Tummy Time
In 1994, when the AAP changed their directives to recommended back-sleeping for infants, it literally changed the way most American babies viewed the world. After decades, maybe centuries, on their stomachs, babies were now spending most of their time face-up. Leave it to child care experts to start worrying over how this might adversely affect early childhood development. Sudden, urgent concerns surfaced that if babies didn't spend some time each day on their stomachs they might be slow in crawling, perhaps even walking.
BabyCenter® and Dr. Greene are adamant that tummy time is vital for proper muscle development. The more laissez-faire Dr. Cohen feels that infants don't need a workout regimen. The experts at iVillage agree with Cohen here, contending that as long as a child has plenty of parental love and attention — as well as the opportunity to experiment with new movements on a regular basis — you needn't worry that your baby will remain immobile for very long; necessary motor skills will develop, with or without tummy time.
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