Why You Should Put The Baby Face Down During The Day

It has been pointed out for many years that it is important to lay babies on their backs to avoid sudden infant death. But there are also several reasons why you should put your baby face down during the day.

We’ll give you three compelling reasons, and also add some helpful tips.

Why you should lay your baby face down during the day

Development of motor functions

Spending plenty of time on your stomach helps your baby develop balance as well as visual and auditory skills.

It also helps to strengthen muscles in the head, neck, shoulders and back.

During the first months of life , babies must learn to move and master the body  in order to learn to turn, sit and crawl.

But if the child spends too much time in highchairs or other places that restrict mobility, it will not be as easy to do so. In addition, a baby who spends all his time on his back only sees the roof and things to the sides.

Children who are instead laid face down can start to raise their heads and look around.

2. Normal head movement

Due to publicity campaigns aimed at preventing the sudden death of infants , more and more children have started to develop plagiocephaly, or skewed skull deformity.

What is it? Because babies do not have fully grown bones in the skull – something that helps them withstand minor trauma – their heads can be deformed if they remain in the same position for a long time.

Babies tend to spend too much time sleeping on their backs, in chairs or the like. It causes the back of the head to flatten. It is therefore important that a baby spends enough time on his stomach, face down, during the day.

3. Development of social skills

Another reason to put your child face down during the day has to do with social skills. It is a way to develop socio-emotional skills, problem solving, learning and adaptation.

When the baby is on its stomach , she stays alert and perceives the world around her in a better way. Thus, she remains in a state where she is constantly stimulated while interacting with her surroundings.

Ways to lay your baby face down

If you do not know how to get your baby to spend more time on his stomach or if he does not seem to like the position, you can follow these practical tips:

From 0 to 2 months

Try laying the baby face down on a blanket. If you see that he can not raise his head, you can put your hand on his lumbar spine and gently push down a little. If he still can not raise his head, you can put a rolled up towel under his chest or on top of his legs.

Another good option is to place the baby on your breast. That way, he will feel safer and more motivated to raise his head to look at you.

From 0 to 5 months

Since his back and neck have already been strengthened , he can raise himself with his forearms. You can spend time with your baby with the help of toys and mirrors to further stimulate movement.

Now he can interact with his surroundings at eye level. He will get much more stimuli and learn to respond to it. When your baby gains more strength, he will begin to try to push himself forward and stretch his arms. It is preparation for sitting and crawling.

Laying a baby face down helps strengthen his head, neck, shoulders and back muscles.

From 6 to 9 months

Now that your baby has more strength , you can play games like the “airplane”, where you lift and just hold her at the waist. Another option is to support your baby with bent legs and move her up and down.

As a result, strength develops throughout the body. It gives him the opportunity to crawl and explore with better skill.

Remember that you have to be consistent to see results.