← Back to your baby's forecast

By the Peanutbean parent · checked against CDC, NHS and AAP guidance · how we fact-check

Tummy time: why it matters, and how to do it without tears

Last verified: July 13, 2026

Tummy time is exactly what it sounds like: time your baby spends on their tummy while they are awake and you are watching. It is the workout that builds the neck, shoulder and arm muscles your baby will later use to roll, sit and crawl (NHS: How to keep your baby or toddler active).

It matters because of a rule you already know. Babies sleep on their backs, every sleep, because that is the safest position (our safe sleep guide covers why). The AAP sums up the deal in six words: back to sleep, tummy to play (AAP: Back to Sleep, Tummy to Play). All that safe back-sleeping means your baby needs awake time on their front to work the other set of muscles.

When to start, and how much

Earlier than most parents expect. You can start the day your baby comes home from the hospital, and even before that by lying them on your chest (NHS).

The AAP’s numbers are simple: play with your baby on their tummy 2 to 3 times a day, for 3 to 5 minutes at a time. As they get stronger, add more. Work up to 15 to 30 minutes a day by around 7 weeks (AAP).

The NHS puts the same idea in three words: little and often. Short sessions, several times a day, growing gradually (NHS). A good routine slot is after a nappy change or when your baby wakes from a nap, because they are alert and not too hungry or too full (AAP).

What if my baby hates it?

Plenty of babies protest at first, and it makes sense. Lifting that heavy head is hard work. A few fixes that help, all from the AAP and NHS playbooks:

• Shrink the session. One minute that ends well beats five that end in tears. Frequency matters more than length at the start.
• Get your face down there. Lie on the floor in front of your baby. You are more interesting than any toy.
• Put a toy just out of reach. Reaching for it is the exercise (AAP).
• Use a rolled-up towel. If your baby struggles to lift their head, roll a towel and place it under their armpits for support (NHS).
• Start tummy to tummy. Recline on a chair, bed or floor and lie your baby on your chest, face to face. Talk to them. This is real tummy time (AAP: 3 Tummy Time Activities).
• Try lap time. Lie your baby tummy down across your lap, keeping their head in line with their body (AAP).

If your baby still will not have it, the AAP suggests side lying as an alternative: baby on a blanket on their side, a rolled towel behind the back for support, both arms in front, knees bent. Add a toy or a book (AAP).

Tummy time and flat heads

Parents often worry that all that back sleeping will flatten the back of the baby’s head. A flat spot can happen, but it usually rounds out as your baby grows and starts sitting up (AAP). Tummy time is one of the best tools against it, because it takes the pressure off the back of the head while building the muscles that get your baby sitting sooner.

Two more things help. Alternate which end of the cot you lay your baby’s head, so they turn toward the light from a different side each time. And limit time in swings, bouncy chairs and car seats outside the car, which all press on the back of the head (AAP). The NHS adds a practical cap: if you use a baby walker, bouncer or seat, no more than 20 minutes at a time (NHS).

Where tummy time leads

Every session is a small deposit toward the big motor milestones. The muscles your baby builds lifting their head are the same ones they will use to roll over, then to sit, then to slide on their belly and crawl (AAP). If you want to see how those skills unfold week by week, our guides to the first weeks and the on-the-move window walk through them.

One honest note on pace. Babies get to these milestones on their own schedules, and a baby who fusses through tummy time is not behind. If your baby was born early, count their progress from the due date, not the birth date; our adjusted age guide explains how.

When to ask your pediatrician

Tummy time has no scary red flags, but a few situations deserve a conversation:

• Your baby was born premature, has reflux, or has special health needs. The AAP says to talk with your pediatrician about how to approach tummy time, since some babies need special consideration (AAP).
• Your baby always turns their head to the same side, or you notice a flat spot that is not improving.
• By 2 months, your baby is not lifting their head at all during tummy time.

And the house rule stands: your own concern is reason enough to ask. Checkups are made for exactly these questions.

Keep reading

• Safe baby sleep: how to lower the risk of SIDS
• Flat head syndrome: does it go away, and what can you do?
• Weeks 0 to 8: settling in
• Adjusted age for premature babies
• All the first-year windows

Sources

• AAP: Back to Sleep, Tummy to Play (last updated September 2023)
• AAP: 3 Tummy Time Activities to Try With Your Baby (last updated July 2023)
• NHS: How to keep your baby or toddler active (page last reviewed March 2023)

Peanutbean provides general information for educational purposes only. It is not medical advice. Every baby develops at their own pace. Always talk to your pediatrician about your child’s health.