How to get your baby to love tummy time: Five tips and tricks for parents to try

New parents are encouraged to give their babies plenty of tummy time, but sometimes it's easier said than done.

Tummy time will help strengthen a bub's muscles, develop body awareness, and aid their overall development – but if your little one isn't finding tummy time enjoyable at first, know you're far from alone.

A lot of parents have struggled with crying, squirming, frustrated babies who just don't love tummy time. While some babies won't enjoy it from the start, with your support, early introduction, and gentle guidance, tummy time can become meaningful bonding time.

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Dr. Maral Amani, Pediatric Physical Therapist and Child Development Expert for Lovevery has shared five tips for if (and when) your baby isn't tolerating tummy time:

Tummy time on your chest counts

Placing your baby on your chest, face-to-face with you, is a great position that research associates with reduced fussing and increased head lifting for many babies.

It positions them at a slight incline with their shoulders higher than their hips and provides the soothing skin-to-skin contact your newborn craves.

Remember, the more horizontal your baby is on your chest, the more challenging it will be for them to lift their head, so adjust your body as needed.

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Tummy time on the go

Babies love movement, and it's often a catalyst for headlifting. Try tummy time in the air by holding your baby's belly down in your arms with your hand between their legs.

One tip to help your baby lift their head is to tuck your baby's arms so that their elbows are underneath their shoulders – this way, your baby can activate their shoulder muscles as well (prepping their arms for crawling).

You might walk around, stand in front of a mirror, gently sway, bounce, and sing to your baby while you hold them. If your baby gets visibly tired or frustrated, make the position easier for them by moving your arm so their body is at an incline with their head higher than their hips.

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Place your baby on an incline

Raising your baby's shoulders higher than their hips makes it easier for them to lift their head, and may feel a bit more comfortable as they're building upper body strength for tummy time.

Try positioning your baby with their upper body on a nursing pillow, a folded blanket or towel, or a firm throw pillow. Fold their arms so their forearms are under their chest to allow for more head lifting. Remember never to leave your baby alone with pillows or blankets.

Roll in and out of tummy time

Instead of simply placing your baby directly on their tummy, start them on their back and then roll them onto their tummy. Once your baby starts to fuss, gently roll them off their tummy and give them a break to calm down.

After they've calmed down, try again, and repeat multiple times by rolling to each direction. This method shows your baby that tummy time is a position that they can learn get in and out of (eventually), and allows your baby to adjust to the belly down position.

Think frequency, not duration

Increasing the frequency is key for babies who don't sustain long periods on their tummy. Offer your baby lots of short rounds on their tummy whenever they're awake, and it's practical. Instead of focusing on completing 45 minutes of tummy time at once, try doing shorter durations more frequently – one to five-minute sessions, five to seven times throughout the day.

Offer your baby tummy time every day, but don't feel like you need to force your baby to continue tummy time if they're obviously uncomfortable, especially if they're crying.

Fuss-free tummy time means rolling your baby out of tummy time when they become agitated or tired – in other words, giving your baby a break when they need it. By being responsive and respectful with your baby during tummy time, you can help make it a positive experience.

Maral Amani, PT, DPT, is a Child Development Expert at Lovevery –a comprehensive support system that provides stage-based learning and play for children, along with research-backed guidance that empowers parents with confidence. She is a licensed pediatric doctor of physical therapy who is certified in early intervention to support infants and toddlers through their holistic development.

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