"New parents are told of the importance of babies sleeping on their backs to avoid SIDS, but they are not always informed about the importance of tummy time,"

"New parents are told of the importance of babies sleeping on their backs to avoid SIDS, but they are not always informed about the importance of tummy time," says American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) spokesperson Judy Towne Jennings, PT, MA. In addition, many babies spend a lot of time in one position as they are moved about in their car seat carriers. The result: Babies who do not spend enough awake time on their stomachs are at risk for delay in developmental milestones as well as orthopedic issues such as torticollis and skull deformation. The APTA offers suggestions to help avoid these issues in an article and a link to an informative brochure with photos of beneficial positions.