Why Tummy Time Matters

• First true developmental milestone

• Organizes gravity, breath, vision, and movement

• Foundation for rolling, reaching, and future posture

• Not optional, not an activity — a biological requirement

Key Principles

• Babies do not “hate” tummy time.

• If tummy time fails, it signals a movement organization issue, not a behavior issue.

Movement Lesson Deviation 1 — Optimal Tummy Time 

• Gentle buoyancy through chest and limbs

• Head turns left and right without effort

• Hands and feet respond to gravity

• Baby alternates between alert and calm states

• No distress, no collapse

• The nervous system is organizing efficiently

• Baby is building horizontal foundations on time

Movement Lesson Deviation 2 — Limited or Inconsistent Tummy Time

• Short tolerance for tummy time

• Mild frustration or fatigue

• Head lifts briefly but drops quickly

• Subtle asymmetry or stiffness

• Baby prefers being held over floor play

• Not dangerous, but not optimal

• Early compensations may begin

• Without support, one may progress to higher deviation

Deviation 3 — Trauma-Influenced Tummy Time

• Baby tolerates tummy time but does not learn from it

• Stiffness or retraction through the shoulders or neck

• Difficulty placing weight through the chest

• Minimal limb movement

• Baby “endures” the position rather than engages

• Birth trauma

• Medical interventions

• Brief NICU or hospital stays

• Missed the early buoyancy window

• Early movement risk profile

• Not a diagnosis, but a clear warning sign

• Requires intentional rebuilding, not more time

Deviation 4 — Missed Tummy Time Window

• Tummy time feels foreign or impossible

• Significant stiffness or retraction

• Poor head control

• Breathing and movement are not synchronized

• Severe asymmetry or collapse

• No effective floor strategies

• Extended NICU stays

• Significant medical handling

• Neurological monitoring

• The developmental pathway must be scaled and rebuilt

• Rushing milestones will increase compensation

• Requires guided intervention

Critical Warning Signs (Across All Levels)

• Face buried with no attempt to lift

• The head always falls to one side

• Crying with stiffness, not effort

• No hand or foot response to gravity

• Breath-holding or breath disruption

• Baby appears “flat” or disconnected on the floor

What Not to Do

• Do not force the position.

• Do not prop the baby into shapes they cannot organize

• Do not skip the floor to “move on.”

• Do not rely on age-adjustment for movement milestones.

What To Do Instead

• Scale tummy time appropriately

• Rebuild buoyancy and breath first

• Follow time-dictated development

• Seek movement-based evaluation when needed

Do you have concerns about your one-month-old? click HERE