Tummy time: when to start, how much, and how to make it work
In this article
Tummy time is time your baby spends lying on the front while awake, with you watching. HealthHub says it builds the neck and back strength your baby needs to push up and eventually roll over. Singapore's activity guidelines for infants ask for at least 30 minutes of tummy time a day, built up from a few minutes at a time. It is for play only, never for sleep.
| What it is | Awake, supervised time lying on the tummy |
|---|---|
| Start | From the day you bring your baby home (AAP) |
| First sessions | 3 to 5 minutes, 2 to 3 times a day (AAP) |
| Daily goal | At least 30 minutes, spread out (Singapore guidelines) |
| Sleep | Always on the back, never the tummy |
What tummy time does for your baby
Babies spend a lot of time on their backs, which is the right way to sleep. Tummy time balances that out. HealthHub says it helps your baby build strength in the neck and back muscles, so they can straighten the elbows and later flip over. The AAP says it builds the muscles and skills babies need for milestones like sliding on the belly and crawling.
Tummy time can help with head shape as well, since SingHealth's advice on flat head syndrome is to put your baby on the tummy for supervised tummy time when awake, and to take your baby out of the pram or car seat when you are not travelling. Our newborn head shape guide explains flat spots in more detail.
When to start and how much tummy time
You can start early. The AAP says you can begin the day your baby comes home from hospital, with short sessions of 3 to 5 minutes, 2 to 3 times a day, and work up to 15 to 30 minutes a day by 7 weeks.
The Singapore Integrated 24-Hour Activity Guidelines for Early Childhood, drawn up by a KKH-led team and launched in 2022, ask for at least 30 minutes of tummy time a day for babies under one year. HealthHub says babies from 4 to 6 weeks old should get at least 30 minutes a day of supervised floor play, and tummy time counts toward it. The WHO gives the same 30 minutes for babies who cannot move around yet.
Many babies here get less. A KKH-led survey of parents found that 40 percent of infants got only half the recommended tummy time, about 15 minutes a day.
How to do tummy time
HealthHub suggests a firm, clean mat or mattress with no soft toys or cushions around. Place your baby tummy down with the arms in front, forming a triangle, and watch that the face is turned to one side.
The AAP's ideas for making it easier:
- Try it after a nappy change or when your baby wakes from a nap.
- Lie on your back with your baby on your chest. They will lift the head to see your face.
- Put yourself or a toy just out of reach, or toys in a circle around your baby.
- Let an older sibling play on the floor with your baby while you keep watch.
Some babies protest at first. The AAP says to stay close or put a toy within reach, and most babies come to enjoy it.
Tummy for play, back for sleep
Tummy time only happens when your baby is awake and someone is watching. For sleep, the rule flips. KKH says babies should sleep in their own cot on their back and never on the tummy, because of the higher risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). The AAP says to place babies on their backs for every sleep, even short naps, so if your baby nods off on the mat, move them to the cot on their back.
When your baby starts to roll, see swaddling for why the wrap has to go.
Frequently asked questions
When should I start tummy time with a newborn?
The AAP says you can start the day you bring your baby home, with a few minutes at a time. HealthHub's 30-minute daily target applies from about 4 to 6 weeks.
How long should tummy time be?
Start with 3 to 5 minutes, 2 to 3 times a day, the AAP says. Build up to at least 30 minutes a day in total, which is what Singapore's guidelines and the WHO recommend for babies under one.
My baby cries during tummy time. What can I do?
Keep sessions short and get down to your baby's level. The AAP suggests lying back with your baby on your chest, which counts as tummy time, and putting yourself or a toy within reach.
Can tummy time prevent a flat head?
It helps. SingHealth advises supervised tummy time and less time in prams and car seats. The AAP says a flat spot from back sleeping usually rounds out as babies grow and sit up.
Related terms
- Swaddling: Wrapping a newborn snugly in a thin cloth to calm the startle reflex. Always on the back, loose at the hips.
- Rooting and Moro Reflexes: Two automatic newborn movements: the Moro startle, with arms flung out, and rooting, turning toward a touch on the cheek.
- Fontanelle (Soft Spot): A soft, membrane-covered gap between a baby's skull bones. The one on top usually closes by 12 to 18 months.
- Neonate (Newborn): The medical word for a newborn baby in the first 28 days of life.
- Growth Percentile: How your baby's weight, length or head size compares with children of the same age, as plotted on a growth chart.
- AAP (HealthyChildren.org) - Back to Sleep, Tummy to Play (read 9 November 2026)
- HealthHub - The Beginner's Guide to Taking Care of Your Baby (0 to 6 Months) (read 9 November 2026)
- SingHealth (KKH) - Singapore Integrated 24-Hour Activity Guidelines for children under seven years launched (read 9 November 2026)
- WHO - To grow up healthy, children need to sit less and play more (read 9 November 2026)
- HealthXchange (SingHealth) - Flat Head Syndrome: How to Mend It (read 9 November 2026)
- KKH (via SingHealth) - Caring for Your Newborn Baby (read 9 November 2026)
