I was happy to see Anya trying hard to turn on her side again and again.  This shows that she wants to be on her tummy.  This is a natural desire among the young and they will try to do this on their own.  Anya was unsuccessful and mom, Aie, continued to give her all the practice opportunities until she succeeded (and succeed she does!). Anya was around 2 1/2 months old at this time while she was practicing.  (See video) Anya tries to turn

Tummy time is a position when the infant is not on her back but on her stomach.  This is done when the child is awake.   It is imperative that this is done under close adult supervision.

Tummy time helps the child develop and refine motor skills.  This is necessary to prepare the child to eventually move about and successfully explore her environment.  It gives the child a different perspective of her surroundings and this greatly contributes to learning.  It helps strengthen her shoulder and arm muscles which are used for activities involving the hand. Some studies say that it helps prevent the occurrence of Sudden Infant Death (SID) Syndrome.

Start tummy time as soon as you go home from the hospital.  Do this for short periods of time about 3 to 4 times a day.  

There are other “preparations” that can be done to support tummy time.

• From birth to about 3 months old, the infant’s neck muscles that support the head has not fully developed yet.  Here, you can lay your infant on your shoulder and chest.  Make sure that the head is tilted sideways so that he can breathe well.  In the photo, Angelo places Anya, who at that time was 2 weeks old, on his chest and shoulders so that she can burp the air she swallowed while feeding.  This position gives Anya some experience with being on her tummy.
• You can also use a bolster pillow or a rolled towel tucked on the infant’s side as she breastfeeds in bed.
• When her neck muscles become stronger, say at 1 month old, let her experience being on her tummy then flipping her on her back.  Initially, this will take just about a few seconds until she gets accustomed to being on the tummy.  Make sure to support her neck and head as she flips.
  

As Anya turned 3 months old, she is able to prop her head without difficulty.  This is because the neck muscles have myelinated or have matured enough to enable head support.  During this time, Anya is also able to turn and be on her tummy but is not yet able to return to her supine position or being on her back.  What we can do at this point is to gently guide her to flip to her back for a few times until she internalizes the movements involved in flipping on her tummy and then on her back.

In the video below, we see Anya successful in turning on her tummy on her own.  She is able to appreciate her surroundings from a perspective that is different from being on her back.  In a short time, Anya will find herself crawling to items around her that catches her interest.  This is exploration that leads to discovery that in turn results in joy.  It starts a cycle of joyful learning.

It is better to do tummy time on a really firm mat or even on the floor.  Don’t use a thin blanket or any loose sheeting material that can make the child slide as she tries to turn.  Also, it is better for the child to wear cloth panties when doing tummy time.  Just like the loose bedsheets, the thick disposable diapers can hinder movement and may lead to unnecessary frustration that may discourage the child from trying to turn on her tummy.

There are many helpful references for doing tummy time.  Here is a good one:

Establishing Tummy Time Routines to Enhance Your Baby’s Development

This article shares tips on how to do tummy time including frequency, helping the child get used to doing tummy time, making tummy time part of the family routine, using the activity to help in muscular development, making it a social activity, etc.   It even has a printable copy that can be posted to serve as a guide.