Tummy Time & how to improve it
Why Does My Baby Hate Tummy Time?
If tummy time in your house involves ten seconds of grizzling followed by a very determined roll onto the back, you are not alone. It's one of the most common frustrations parents raise with us, and the good news is that there's usually a simple, fixable reason behind it.
Why Tummy Time Matters
Time spent on the belly helps build strength through the neck, shoulders and upper back — the same muscles babies need for rolling, crawling, sitting and eventually walking. It also gives babies a different view of the world, which supports visual development, and takes pressure off the back of the head, which helps prevent flattening (plagiocephaly).
So when a baby fights it every time, it's worth asking why, rather than just pushing through.
Common Reasons Babies Resist Tummy Time
1. It's genuinely hard work. Lifting a heavy head against gravity takes real strength. If a baby hasn't built that strength gradually, tummy time can feel exhausting rather than fun — which is exactly why starting little and often, from birth, makes such a difference.
2. Tension through the neck or body. Babies who had a fast labour, an assisted delivery (forceps or vacuum), or spent time in one position in the womb can develop tightness through the neck and upper back. This can make turning the head to one side, or lifting it at all, uncomfortable — so they protest before they've even tried.
3. A strong side preference. If you notice your baby always turns their head the same way, or seems to dislike tummy time on one side more than the other, this is often related to postural tension rather than a "quirk" they'll simply grow out of.
4. Reflux or tummy discomfort. Some babies genuinely feel more uncomfortable lying on their stomach, particularly if they experience reflux. This is worth mentioning to your GP or maternal child health nurse as well.
Building Up to Tummy Time: The Tiger Hold
For very young babies, or those who find floor-based tummy time overwhelming from the start, the Tiger Hold is a great in-between step. Baby lies face-down along your forearm, straddling it with their legs, with your hand supporting their chest and your other arm or hand supporting underneath. Held this way against your body, baby gets the benefits of a tummy-down position — engaging the same neck and back muscles — without needing full head control against the floor just yet. It's also a handy settling position for a grizzly baby, so it does double duty.
Ideas to Help With Floor-Based Tummy Time
Roll a hand towel or bath towel into a firm sausage shape. Place it under baby's shoulders/chest and gently adjust their arms forward over the top of it. This lifts the chest slightly and makes it easier for baby to get their arms into a useful position.
Get down in front of baby and talk to them, or use a rattle or toy held just above eye level to encourage them to look up and lift their head. Turning them over on the change table after a change is a great time to do this throughout the day.
Use your body as the surface. Chest-to-chest tummy time, with baby lying on you as you recline, is a gentler starting point than the floor.
Try after every nappy change. Roll baby onto their front and get down to their level for just a minute before dressing them again. It feels small in the moment, but it adds up quickly across the day.
Aim for lots of small doses, then gradually build up to longer stretches, rather than expecting a long session straight away.
A safety note: never leave your baby unsupervised during tummy time, and never leave them sleeping in this position. Tummy time is an awake, supervised activity only.
When It Might Be Worth a Check-Up
Osteopaths can assess your baby’s body for tension which may be causing resistance to tummy time. If your baby strongly prefers one side, seems stiff or uncomfortable when turning their head, was born via an assisted delivery, or you've noticed a flat spot developing, it's worth having them assessed. Gentle osteopathic treatment for babies uses no more pressure than you'd use settling them to sleep — and is aimed at releasing tension so that movements like tummy time become more comfortable, not forced.
Every baby develops at their own pace, but if tummy time has felt like a battle for weeks rather than days, it's worth getting a second opinion rather than assuming it will simply resolve on its own.
If you'd like your baby's movement and posture checked, book a paediatric osteopathy appointment with our team — we're always happy to talk it through, even if you're not sure whether it's needed.