It is important for infants to spend time on their tummies whilst awake and under supervision!

Young infants need to be encouraged to tummy time several times a day when they are awake and under supervision. This will stimulate motor development and practise head control to gain strength and stability of the neck muscles and reduce the risk of head deformity.

Several scientific studies show that infants who have seldom or never practised tummy time during play develop their motor skills later compared to infants who practised tummy time.

Prior to the 1970`s newborn infants slept on their backs just like today. We were then generally better at encouraging tummy time during awake play. Today many infants spend little or no time on their tummy.

Picture from the 1950`s

There is no risks involved to spend time on their tummy whilst awake.

Tummy time for play

On the Back for sleeping

Tummy time during awake play should be encouraged already from a newborn stage. Tummy time will be increasingly challenging for the infant the longer you wait with beginning the practise. handy tips on how to get your baby to play on the tummy is available in a leaflet "TUMMY TIME". Many Physiotherapists throughout Sweden also have access to this leaflet. This leaflet has been compiled by Thomas Arvidsson, head of Peadiatric Care (Health care centers) in Gothenburg and Professor Göran Wennergren who conducts research into cot death (SIDS). 

Pictures of handy tips on how to encourge tummy time for your baby is available at:Bildgalleri Lek på mage

 and Tummy Time in English

Good information about tummy time in English

Tummy time moves from YouTube