Baby refuses to lie on their tummy, lifting their bottom instead of their head? Find out what tummy time is and why it's so important.

Some recommendations may seem trivial, but they hold enormous developmental potential. Lying on your stomach – also known as tummy time – this is one of those seemingly simple recommendations that has a real impact on an infant's development. Parents' worries begin when a baby refuses to lie on their tummy, whines, strains, and lifts their bottom instead of their head… 

In this article we explain what it is tummy time, how to properly place a baby on their tummy, when should you start doing it, and whether buying a pillow for tummy time makes sense. We also advise on choosing a toy for tummy time and what to do if your baby lifts their bottom instead of resting firmly on their forearms.

What is this tummy time and why is it so important?

Most often, while still in the hospital, just before going home, new parents hear the instructions: "Please place your baby on his tummy." Very often, in the heat of the moment, they forget to ask what it means to place the baby on his tummy — How to put a baby on his tummy, when to start doing it? There is a lot of information about it on the internet tummy time, but what does that actually mean?

An expression borrowed from English tummy time means placing your baby on their tummy while awake and under the supervision of an adult. This is one of the simplest, yet most effective ways to support infant development from the first days of life.

You already know what it is tummy time, however, the specific benefits of lying on your stomach are multiple:

🔹 Motor development: tummy time It positively impacts muscle development, which is crucial for achieving better head and trunk control. Lying on the tummy is essential for achieving further developmental milestones, such as rolling over, crawling, and so on. 

🔹 Prevention of plagiocephaly: Regularly placing your baby on their tummy helps prevent flattening of the head, also known as positional plagiocephaly. Therefore, tummy time is not only a developmental activity but also a preventative measure.

🔹 Supporting the digestive system: how to place a baby on the stomach, we naturally stimulate intestinal transit, facilitating the belching of trapped air and the removal of gases.

🔹 Intellectual development: tummy time, lifting the head and looking around expands the child's field of vision, stimulating his cognitive development and curiosity about the world.

Tummy time: since when place baby on tummy and for how long?

It is recommended to introduce tummy time to healthy infants. already in the first days after birth  – at first, it may be close skin-to-skin contact, lying on mom or dad's chest. You already know when to place your baby on their tummy, but another question often asked by parents is: how long should it last? tummy time?

Expert advises

There are no strict rules regarding the exact amount of time a baby should spend on their tummy. Observing your little one is important. When should you start? In the first weeks of life, 2-4 times a day for 3-5 minutes is enough. If you want to place your baby on their tummy, wait at least half an hour after feeding, when they're calm and well-rested. If your baby starts crying, don't force them to stay on their tummy for long. Of course, if your baby doesn't want to be on their tummy, let's try to interest them in something: you can lie down in front of the newborn on the tummy, with your face close to it, and speak in a tender voice, smiling. However, if the newborn cries in this position and doesn't want to lie on the tummy, it's better to turn him onto his back, let him rest, and try again after a short break or after another nap. Gradually, increase the frequency and lengthen the tummy time, remembering that regularity is the key to success, especially when the baby does not want to lie on its tummy. 

Dominika Wołosz

Sensory Integration Therapist, Physiotherapist at the Therapeutic Rehabilitation Department, Institute of Mother and Child

The older the child, the longer the tummy time.

You already know when to place your baby on his tummy, but it is worth remembering that with time, as the baby gains strength, it is time tummy time should get longer. Ultimately, we are talking about a minimum of 30-45 minutes a day – divided into shorter sessionsThe point isn't to make the baby "hold out" as long as possible, but to regularly return to this position and gradually become accustomed to it, so that lying on the tummy and resting on the forearms are performed as correctly as possible.

Since when Is lying on your tummy safe during night sleep?

A baby should only lie on its tummy when it is awake and under the care of a caregiver. Sleeping exclusively on your back in the first months of life reduces the risk of SIDS. (sudden infant death syndrome). A baby can only nap on its tummy when it is under the watchful eye of a caregiver. parental supervision.

Of course, as motor skills develop and the baby begins to roll over freely in their sleep in the crib, they can begin to sleep safely on their stomach at night.

Through the eyes of a physiotherapist: jak correctly place the baby on the stomach?

If you are wondering how to put your baby on his tummy, start with the right substrate: preferably hard, stable and non-slip. This can be a foam mat or a blanket placed on the carpet. Avoid soft pillows for lying on the stomach or a soft mattress – they can cause collapse of the body and hinder active muscle work.

Expert advises

How to position your baby on their tummy in the first days of life? A good and very close solution to start with is the one mentioned earlier. placing the newborn on the mother's/father's chestAs your baby grows, it's a good idea to schedule tummy time several times a day on a mat or carpet to ensure your little one is in the correct position.

Dominika Wołosz

Sensory Integration Therapist, Physiotherapist at the Therapeutic Rehabilitation Department, Institute of Mother and Child

How to properly place a baby on the stomach?

🔹 slightly move his arms forwardso that the elbows are under the shoulders,

🔹 hold the pelvisif the butt lifts up,

🔹 spread your elbows a little widerwhen a child loses balance.

How to place a baby on his stomach when he is lying on his back?

Wondering how to put your baby to sleep on their back if they haven't mastered this skill yet? It's worth learning how to do it. without rushing, respecting the child's body movements - so that tummy time the toddler did not associate it with anything stressful.

How to place your baby on your tummy, step by step: 

1. First, place your baby on a stable, flat surface.Straighten its leg on the side you want to turn it to (e.g. right). 
2. Then the other leg (in this case the left one) grab it gently under the thigh and bend it, initiating slow movement of the hips and pelvis. Try not to pull on the leg, but rotate the baby by the pelvis. It is the pelvis that first begins the rotation movement. — exactly as your child will do the same later, on their own.
3. When the baby is already on the side, check if it tightens itself shoulder girdle (you can now show him a toy for lying on the tummyto stimulate them to turnover). 
4. Finally, gently turn them onto their tummy and make sure the head is in a neutral positionFor younger children, you can gently support or secure them, especially if they don't have full control yet.

Expert advises

It's good change the side of rotation – once on the left side, once on the right, to encourage symmetrical development. If your baby doesn't want to lie on their tummy, you can try again in a few minutes or place them on your body or on your lap. You already know how to place your baby on their tummy, but many parents find it equally challenging to transition from tummy time to lying on their back.

Dominika Wołosz

Sensory Integration Therapist, Physiotherapist at the Therapeutic Rehabilitation Department, Institute of Mother and Child

How to change from tummy to back position, step by step

1. Start by making sure that the handle on the side you will turn your baby over is positioned close to his body, preferably under the chest. This will prevent the limb from accidentally "wrapping" during movement. 
2. Złap leg on the opposite side, gently bend it and begin rolling – from the hip, through the torso, until the baby lands on its back again. For younger babies don't forget about head protection.

If you want to put your baby to lie on his tummy, avoid sudden "turning" of the baby and perform the turns alternately, on both sides of the body.

A pillow for lying on your stomach – since when and whether at all?

Parents often ask: pillow for lying on your stomach - since when is it worth using? Interestingly, you don't have to use it at all.

Expert advises

Pillows for lying on the stomach, dedicated to tummy time, can be comfortable, but they often make the child passively leans on them instead of actively engaging the musclesIf you really want to use something, instead of a pillow for lying on your stomach, a better choice would be a thin towel or a thin blanket rolled up under the baby's arms, in the shape of the letter "C" - makes it easier to keep the hands in the right position, but it must be low/thin so as not to restrict the movement of the forearms. 

Dominika Wołosz

Sensory Integration Therapist, Physiotherapist at the Therapeutic Rehabilitation Department, Institute of Mother and Child

What should lying on your stomach look like? tummy time, month after month?

Tummy position evolves as the child developsUnderstanding these changes will help parents make a basic assessment of whether their child is developing normally:

🔹 Newborn (up to the end of the 1st month of life): The baby is lying on its tummy unsteadily. Its head rests on one cheek, then the other. It can turn it from side to side but cannot keep it elevated. The legs are bent, and the pelvis is raised (newborn lifts the butt while lying on the tummy), and the body weight rests high on the forearms and sternum. The arms are bent close to the torso.

🔹 2nd month of life: The baby can briefly hold its head straight, freely turning it in both directions. The body weight shifts lower, the legs become more straight, and the arms gradually move out from under the body. 

🔹 3nd month of life: Symmetrical support on the forearms requires less effort, and the baby begins to enjoy this position. The elbows are directly under the shoulders, and the upper chest is raised off the ground. The legs are straight, and the baby's bottom is resting on the ground. The head is held steady, and the line of sight is parallel to the ground. During this time, all toys for lying on the tummy become even more interesting.

🔹 4nd month of life: The elbows extend in front of the shoulders, and the legs are relaxed and straight. Full body symmetry emerges: the torso is straight, the shoulder and pelvic girdles are parallel, and the ears are equidistant from the shoulders. The child controls head flexion (pulling the chin toward the sternum).

🔹 5nd month of life: The child confidently supports themselves on their forearms and sometimes extends their elbows (high support). They look around freely and shift their weight from one side to the other. "Swimming" (lifting their arms and straightening their legs) may occur. 

🔹 over 6 months of age: The baby spends a lot of time on their tummy, gaining support on their arms. They may begin to rotate around their navel (pivots), may move backward, and may even assume a quadrupedal position. Head control is complete.

Baby lifts its bottom while lying on its stomach? What in tummy time should you be concerned?

Some of the toddler's behaviors during tummy time may indicate the need for consultation with a pediatric physiotherapist. Parents should pay particular attention to:

• Excessive stretching and tilting the head back in a newborn or 2-month-old infant.
• Elbows close to the body after 3 months of age, instead of moving them forward.
• Baby notoriously lifts the butt while lying on the stomach.
• No active pushing off the ground with the forearms, the baby seems to lift his head almost exclusively with the strength of his back muscles, instead of actively working with his hands.
• Asymmetry of body position (e.g., constant positioning of the head to one side, shortening of the torso on the same side, lack of symmetry of the shoulder and pelvic girdles). More on asymmetry in infants can be found in our article here.
• Stiff movements, clenched fists (especially after the 3rd month), shoulders raised high (close to the ears).
• Excessively spread legs ("frog" position) after the 3rd month of life, which makes proper support difficult.
• The child constantly and randomly rolls from the tummy to the back before this skill is achieved in a controlled manner (usually after 6-7 months of age).

These are just some of the "red flags" that should alarm parents when observing their child during tummy time – any doubts should always be consulted with an experienced pediatric physiotherapist.

The baby does not want to lie on the stomach – what then?

Reluctance to lie on your tummy is a common problem. Remember – this is a demanding position, Therefore, if a baby doesn't want to lie on their tummy in the first 1-2 months of life, this is a normal reaction for most babies. Check if:

🔹 The child lies on a suitable, not too soft surface,

🔹 His hands are not pulled back beyond the shoulder line. (then it is difficult for him to support himself),

🔹 Baby lifts its butt when lying on its stomach? It can be helpful to lightly hold the baby's bottom and gently press it into the ground, then shift the body weight downward. This will provide stability in the pelvic area, mobility in the shoulder girdle, and freedom of head movement.

Expert advises

Don't force your child to have tummy time. Sometimes it's enough. shorter session, repeated several times a day, when the baby is rested and calm + an interesting toy for lying on the tummy, which will interest the baby enough to forget about the challenges of this position. When should you see a physiotherapist? It's worth taking your baby for a preventative consultation in the first 2 months, especially when the baby does not want to lie on the tummy, and additionally the parents observe any "red flags" during tummy time.

Dominika Wołosz

Sensory Integration Therapist, Physiotherapist at the Therapeutic Rehabilitation Department, Institute of Mother and Child

What tummy time toys should you choose?

A well-chosen toy for lying on the tummy can work wondersThe best ones are:

• rattles,
• contrast books,
• water mats,
• a mirror (preferably safe, plastic) placed at the child's eye level,
• toys playing, but not flashing too intensely (so as not to cause the head to tilt). 

Thanks to them, the baby is motivated to lift his head, stretch his hand and stay in this position longer.

How to support your child's development through tummy time?

You already know what it is tummy time, but the most important thing is observe, react with empathy and offer your baby interesting toyswhich will stimulate him to play in this position longer. A pillow for lying on his tummy isn't always a good choice. If you have any doubts or don't know how to properly place your baby on his tummy, consult a pediatric physiotherapist – quick intervention and expert advice will greatly facilitate the proper development of forearm support.

If you already know how to place your baby on his stomach, remember that daily tummy time This is one of the best gifts you can give your child – it costs nothing and provides huge developmental benefits.

BIBLIOGRAPHY (access to internet sources from June 25.06.2025, XNUMX):

1. Jagoda Cieszyńska, Marta Korendo, Agnieszka Fabisiak-Majcher, Early therapeutic intervention, Stimulation of child development from newborn to 6 years of age, Educational Publishing House, Kraków 2013
2. Renata Trusewicz, Adam Maksymilian Pogorzała, Child motor development taking into account the assumptions of the NDT Bobath concept: http://wydawnictwo.wseit.edu.pl/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Rozw%C3%B3j-ruchowy-dziecka-z-uwzgl%C4%99dnieniem-za%C5%82o%C5%BCe%C5%84-koncepcji-NDT-Bobath.pdf
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5. Elizabeth Williams, Mary Galea, Another look at “tummy time” for primary plagiocephaly prevention and motor development, Infant Behavior and Development, Volume 71, 2023: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0163638323000310?via%3Dihub

Author

Dominika Wołosz

Sensory Integration Therapist, Physiotherapist at the Therapeutic Rehabilitation Department, Institute of Mother and Child