In our previous Q&A post, we responded to a mother’s question about whether we recommend tummy time on a pillow for her 4-month-old. Our short answer was that we don’t think propping a baby on a pillow is particularly helpful for their movement development. What we encourage instead is supporting a baby to develop their midline and hands skills so they can spend time on their belly while engaged in play with an object.
We’ve since heard back from the parent, who sent new photos of their now 5-month-old engaged with toys on her belly and for contrast, propped on a pillow. We’re happy to share these photos as we believe they beautifully illustrate our points.
Here are the photos, lightly annotated.
Here’s the baby holding and exploring a toy with both hands and her mouth. She’s supporting weight in her arms while also developing articulation in her fingers and hands. This is one way that gross motor and fine motor skills are interdependent and can mutually support each other.
Here again, the baby is holding and exploring an object (two toys in this case) with her hands and mouth. She’s also engaging visually with her activity – a rich opportunity for motor, sensory and perceptual integration.
This photo shows the baby propped on a “boppy” pillow. Can you see how this position doesn’t provide the literal grounding for her to bear weight in her arms. It also makes it more difficult for her to hold and handle an object. Because she can’t do much here, it doesn’t support her sense of agency.
In this last photo (swoon), we see the baby beautifully organized around her midline, settled and comfortable on her belly, with all the skills she needs to be fully immersed in her chosen “science project.”
As we suggested in our previous post, it’s not simply about how high or how strong she is. It’s the whole package, including the baby’s own curiosity and engagement. This, we believe, is what lays a solid foundation for further development.
Comments? Questions? Please leave a comment below.
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