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 Tummy-time... It’s always interesting to hear how parents react to that phrase. Having spent years working with babies and families, I’ve heard it all. As one mother of two elementary school children once put it: “Don’t say tummy-time around me! I still get anxiety when I hear that word!”

And honestly — I get it.

For many parents, tummy-time can feel stressful early on, especially when babies don’t tolerate it well right away. But before giving up altogether, it’s important to understand why tummy-time matters and how we can make it easier for babies and parents alike.

One of the most commonly discussed benefits of tummy-time is that it gives babies opportunities to spend supervised awake time off the back of their head. Just as importantly, tummy-time helps encourage early movement experiences and strengthening that support developmental progression over time.

Here’s how I often think about it: repositioning a baby during awake time can certainly be helpful, but helping babies gradually become more comfortable moving and exploring on their own is valuable too. As babies gain strength and confidence through supervised tummy-time experiences, they often become more comfortable shifting positions, lifting their head, rolling, and exploring movement more independently.

And when babies become more comfortable with movement and position changes, they often spend less prolonged time resting in a single position.

Of course, none of that changes the reality that many babies simply don’t enjoy tummy-time at first. But there are several simple ways to ease into it early and make the experience more successful and less stressful for everyone involved.

Chest-to-Chest

Chest-to-chest positioning is one of the earliest and most natural ways to introduce tummy-time concepts. Holding your baby against your chest during supervised awake time allows them opportunities to begin lifting and turning their head while remaining close, supported, and comforted.

When possible, skin-to-skin contact can also be a wonderful bonding experience during these early weeks.

Shoulder-Level Positioning

During the first couple of months, babies spend a lot of time being carried. One helpful strategy is adjusting how you hold them during awake time.

Instead of positioning your baby low over your shoulder, try supporting them so their eyes are closer to shoulder level while keeping their body securely supported with your arms and hands. This gives babies opportunities to practice lifting and turning their head while engaging with faces and voices around them.

These small positioning opportunities can become valuable building blocks for early strength and movement experiences.

“Superman” Carry

As babies grow and begin developing more head and neck control, many families enjoy incorporating more movement-based carrying positions.

One example is a forward-facing “superman” style carry, where your baby rests supported along your forearm while supervised and fully supported by you. This type of positioning can encourage babies to practice lifting their head against gravity while exploring their surroundings from a different perspective.

As always, every baby develops at their own pace, and positions should only be used when babies appear comfortable and appropriately supported.

While tummy-time is often viewed as something babies either tolerate or dislike, I’ve found that a gradual, supportive approach can make a meaningful difference for many families. By creating positive opportunities for movement and exploration early on, tummy-time can become a more manageable — and even enjoyable - part of everyday life for parents and babies.