I never liked forcing my babies to do tummy time. How they hated to be on their tummy! They would cry and strain their little neck. It was painful for me to watch, even though I knew it was for their benefit.

Tummy time is important for your baby because it helps them build head, neck and upper body strength. Tummy time will ensure this strength is built on so that your baby will be able to crawl and pull themselves up to stand.

Tummy time should be started soon after birth. Some recommend three weeks after birth but check with your midwife when discharged from the hospital.

Tummy time should be for 1-2 minutes per day, a couple of times each day. Eventually, your baby can build up to 15 minutes per day.

If your baby doesn’t enjoy tummy time at all, here are three ways to make tummy time more bearable for your little one.

1. Get your baby to lie on your chest, skin to skin, tummy to tummy. While your tummy may not be flat on the ground, allowing your baby to sleep or lay flat on your chest means they are slowly building strength so they can enjoy their time on the floor longer

2. Lie your baby across the length of your thigh. There is something reassuring about laying on mummy and often, our thighs are flatter than our stomachs.

3. Face your baby on the ground when they do tummy time. Play peek-a-boo or make funny faces to distract your baby from the discomfort of being on their tummy.

Does your baby enjoy tummy time? Got any tricks to share with other mums that might help?