time position, you can move toys out of reach to encourage your baby to reach and roll⁸.

If your baby doesn’t seem to enjoy tummy time, or has difficulty pushing up and raising their head, you can roll up a towel and put it under their armpits to help prop up their chest (you could also use a small, soft cushion or rolled muslin cloth)¹¹. This can make it easier for them to move their head and look around, which might make tummy time more enjoyable.

Always make sure your baby is supervised during tummy time. Place them on their back to go to sleep and remove any towels or cushions¹².

Tummy time can take a little getting used to for your baby. Luckily, there are plenty of simple, low-cost ways you can make your baby’s tummy time more enjoyable.

Your baby will likely love looking at faces (even their own), brightly coloured toys, and high-contrast images (which is why many baby books feature black-and-white patterns and pictures).

With this in mind, you can make tummy time fun by¹³:

• Using a baby-safe mirror so they can look at their own reflection.
• Playing with age-appropriate toys or using an interactive tummy time playmat. As your baby gets older, you can place toys further away to encourage them to reach and roll.
• Looking at baby books and other images together.

One of the best things you can do to help your baby enjoy tummy time is to join in. Lie in front of your baby so they can see your face (which is likely one of their favourite things to look at), encouraging them to look up and watch. Smiling, making eye contact, talking, singing and playing with your baby during tummy time can help them enjoy it more and develop their social and communication skills¹⁴.

This is also a great way for other family members and loved ones to get involved in your baby’s development. New faces during tummy time can keep things interesting.

Many babies don’t seem to like tummy time at first¹. It can feel tricky to get used to a new position, particularly while they’re still developing the strength to lift their head and push with their arms. 

These tips may help make tummy time easier:

• Try tummy time positions off the floor, like on your chest or lap, to help your baby get used to it.
• Use a rolled-up towel to help lift your baby’s chest. 
• Play, talk and sing to make it more enjoyable.
• Keep sessions short and often while your baby gets used to tummy time.
• Wait until your baby is awake, alert, and not hungry.
• Try doing it at different times of day.

As your baby develops their strength and confidence, they’ll start to enjoy tummy time more. Don’t give up – consistency is more important than how long it lasts each day. The earlier you start and the more consistent you are, the more likely it is that your baby will come around².

Tummy time is a safe way to encourage your baby’s development. There are just a few simple safety tips to keep in mind. 

• Always supervise your baby during tummy time².
• If you’re using tummy time positions on your chest or lap, make sure you’re wide awake and alert¹.
• For other tummy time positions, use a firm, flat surface (the floor works best). Soft or high surfaces like a bed, sofa, or changing table can be difficult for your baby to push against, and leaves them at more risk of a fall or obstructed breathing.
• Wait around 30 minutes after a feed to do tummy time so it’s less likely that your baby will spit up their milk².

While tummy time is important for your baby’s development while they’re awake, you should always place them on their back to go to sleep to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)¹².

Try to have tummy time when your baby is wide awake and alert. If they do start to fall asleep, place them gently and safely on their back in their cot or Moses basket¹².

Remember: back to sleep, tummy to play.

• Tummy time is the time your baby spends on their stomach while awake.
• You can start tummy time from birth – the earlier the better².
• Start with 1-2 minutes of tummy time, 2-3 times a day⁸.
• Build up to around an hour, split over multiple sessions, over 3-4 months⁸.
• Lying your baby on their front on your lap, arm, or chest counts as tummy time⁸.
• Tummy time on the floor is best for older babies.
• Many babies take a while to adjust to tummy time¹.
• Playing with your baby during tummy time can help make it fun¹.
• Always return your baby to their back to go to sleep¹².

Every baby is different. While some enjoy tummy time straight away, others need a little more time and patience. Keep sessions short, consistent and fun to build up your baby’s confidence.

Yes, babies with reflux should still have tummy time. Avoid tummy time just before or after a feed to help reduce discomfort and spit-ups⁸.

Try to time sessions for when your baby is awake, alert and happy. If your baby starts to fall asleep, gently place them on their back as this is the safest position for sleep¹².

Tummy time might help relieve trapped wind by placing gentle pressure on your baby’s stomach. You can also burp your baby in some tummy time positions, like when they’re lying on your lap⁹.

Once your baby can roll on their tummy from their back and then back again, you don’t need to consciously incorporate tummy time into your day. Your baby will likely naturally spend time on their tummy while playing on the floor as they start to reach, roll and crawl.

Tummy time is important for babies with torticollis and flat head syndrome. It encourages them to move and strengthen their necks, and relieves pressure on the skull that can cause flat spots^{7, 15}.