Start from day one home. Not at six weeks, not once the umbilical stump falls off — as soon as you are settled at home, with a fully awake, supervised baby.
This surprises most parents, but the reasoning is straightforward: tummy time builds neck, shoulder and upper-back strength that everything else depends on, and it counteracts the flat-head pressure that comes from babies correctly sleeping on their backs. Starting early also means your baby never learns that the position is unfamiliar.
The progression:
| Age | Target | |---|---| | Week 1-2 | 1-2 minutes, 2-3 times a day | | Week 3-6 | 3-5 minutes, 3-4 times a day | | 2 months | 10-15 minutes total across the day | | 3 months | 15-30 minutes total, several short sessions | | 4-6 months | 30+ minutes total, often self-sustaining as they start to enjoy it |
Total daily time matters more than how long any one session lasts. Six five-minute sessions beat one thirty-minute struggle.
Where to do it. A firm, flat surface — a play mat or a blanket on the floor. Not a sofa, not a bed; soft surfaces make lifting harder and are less safe. Chest-to-chest on your own body counts, and is often the best starting point for a baby who hates the floor.
When to do it. After a nappy change works well as a routine anchor. Avoid straight after a feed — pressure on a full stomach invites spit-up. Wait 20 to 30 minutes. Always during a calm-alert window, never when overtired.
If it goes badly:
- Roll a small towel under the chest and armpits to prop them up slightly. This dramatically reduces the effort required.
- Get down at their level, face to face. Your face is the strongest motivator there is.
- Prop a high-contrast card in front and slightly above their eyeline to give them a reason to lift.
- Shorten the session. Thirty seconds that ends calmly beats three minutes that ends screaming.
- Try again later. Resistance on one attempt means nothing.
Talk to your pediatrician if your baby cannot lift their head at all by around three months, consistently turns their head to only one side, feels unusually stiff or unusually floppy, or if you notice persistent flattening on one part of the skull.