Tummy time is supervised time a baby spends on their front while awake, which builds the neck, shoulder and core strength for rolling, sitting and crawling.
You can start from day one with a few minutes a few times a day — on your chest counts — building up as your baby gets stronger. It also helps prevent flat spots on the head. Always supervised, always awake: babies should still be placed on their back to sleep.
Aim to build toward about an hour a day in short bursts by around 3 months.
A few gentle minutes on the tummy each day builds the strong neck, shoulders and head shape your baby needs to grow.
In these first weeks your baby is learning to find your face, lift their head and share that first real smile — and there's a wide, healthy range for all of it.
General information, not medical advice. For concerns about your child, talk with your doctor or child-health nurse.