When your infant is able to lift her chest when placed on her stomach and starts to hold her head up steadily, you can provide supervised tummy time each day. Give her time to play and explore her environment while spending time on her stomach. This will help to develop the neck and shoulder muscle strength she will need to roll over, sit up and crawl. It also helps to develop her hands through weight bearing.
- soft blanket to place on floor
- safe infant toys
Step 1: Place a soft blanket on the floor along with some of your baby’s favorite infant toys.
Step 2: When your baby is alert, awake and ready to explore, place her on her stomach with a favorite toy in front of her.
Step 3: Bring your baby’s attention to the toy. Encourage her to look at it, touch it, or grab it. Choose toys with bright colors, different textures, and noises. Start with two to five minutes and follow your baby’s cues that show you she is tired of tummy time.
