If your baby cries within moments of being put on their tummy, you are not alone, and you are not doing anything wrong. In our house, tummy time started with great intentions and ended, most days, with a red face, a wobbly bottom lip and a baby picked up again after less than a minute. I felt worried and guilty, as if everyone else’s baby was happily lifting their head while mine just protested.
It feels especially hard when you have read how important tummy time is. You put your baby down to help them, they cry straight away, and you worry twice over: once because they are upset, and once about what it means for their development. Please take a breath. A baby who dislikes tummy time at first is very, very common.
The good news is that tummy time does not have to be long or perfect to be useful. What worked for us was making it smaller, shorter and more fun, and building up slowly in our baby’s own time.
Quick Answer
If your baby is not interested in tummy time, start tiny and keep it happy. Try just 30 seconds to a minute at a time, several times a day, when your baby is awake, fed, rested and content. Get down face-to-face with them, or try chest-to-chest or across your lap instead of the floor. Add something interesting to look at, stop before your baby gets distressed, and build up gradually.
Why Many Babies Dislike Tummy Time at First
Imagine being placed somewhere new, where everything feels like hard work. That is tummy time for a young baby. It asks a lot of their neck, shoulders, arms and back all at once, and those muscles are still brand new. Lifting a heavy little head, even for a few seconds, is genuinely tiring.
The view is different down there, too. On their back or in your arms, your baby can see faces, lights and movement easily. On their tummy, at first, they mostly see the mat. A full tummy, a wet nappy or tiredness can then turn a short try into instant tears. None of this means your baby will always hate it. For most babies, as they get stronger, the protests get shorter and the happy moments get longer.
How Much Tummy Time to Aim For
Do not think in terms of one big daily session. Think in sprinkles. A minute here, two minutes there, spread across the day, all add up and give your baby useful practice.
As a gentle guide, many parents slowly work towards roughly 15 to 30 minutes in total across the whole day by around 3 to 4 months. Hold that number loosely. Some babies get there sooner, some take longer, and both can be completely normal. Your baby’s own pace matters far more than any chart.
In our house, counting total minutes took the pressure off. Four happy two-minute tries felt like a win, because they were. If your baby manages only 30 seconds at first, that still counts.
How to Make Tummy Time Easier, Step by Step
Step 1: Pick the Right Moment
Timing makes a bigger difference than any toy. Choose a moment when your baby is awake, was fed a little while ago, has a clean nappy and seems calm. Avoid trying straight after a feed, when a full tummy pressed into the floor can feel uncomfortable, and avoid the tired end-of-day stretch.
Step 2: Get Down Face-to-Face
Your face is your baby’s favourite thing to look at, so use it. Lie on the floor in front of them, close enough that they can see you clearly, and talk, sing and smile. Pulling silly faces is absolutely allowed. When our baby started to grumble, getting my face right down at her level often bought us another happy half minute, and those half minutes are how it builds.
Step 3: Try Chest-to-Chest
The floor is not the only place tummy time can happen. Recline comfortably against cushions, with your back well supported, and lie your awake baby tummy-down on your chest. They get the same chance to practise lifting their head, with the comfort of being held close and your face right there. This counted a lot in our early weeks. If your baby loves being in your arms, our experience in what helped when our baby only wanted to sleep in my arms may reassure you too.
Step 4: Try Across Your Lap
Another gentle option is to lay your baby tummy-down across your lap while you sit with both feet flat on the floor. A hand on their back can help them feel secure, and a gentle pat sometimes settles the protests. Some babies who refuse the floor will accept a lap. It all counts as practice.
Step 5: Use a Small Rolled Towel
For floor time, try a small, firmly rolled towel under your baby’s chest, with their arms brought forward over the roll. This little lift can make it slightly easier to raise their head and see what is going on. Stay right there the whole time, keep the roll small and firm rather than big and squashy, and remove it if your baby slips or seems uncomfortable.
Step 6: Give Them Something Interesting to Look At
A better view is a great motivator. Try a baby-safe mirror propped safely in front of your baby, bold black-and-white pattern cards, or a soft toy placed just where they can see it. Your face, of course, beats everything. As your baby gets stronger, place a toy slightly to one side to encourage turning and reaching. For more floor ideas, our list of simple sensory play ideas you can try at home has plenty that work at tummy-time level.
Step 7: Keep It Short and Often
This step changed everything for us. Instead of one long session, we did lots of tiny ones. Thirty seconds of happy tummy time, finished while things were still going well, taught our baby the position was safe and even fun. Then we did it again later.
Step 8: Try Different Safe Surfaces
Tummy time belongs on a firm, flat surface, but that surface can vary. A play mat on the floor, a firm mat in another room, or simply a change of view can make the same position feel new again. Just keep the surface firm and flat every time, and never use a sofa, bed or other soft, uneven surface.
Step 9: Follow Your Baby’s Lead
End the session while it is still going well, or as soon as your baby shows they have had enough. A few grizzles while they work hard are different from real distress. If your baby is crying hard or clearly miserable, pick them up, have a cuddle, and try again later. Babies often practise new skills in bursts, and development rarely moves in a straight line, as our article on sleep regressions at 4, 8 and 12 months also discusses.
Tummy Time Safety Basics
A few simple rules keep tummy time safe. Tummy time is only for when your baby is awake and you are right there watching. Always use a firm, flat surface, and keep pillows and loose blankets out of the way while your baby practises.
Most importantly, tummy time is never for sleep. Babies should always be put down to sleep on their backs, in their own clear, flat sleep space. If your baby falls asleep during tummy time, move them onto their back in their cot or Moses basket. Never prop your baby up and walk away, even for a moment.
Mistakes to Avoid
- Forcing long sessions while your baby is crying hard. Short and happy beats long and miserable every time.
- Trying when your baby is hungry, very sleepy or has just been fed.
- Propping your baby up with towels or cushions and walking away. Tummy time always needs you right there.
- Relying on baby walkers, bouncers and container seats instead of floor time. These are not tummy-time replacements.
- Comparing your baby with another baby. Babies build strength at very different speeds.
- Giving up completely after a few hard days. Tiny tries, repeated gently, really do add up.
When to Ask for Help
Most babies who dislike tummy time simply need time, patience and lots of small chances to practise. But you know your baby better than anyone, and if something feels off, asking early is a strength, not a failure. Please do not wait and worry alone.
Chat to your health visitor or GP if your baby is not lifting their head at all by about 3 to 4 months, if your baby strongly prefers turning their head to one side only, or if you are worried about a flat spot on their head. The same goes for any general worries about milestones or movement. They can check your baby over, reassure you if all is well, and point you to extra support if it would help.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should tummy time last for a newborn?
For a newborn, just 30 seconds to a minute at a time is plenty. Do it a few times a day when your baby is awake and content, and build up slowly as they get stronger. Chest-to-chest time on you counts too, and many newborns find that the easiest place to begin.
What if my baby cries every single time?
First, check the basics: is your baby hungry, tired, too full or needing a nappy change? Then try a different version, such as chest-to-chest or across your lap, make the session even shorter, and get your face close to theirs. If the crying continues and you are worried, mention it to your health visitor.
Does tummy time on my chest really count?
Yes, it does. Lying tummy-down on your chest while awake gives your baby practice lifting and turning their head, with the bonus of being close to you. It is a lovely starting point for babies who dislike the floor. As your baby grows stronger, add more floor time on a firm, flat mat alongside it.
Can tummy time replace other floor play?
No. Tummy time is one part of floor play, not a replacement for all of it. Babies also need free time on their backs to kick and reach for toys, and plenty of cuddles and chat with you. A mix of positions across the day gives your baby a good variety of practice.
This article shares general information and personal experience only and is not medical advice. If you are worried about your baby’s development, please speak to your doctor or health visitor. Read more in our full disclaimer.