🌟 Unlocking Milestones: Melody's 5 Top Tips for Tummy Time 🌈
Unlocking Milestones: Melody's 5 Top Tips for Tummy Time
Ever felt the struggle when your little one seems to detest tummy time? Join the club! The chorus of "My baby hates tummy time!" is a symphony every parent can relate to. The truth is, those adorable protests are signs of a workout in progress for our tiny bundles of joy. But worry not, because I've got your back with five game-changing tips to transform tummy time from a mini-meltdown to a major milestone! Ready to conquer the tummy time challenge? Dive into my tried-and-true strategies below:
1. Gradual Introduction: Tummy time engages and strengthens your baby's core muscles, laying the groundwork for later postural control and stability. Holding up their head and engaging their muscles requires lots of effort and energy so it's common for infants to initially find tummy time challenging, and they may become fussy or fatigued relatively quickly! This is perfectly normal. Start with short sessions and gradually increase the duration as your baby becomes more comfortable. This helps build neck and upper body strength over time. Even if your baby engages in tummy time for only a few seconds to begin with, take them away and bring them back to it later in the day following a 'little and often' method. They will maintain longer bursts of tummy time as they get older and their muscles get stronger.
2. Engaging Distractions: It's all about the art of distraction! Tummy time exposes babies to different sensory experiences, such as feeling different textures beneath them, aiding in sensory development. You can place colourful toys or mirrors within your baby's reach to encourage them to lift their head and explore during tummy time. Visual stimuli can make the experience more enjoyable and distract your baby from remembering they are even on their tummy! You can use lots of things around the house that baby might find interesting like a mirror, a book or a noisy rattle. At StarBubs, we always capture our bubs' attention and curiosity through our themed equipment which is different each week! Our parents often comment on how long their bubs spend on their tummy during our classes due to the exciting equipment on offer. 
3. Soft Support: Use a small, rolled-up towel or a soft pillow under your baby's chest to provide gentle support. This can make tummy time more comfortable, especially for babies who might not initially enjoy the pressure on their tummies. During our classes, we offer a soft and safe space made for tummy time by using snake shaped pillows for babies to rest their tummies on. You could even try popping some different textures over the top like soft or sparkly blankets or even some crinkly foil blankets!
4. Parental Interaction: Join your baby on the floor during tummy time, making it a bonding experience! Engage with them through eye contact, gentle talk, or singing to make the activity more enjoyable and supportive. Grab a mirror and allow them to look at the pair of you together, they will soon be showing you their gorgeous smiles . 
5. Chest cuddles count: Chest cuddles can offer similar benefits as traditional tummy time on the floor. When holding your baby against your chest, they are still engaging and strengthening their neck muscles as they lift their head to look around. It provides a different form of physical interaction and can contribute to your baby's overall development, just not in the same way as dedicated tummy time on a flat surface. So enjoy those chest cuddles whilst they last . 
Remember to always supervise tummy time and ensure a safe and comfortable environment for your baby's exploration and development.
For more tips and advice on explorative tummy time activities, come and join our StarGazer classes at StarBubs where innovative tummy time experiences are built in.
