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Expert Q&A:
How can I do tummy time with a 3-month-old who won't stop screaming?

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Stephen Muething
Answered by Stephen Muething M.D.
Meet our authors
"I love being a pediatrician," says Stephen Muething, medical director of the Pampers Parenting Network. "Through my special role, I get to partner with families in the very important job of helping children develop and grow. My task is to help parents raise their children to be as healthy, happy, and successful as they can be." 

Dr. Muething received his B.S. degree from the University of Notre Dame and his medical degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. After completing his pediatric residency and chief residency at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, he served as the lead physician of a five-pediatrician practice in Southeast Indiana for 13 years.

Dr. Muething is currently the associate director in the Division of General Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, leading a team that performs more than 60,000 primary care visits and cares for more than 3,500 inpatients annually. He is also the director of the Diagnostic Clinic for Cincinnati Children's Hospital. Since 2001, Dr. Muething has served as one of the key physicians in the Pursuing Perfection initiative at Cincinnati Children's, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in conjunction with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. Dr. Muething is now a graduate of the Advanced Training Program in Healthcare Delivery Improvement at Intermountain Health Care in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Dr. Muething has been a co-leader for the Acute Care Team at Cincinnati Children's, which has focused on designing an evidence-based, family-centered care system for children in the Cincinnati area. Results of the work have been presented at the annual meetings of the National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions (NACHRI), the National Initiative for Children's Healthcare Quality (NICHQ), the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), and the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS).

As "Dr. Steve," Dr. Muething hosts two radio programs for families in the Cincinnati area and is the pediatric consultant for The Health Show, a nationally syndicated radio show. Other community activities include serving as moderator for the "Centering on Families: Tools for Practical Parenting" series at the Cincinnati Museum Center.

Family life is central for Dr. Muething and his wife, Meg, both of whom were raised in large families. They have four children—ranging from elementary school age to college graduate—and more than 40 nieces and nephews.
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Question


Making sure that your 3-month-old spends time on her tummy every day is exactly the right thing to do. Unfortunately, your daughter, like many babies, does not agree. Your pediatrician's suggestion to start with a short period of time is an excellent one. You can even start with just one minute at a time and build up from there.

Answer


Making sure that your 3-month-old spends time on her tummy every day is exactly the right thing to do. Unfortunately, your daughter, like many babies, does not agree. Your pediatrician's suggestion to start with a short period of time is an excellent one. You can even start with just one minute at a time and build up from there.



I do have one other suggestion. Already your daughter's favorite thing in the world is you. She loves to look at you and listen to you. When it's time to lay her on her tummy, get down on the floor with her, lying down in front of her so that she can see you and hear you. Soon, she will start to associate "tummy time" with Mom time, and it will be more fun for her.



Tummy time is important for your daughter. It helps develop muscle strength in the arms, back, and chest and also helps maintain a rounded head shape. (Now that babies sleep on their back, some infants develop flattening on the back of their head.) For both of these reasons, I am glad that you're helping your daughter learn to how to do tummy time. Good luck, and enjoy your time on the floor too!

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