Tummy Time and Baby Wearing

Do you LOVE baby wearing?! It’s such a good way to get some snuggles while also being productive. It has benefits for baby too - such as bonding and regulation. But please remember, it doesn’t replace tummy time!

Baby wearing and tummy time… same, same…but DIFFERENT! They are both amazing ways to connect and promote development in infants. But they are not the same. Holding your baby sitting up or babywearing (while amazing activities with their own benefits) do not completely replace the need for belly down play on the floor. These lists in the graphic are not exhaustive by any means but I wanted to point out the similarities and differences in reaction to misinformation I’ve seen on social media regarding “replacements” for tummy time.

Babies who struggle with tummy time deserve to have us figure out WHY so we can work on it and help them tolerate it better. If your child struggles with tummy time, instead of replacing it we should be modifying it, making goals towards improving their tolerance and working through their specific barriers that are causing the frustration.

Tummy time discomfort can be correlated with torticollis, tightness /tension in their body, tongue tie, low muscle tone, digestive issues like reflux, gassiness and constipation and more. You and your baby deserve to have a professional on your team to help tease out the WHY behind the tummy time struggle and help you make a plan to help baby get more comfortable in the position. So keep on wearing those babies but also get them on the floor!

Take a look at the venn diagram below for a great comparison!