Originally Posted by
bunnyjess
Thank you everyone. I will read the article in a bit. I always give him lots of tummy time but have a feeling that at home he just gets carried about all day.
"he just gets carried about all day" that is not a bad thing. Carrying a baby all day is absolutely normal in many cultures, strapped on back or hip or front. Sometimes called 'babywearing', basically using a sling (not a high-street 'crotch-dangling' sling but a proper supportive sling where legs are in froggy-position, search babywearing if you are interested.) It strengthens neck and core muscles, it is a good thing. Some good reading here: Babes in Arms – The Benefits of Babywearing and excerpt here:
Another developmental advantage for which I was thankful was the replacement of prescribed tummy time with babywearing. Tummy time has become necessary with the institution of the Back to Sleep campaign. Babies now spend much of their days on their back on relatively hard surfaces – at night, in a crib or bassinet, or in a bed; during the day, in a pack and play, carseat and stroller. All of this time on their backs can lead to a flattening of the back of the head. It also leads to weaker neck muscles, as the baby never has a chance to exercise their neck lying on their back. Because of this, baby experts and health professionals now call for a prescribed amount of tummy time for baby each day, allowing baby to strengthen their neck and take the pressure off the back of their head for a while. Many babies (thought not all) dislike this. Luckily, babywearing doubles as tummy time, and if you’re wearing baby for an hour, or a number of hours, each day, she is receiving much more exercise for her neck and back than she would have during the prescribed amount of tummy time, and she is also kept off her back, warding off the flat head. When a baby is in a sling, especially once they are in an upright position, which is possible from birth and ideal from four or six months and up, their core muscles are constantly engaged as their parent moves and goes about their day. Though baby’s body is well-supported, safe and secure in the carrier, small shifts in their parent’s body position cause them to shift as well, in turn strengthening their muscles. They also lift their heads to see or to turn their head, which strengthens their neck in the same way tummy time would.
What is a problem is when baby is left lying on back, or reclining in a rocking/bouncy/vibrator chair for hours on end. Also leads to the flat head problem I see so often.
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