By Dr Karli Plowright - Nomad Chiropractic Mosman
(Family Wellness Chiropractor + Exercise Scientist)
WHY IS TUMMY TIME SO IMPORTANT?
Tummy time is so important for your baby as it helps with everything from vestibular system activation, core muscle strength, visual tracking, hand-eye-coordination, to the shape of their head.
The short answer is - it helps with our baby’s development i.e. so that they activate their brain, build strength, reach their milestones and become independent little humans!
What’s the Vestibular System?
The vestibular system is an internal sense that controls our balance and motion. The vestibular system receives information from our inner ear, our eyes, muscles, joints and the brain; and allows us to remain balanced with coordinating movement of our eyes, head and alternate sides of our body. It begins to develop in the womb and then is strengthened when we’re born via stimulation i.e. movement!
Children whose vestibular systems aren’t functioning properly may struggle with coordination, discrimination of objects and even self-regulation. This can lead to behavioral problems, attention span issues or things that may become more obvious in the classroom - for more on this see information on retained primitive reflexes here.
Tummy time and STRENGTH:
Stimulating the vestibular system through tummy time also develops muscle tone (strength). It teaches a baby which muscles to use when they need to stabilize and keep his/her body balanced in different positions. Tummy time initially helps neck, upper back and shoulder muscle strength, which is necessary in learning to lift and support their own neck against gravity, learning to roll etc. It then will help to develop strong abdominal muscles which is really important for milestones such as sitting up, weight shifting, rocking on all 4s, cross crawling and walking (and relate to primitive reflex integration) etc. Once babies have developed good abdominal, neck, upper back and shoulder muscle strength, other positionings and milestones may be likely to come easier and more natural.
Tummy time and HEAD SHAPE!
Tummy time can also assist in limiting time spent on their back which helps to prevent your baby from developing flat spots on their head, also known as plagiocephaly. If the baby's head is in the same position for long periods of time (not including sleep times), the soft skull bones may move in a way that it causes a flatness on the skull and can also limit neck movement of bub. Limited neck movement may be likely to lead to neck restrictions or feeding difficulties. Tummy time can help with this to give the baby a chance to experience different positions.
Tummy time and VISUAL SKILLS
As your baby develops the muscle strength in their neck, shoulders and back (and can start to hold their head still) they begin to be able to focus their gaze better on objects in their visual field. This allows them to track the objects and improve the strength of the muscles of the eyes. This allows for good vision and good visual tracking! It also allows for better vestibular system activation with coordinated movement of the eyes, the inner ear, the joints and muscles of the neck! All of which helps the brain :)
TAKE HOME!
Tummy time helps to:
orientate ourselves in space
remain balanced
feel safe while moving
coordinate head and eye movements
coordinate both sides of the body
reach motor skill milestones
maintain your ‘nature designed’ shaped head! (i.e no flat spots)
maintain ability to turn neck in both directions
I.E TUMMY TIME HELPS THE BRAIN!
Easy tips on how to do tummy time:
(click here for a video of the below)
Lay baby across your lap
Tiger hold, on your arm
Laying them your chest whilst you are laying down
Suggested time to try tummy time is after a nappy change or after a nap.
Progressing to;
Re arrange toys so bub has to reach them
Holding a mirror in front of them so they can see their reflection.
How long do I recommend baby’s do tummy time?
Starting from birth, this number is variable as every baby is different but starting at about 1-5 minutes; and doing this 2-3 times per day. And as your baby gets used to this tummy time can be more frequent or for longer periods of time, even go up to 10-15 minutes.
If your baby hates tummy time or you struggle with these tips, try:
- changing the area you are doing tummy time in or
- the toys/environment around them;
- have them assessed by your local paediatric chiropractor or osteopath for any potential contributing factor
*Please ensure the baby is awake, alert and supervised when doing tummy time. Please note that this advice is general only and if you’re at all concerned please get in touch with your local paediatric trained health practitioner.
Got Questions? Get in touch! Admin@NomadChiropractic.com.au
Till next time,
Chiro Karli
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NOMAD CHIROPRACTIC IN MOSMAN NSW HAS A PREGNANCY AND PAEDIATRIC FOCUS.
Book in online with your Mosman Chiropractors Lucy Bartlett, Olly Kerr & Kristin Webb at www.nomadchiropractic.com.au
Located at: Suite 1, 563 Military Road Mosman NSW 2088 (rear entry)
www.nomadchiropractic.com.au
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*Note: Karli Plowright moved back to WA in December 2022 and as such is no longer a practitioner at Nomad Chiropractic in Mosman. All of the practitioners at Nomad Chiropractic are trained in the above.