tummy time

The Best Tummy Time Mats
Kid Shopping

5 Tummy Time Mats to Keep Baby Happy on His Belly

Few terms send new mama hiding beneath the covers as quickly as "tummy time."
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Few terms send new mama hiding beneath the covers as quickly as "tummy time." Daily time on the stomach not only benefits baby's skull formation, it allows the baby's neck and shoulder muscles to develop in a timely manner. Unfortunately, with so much focus on the Back to Sleep campaign (placing babies on their backs in order to prevent SIDS), many tots just aren't happy on their bellies. Though a simple rolled up baby blanket is all that is needed to prop a tot on her belly, these five mats have features designed to keep her as happy as can be during her daily exercise. Check them out!

Source: Flickr User dryfish

Tiny Love Tummy-Time Fun Pillow & Mat ($30) Infantino Right Angle Tummy Triangle ($30) Bright Starts Tummy Cruiser Prop & Play Mat ($25) Well Baby Tummy Time Mat ($40) The First Years Happy Flyer Tummy Time ($37)
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City Map Baby Blankets
quilts

Map Quilts Get Tots Exploring the Globe

Who says you can't go home?
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Who says you can't go home? Lil ones learning their way around town can easily take in a 10,000 foot view with Baby Soft-Map Quilts from Haptic Lab (starting at $95). The custom-printed, hand-knotted blankets are available for major cities in the US, Australia, Canada, and Europe, with neighborhood-specific designs available for New Yorkers. Large enough to serve as a tummy time mat or a picnic blanket, each quilt features the selected city's famed parks, gardens, and landmarks and can be customized with a tot's name, birth date, and favorite locations. They also make great wall pieces.

Tummy Time Benefits
Health

Baby Wellness: Get Down on Those Tummies!

At one of my daughter's earliest doctor appointments, her pediatrician told me to keep her on her belly for tummy time whenever she was awake.
by babysugar

At one of my daughter's earliest doctor appointments, her pediatrician told me to keep her on her belly for tummy time whenever she was awake. I was in disbelief as my tot hated being on her stomach. The doc said it was important for her development and that the babe would eventually get used to it and may even enjoy it.

I'm glad we listened to her and powered through the initial days of tummy-time agony. The American Physical Therapy Association recently issued a warning telling parents that time spent on the stomach is not only beneficial for the skull's formation, but it also allows the baby's neck and shoulder muscles to develop in a timely manner. Physical therapist Colleen Coulter-O'Berry advises parents:

Increasing the amount of time your baby lies on his or her tummy promotes muscle development in the neck and shoulders; helps prevent tight neck muscles, and the development of flat areas on the back of the baby's head; and helps build the muscles baby needs to roll, sit, and crawl. . . Don't be afraid to put your baby on their tummy for short periods of time while they are awake. After a nap, diaper change or feeding, roll the baby onto his or her stomach, and encourage the infant to find, focus, and follow your face or a toy with their eyes looking up.

Did you practice tummy time with your tot?
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