You can lead a baby to his tummy, but you can't make him happy on it. For a lot of little ones, tummy time can seem like torture time — particularly before they've developed the muscles they need to lift their heads out of that awkward face-plant position. Still, just a few minutes of tummy play a few times a day will give your baby the opportunity to flex a different set of muscles than he'll work on his back — muscles he will eventually need to master a variety of skills, including sitting up. To make tummy time less torture and more fun, try these tricks:
Put him tummy-down on your chest while you do your sit-ups. Add some funny faces and silly noises with each rep. Every so often, lift him, airplane style, then return him for a belly touch-down.
Lie on your bellies together, side-by-side or face-to-face, on a comfy surface — just make sure it’s not so cushy that your baby can’t push up easily on it. Then entertain him with a special toy or just coo at each other.
Vary locations — and the view from his tummy. Try the family room for a minute or two in the morning, your bedroom in the afternoon.
If he enjoys a good rub-down, try massaging him while he’s on his belly.
Have someone else try tummy time with him — believe or not, he may already be sensing too much performance pressure from you.
If he won’t take the belly bait, give him a belly break, and try again later. In between tummy-time sessions, make sure he gets lots of other opportunities to work his muscles. Too many stints cooped up in a stroller, car seat, or bouncy seat can keep him from getting a move on.
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