Biddy Belly - Making Tummy Time Fun!

The Back to Sleep Campaign was extremely successful in reducing the number of SIDS cases, however, it has had an unintended side effect: many parents now never put their babies on their tummy to play. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that infants sleep on their backs. The keywords here are "BACK TO SLEEP" and "TUMMY AWAKE", meaning place baby on his back to sleep but during his awake hours, ensure that he gets plenty of supervised Tummy Time throughout the day. Ensuring that baby spends minimal time in a container (stroller, swing, bouncer etc), plus the addition of supervised Tummy Time on the Biddy Belly when baby is AWAKE will reduce a baby's chances of developing plagiocephaly (flat head syndrome), which is clearly on the rise. In addition, regular supervised Tummy Time will help baby to develop strength and muscle coordination and will enhance his motor development. When baby is lying on his tummy and begins to push up on his hands, this weight bearing activity helps to develop the arches of his hand, which is very important for handwriting. Tummy Time allows baby an opportunity to practice skills that are precursors to crawling, such as reaching, pivoting and scooting.

Introducing the Biddy Belly, an innovative tummy time toy which is designed to promote optimal positioning during tummy time. Designed by a Physical Therapist and mom of three, Robin Tacchetti. All 3 of her children would resist tummy time, and as a result of limited tummy time, all three babies developed flat spots (plagiocephaly). With Robin's background as PT, she fully understood the importance of tummy time and knew that their had to be a better way to get babies to love tummy time. Together with consults from pediatricians, Robin designed a product which was not only optimally designed but also would make tummy time fun.

"The unique design of the Biddy Belly is what makes it functional from a physical therapy point of view. When I was creating it, I was trying to envision something that propped the baby up from a prone position, but yet put them in the same anatomical position they would be in if they weren't propped up."

Robin explained that the current toys on the market for 'tummy time' prop babies up, but they are not in a position to push themselves up further.

"For example, most of these products are half-moon shape props which raises the babies chest and puts their arms out in front of their heads. In this position they are raised up, but not in a position to lift themselves any higher or work any muscles. They are simply propped up, but aren't in a good position to utilize their arms muscles to extend up further."

Robin's goal was to design a product which raised the baby's chest but also allowed their arms to be in the same position they would be if they weren't propped up.

"The placement of the babies arms on the Biddy Belly allows them to extend their elbows working the muscles required to lift up. The Biddy Belly's slight incline under their chest and head allows for an easier lift up because they are already raised a bit, so they don't have to work quite as hard lifting their body weight against gravity. They simply need to use their arm muscles to extend themselves further up. "

The Biddy Belly offers a unique tummy time solution to babies who have been resisting tummy time. As Robin has explained above, the Biddy Belly has many innovative features which set is apart from the other tummy time products on the market. The Biddy Belly is in the form of a super cute giraffe, which will capture baby's attention. It is visually stimulating to entice little ones to explore further. The giraffe features a contrasting pattern throughout, which resembles the spots of a giraffe. The hoofs of the giraffe are bright and colorful, each in a different color. The giraffe's ears and are neck feature bright, bold colors to attract baby's attention. The neck of the giraffe features a reflective mirror for baby to gaze at himself. The Biddy Biddy provides baby with auditory stimulation, with its sqeak horn, rattle horn, and "crinkle nose" material. In addition, the giraffe has 2 removable toys attached to either side of its neck - a ring rattle and a set of toy keys, offering an opportunity to explore fine motor skills. Parents can simply switch out the toys on a regular basis, to provide baby with new opportunities to explore a variety of toys. The Biddy Belly is very lightweight, weighing in at under 1lb, making it very easy to transport from room to room.

The Biddy Belly features removable side bolsters to prevent baby from rolling off. As baby develops grows and developments more strength and control, the side bolsters can be removed to provide baby with additional room. The Biddy Belly is free of phthalates and passes the CPSCIA. The cover of the Biddy Belly is removable and washable, enabling parents to keep the Biddy Belly in tip top shape.

We distributed the Biddy Belly to a variety of babies in varying ages from a few weeks in age to 3 months of age. We specifically identified babies who resisted tummy time, to see how they would react to the Biddy Belly. All 3 babies in the play panel, were DELIGHTED when the Biddy Belly was brought into the room and when placed on the Biddy Belly, they were able to sustain the prone position for a record amount of time. The babies were captivated with the face of the giraffe and immediately began exploring the giraffe's face! Each set of parents were amazed, as they were very certain that their baby would cry after just a minute. The Biddy Belly was a success in our play panel and we know that your baby will love tummy time with the help of the Biddy Belly.


Tummy Time Tips

Begin tummy time soon after your baby is born. Start with a few minutes, working up to an hour a day (in split short sessions) by 3 months. In the early weeks, lay baby on your chest (parent laying down on a bed or couch, propped up), tummy to tummy, for skin to skin contact and to facilitate bonding. This will serve as a gentle introduction to tummy time, so that baby becomes used to being on his tummy from the beginning.

Link tummy time with activities of daily living (diapering, bathing, playing) e.g after every diaper change, place baby on his tummy for a few minutes. When tummy time is part of a routine, baby is more likely to enjoy it.

Make Tummy Time Fun Time! Get down onto baby's level and introduce toys to capture and sustain his attention. Use a mirror - babies love to look at themselves in a mirror.

Carrying position. When carrying baby around the house, carry him securely in a tummy down position instead of upright.


For further information about the Biddy Belly and for purchasing information, please visit www.BiddyBelly.com


Images copyrighted Biddy Belly.

Disclaimer: We did not receive any financial compensation for this review. Biddy Belly provided us with a sample for the purpose of this review.