The TummyTime! Method was created by Michelle Emanuel, a pediatric occupational therapist with over 20 years of experience in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). She developed the TummyTime! Method to encourage optimization of posture, movement and connection for newborn through pre-crawling baby. This stage of life is critical for development of movement patterns, reflexes, autonomic regulation, and neurodevelopment.
How do I do the TummyTime!™ Method?
1) Select a space in your home as your TummyTime spot. This is usually a carpeted space, area rug, or padded foam mat. Stock the space with some fun toys like a mirror or an O-ball.
2) Place a clean blanket on the floor and lay your baby on his/her back to begin
3) Pick your baby up and engage your baby in reciprocal interaction using eye contact, cooing, and fun facial expressions. This is a play time to help warm your baby up. Be receptive for eye gaze as much as possible- I call this "eye smooching".
4) Roll baby from their back to their tummy, slow enough to allow him/her to control their head and neck.
5) You can sing, talk, make playful noises, or offer a toy to keep baby engaged during TummyTime. It is often best for the parent/caregiver to also lie down on their tummy to reap the physiological benefits of TummyTime.
6) When baby communicates that they are ready to transition out of TummyTime, gently tuck one arm under their chest and roll baby to his/her side and then their back. Pick your baby up, reassure him/her, and give lots of encouragement. Reassure your baby: "You did it!", "I had a lot of fun doing that with you!"
7) Repeat 5-15 minutes, depending on your baby's abilities. Don't forget, the focus is on the quality of this time, not necessarily how long your baby spends in TummyTime. Repeat this 3-4 sessions per day.
This is a great video from Michelle Emanuel showing an example of a TummyTime Method "wave."
TummyTime! ™ recommendations based on age:
- Newborn-2 months old – spend a minimum of 30 minutes per day during awake periods
- 2-4 months old – spend a minimum of 45-90 minutes per day during awake periods
- 4-6 months old – spend a minimum of 1-2 hours per day during awake periods
- 6-8 months old – the majority of waking hours will be spent in tummy time or sitting/learning to sit. Babies should learn to sit before they learn to stand.
A Few Answers:
1) Is it okay for my newborn to do TummyTime? Yes! The gold standard is skin-to-skin on a parents chest for the first 2 weeks of life. After that, baby can transition to the floor.
2) What if my baby cries/fuses during TummyTime? If your baby doesn't seem to enjoy TummyTime, don't stop offering the position! This is a great opportunity to do some detective work and figure out why your baby doesn't like the position. These are some reasons that babies might not initially enjoy TummyTime:
* having a strong head preference to one side (or torticollis)
* having head molding/flattening (plagiocephaly, brachycephaly, etc)
* tethered oral tissues, such as tongue/lip/buccal ties
* lack of experience on tummy
* sensitive to movement or sounds
* tense neck or trunk
You might consider a one-on-one consultation if you notice any of the following:
* baby fussing or crying constantly during TummyTime
* baby arches his or her back consistently
* baby has a difficult time turning his/her head from side to side
* baby is unable to touch their face or mouth with hand while in TummyTIme
Please contact me to Set up a one-on-one consult or join one of my community classes