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Understanding the Importance of Tummy Time
How much tummy time should an infant have?
What if the baby doesnt like being on her tummy?
Doesnt sleeping on the back create a flat head?
How can I exercise a baby on his tummy?
Back To Sleep All of the Time, Every Time
Healthy Child Care America
www.healthychildcare.org
National SIDS resources
Reducing the Risk of SIDS in Child Care Speakers
Kit from the American Academy of Pediatrics:
Visit http://www.healthychildcare.org to download
a free copy.
Caring for Our Children, National Health and
Safety Performance Standards: Guidelines for
Out-of-Home Child Care, Second Edition:
Visit the National Resource Center for Health and
Safety in Child Care and Early Education Web site
at http://nrc.uchsc.edu to download a free copy.
Healthy Kids, Healthy Care: A Parent Friendly Tool
on Health and Safety Issues in Child Care:
http://www.healthykids.us
American Academy of Pediatrics:
http://www.aappolicy.org
The Changing Concept of Sudden Infant Death
Syndrome: Diagnostic Coding Shifts, Controversies
Regarding the Sleeping Environment, and New
Variables to Consider in Reducing Risk
http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/reprint/
pediatrics;116/5/1245.pdf
National Institute for Child and Human
Development Back to Sleep Campaign:
http://www.nichd.nih.gov/sids
CJ Foundation for SIDS:
http://www.cjsids.com
First Candle/SIDS Alliance:
http://www.firstcandle.org
Association of SIDS and Infant Mortality Programs:
http://www.asip1.org
National SIDS and Infant Death Resource Center:
http://www.sidscenter.org
Back to sleep and tummy to play
Follow these easy steps to create a safe sleep
environment in your home, family child care
home, or child care center:
1. Always place babies on their backs to sleep,
even for short naps.
2. Place babies in a safety-approved crib with
a firm mattress (cradles and bassinets may be
used, but choose those that are JPMA
(Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association)
certified for safety). http://www.jpma.org/
3. Remove soft, fluffy bedding and stuffed toys
from the babys sleep area.
4. Make sure the babys head and face remain
uncovered during sleep.
5. Place the baby in a smoke-free environment.
6. Allow the baby to sleep in light clothing to
avoid overheating. If a blanket is used, make
sure the babys feet are at the bottom of the
crib, that the blanket comes up no higher
than the babys chest and that it is tucked
in on the bottom and 2 sides of the crib.
Consider using a sleep sack, or a wearable
blanket instead.
7. If you are working in a family child care
home or center, create a written safe sleep
policy to ensure that staff and families
understand and practice back to sleep and
SIDS risk reduction practices in child care.
If you are a parent with a child in out-of-home
child care, advocate for the creation of a
safe sleep policy. Caring for Our Children
National Health and Safety Performance
Standards: Guidelines for Out-of-Home
Child Care Programs outlines what should
be included in the safe sleep policy. Visit
http://nrc.uchsc.edu/ to download a
free copy.
Ourside Spread/Cover
Revised 2008 What are the 2 most important things to
remember about safe sleep practices?
1. Healthy babies are safest when sleeping on
their backs at nighttime and during naps. Side
sleeping is not as safe as back sleeping and
is not advised.
2. Tummy time is for babies who are awake and
being watched. Your baby needs this to develop
strong muscles.
RememberBack to Sleep, Tummy to Play
How much tummy time should an
infant have?
Beginning on their first day home from the hospital
or in your family child care home or center, play
and interact with the baby while he is awake and
on the tummy 2 to 3 times each day for a short
period of time (3-5 minutes), increasing the amount
of time as the baby shows he enjoys the activity. A
great time to do this is following a diaper change
or when the baby wakes up from a nap.
Tummy time prepares babies for the time when they
will be able to slide on their bellies and crawl. As
babies grow older and stronger they will need more
time on their tummies to build their own strength.
What if the baby does not like being on
her tummy?
Some babies may not like the tummy time
position at first. Place yourself or a toy in reach
for her to play with. Eventually your baby will
enjoy tummy time and begin to enjoy play
in this position.
Doesnt sleeping on her back cause the
baby to have a flat head?
Parents and caregivers often worry about the
baby developing a flat spot on the back of the
head because of sleeping on the back. Though
it is possible for a baby to develop a flat spot on
the head, it usually rounds out as they grow
older and sit up. There are ways to reduce the
risk of the baby developing a flat spot:
1. Alternate which end of the crib you place the
babys feet. This will cause her to naturally
turn toward light or objects in different
positions, which will lessen the pressure on
one particular spot on her head.
2. When the baby is awake, vary her position.
Limit time spent in freestanding swings,
bouncy chairs, and car seats. These items
all put added pressure on the back of the
babys head.
3. Spend time holding the baby in your arms as
well as watching her play on the floor, both
on her tummy and on her back.
4. A breastfed baby would normally change
breasts during feeding; if the baby is bottle
fed, switch the side that she feeds on during
feeding.
How can I exercise the baby while he is
on his tummy?
There are lots of ways to play with the baby
while he is on his tummy.
1. Place yourself or a toy just out of the babys
reach during playtime to get him to reach for
you or the toy.
2. Place toys in a circle around the baby.
Reaching to different points in the circle will
allow him to develop the appropriate muscles
to roll over, scoot on his belly, and crawl.
3. Lie on your back and place the baby on your
chest. The baby will lift his head and use his
arms to try to see your face.
4. While being watched by an adult or
caregiver, have a young child play with the
baby while on his tummy. Young children can
get down on the floor easily. They generally
have energy for playing with babies, may
really enjoy their role as the big kid, and
are likely to have fun themselves.
Supported in part by Grant No. U46 MC 04436 from the Maternal and
Child Health Bureau (Title V, Social Security Act), Health Resources and
Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services.
Inside Spread