Tummy time is a cornerstone of infant care and has been proven to help your baby start crawling.
It's one of the most important activities you can do with your newborn.
READ MORE: How much tummy time should I be doing per day?
Research shows that babies who spend more time on their tummies are more likely to pull themselves up, crawl, and walk earlier than those who may not spend as much time on their tummies.
And it's not just about gross motor skills — tummy time promotes sensory integration, cognitive development, and awareness of the environment, and lower rates of flat head syndrome (also known as "positional plagiocephaly").
Why Tummy Time Helps Your Baby Start Crawling
When you put your baby on their back, they may have trouble moving their arms and legs because they can't see where they're going. They might also have difficulty gaining stability without having something to help them balance — like a pillow or some other soft surface.
But when you put your baby on his or her tummy, they will have access to all four limbs, getting stronger over time by using them to push off the floor or whatever other surface they're lying against. This helps develop upper body strength that's critical for crawling.
When it comes to choosing the right supportive surface for your baby during tummy time, a padded play mat on a low surface is the way to go. Avoid high surfaces like beds or couches, where there's the risk of them rolling and falling at height, or suffocating in the sheets or pillows because the surface is too soft.
Resources: University of Wollongong Australia, "Tummy time shown to aid infant development"
