Babies are born with soft heads to allow for the amazing brain growth that occurs in the first year of life. As a result, their heads are easily “molded.” Passage through the birth canal during childbirth can cause a newborn’s head to look pointy or too long. So it’s normal for a baby’s skull, which is made up of several bones that eventually fuse together, to be a bit oddly shaped during the few days or weeks after birth. Continue reading “How do you prevent flat head in babies?” »

Supervised, awake tummy time is recommended to facilitate a baby’s development and minimise flat head syndrome. But some babies don’t like tummy time, and will kick up an almighty fuss to let you know. Luckily, tummy time is not all you can do to get your baby moving. Continue reading “How does tummy time prevent flat head?” »

Evidence-based advice on when and for how long to start putting babies down for specific tummy time is sparse and so even the NHS advice is pretty vague. It is suggested that tummy time should begin from birth – babies should be put on their tummies on their parent’s chest. In other words…cuddle your newborn baby! Continue reading “When should I start tummy time with my newborn?” »

Almost all parents know that tummy time with baby is an important activity in their development, but many do not know the reasons why. Because the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that it is safest for babies to sleep on their backs, our little ones need enough supervised tummy time during waking hours in order to strengthen head, neck, and upper body muscles. Continue reading “What are the benefits of tummy time for babies?” »