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Expert Q&A
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| By Michael F. Wasserman General Pediatrician | ||
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Why is "tummy time" so important for a baby?
Tummy time is important because:
1. It gives the child the chance to develop the motor skills associated with lying in the prone position, such as supporting the head and neck, crawling, etc.
2. It causes less pressure on the skull. Those children who only lie on their backs have a flattening of the occiput (the back of the skull), which can cause permanent deformity to the skull configuration. But if the child lies on his tummy, the flattening will diminish."
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