In plain words
Tummy time is supervised play with a baby on her stomach while she is awake. It gives her practice lifting her head and using her arms, which builds neck and shoulder strength. Many babies dislike it at first. Short sessions, several times a day, are common advice. Tummy time is not sleep. Pediatric groups advise back sleeping on a firm, flat surface for every sleep. Some babies have a flat spot on the head from lying on their backs. Tummy time can help with that.
The deeper version
Awake prone positioning is recommended by the AAP as a supervised daily activity from the first weeks, with the goal of supporting motor development and reducing positional plagiocephaly. The 2022 AAP safe-sleep statement distinguishes supervised awake prone time from sleep, where the back position is advised. Clinicians observe head control, cervical range of motion, symmetry of the skull and face, and tolerance of prone play at well-baby visits. A reduced ability to rotate the head to one side can prompt a referral for physical therapy. Observational data link supervised tummy time to earlier head lift and rolling; trial evidence for long-term motor outcomes is limited.
Where it comes up
- Newborn sleep and safe sleepBaby Basics
- Fussy weeks and developmental changesBaby Basics
- Pediatrician visits in the first weeksBaby Basics
- Jaw tension, torticollis, and bodywork for feedingFeeding Your Baby
What mothers here say about tummy time
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Sources
- American Academy of Pediatrics — SIDS and Other Sleep-Related Infant Deaths: Updated 2022 Recommendations for a Safe Infant Sleeping Environment. Pediatrics 2022
- Task Force on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome — SIDS and Other Sleep-Related Infant Deaths: Updated 2016 Recommendations for a Safe Infant Sleeping Environment. Pediatrics 2016