You will be already familiar with the key messages and the main topics covered in INFANT – healthy eating, active play and healthy, happy families (parent information). Next, the INFANT team will provide an update on new research and Frequently Asked Questions related to the seven key messages that are contextualised to the needs of parents and their child within each age-appropriate session.
Quick tip: A summary of the key messages is provided in the MBN app and also the online parent handouts for the 3, 6, 9 and 12 month sessions – these resources are suitable to print as handouts.
FAQ from parents during INFANT groups
Here are some common questions asked by parents attending INFANT groups. Read the INFANT team’s suggested response to parents during an INFANT group and ideas for further resources. The INFANT team has also answered more FAQs related to feeding, healthy eating and active play on the My Baby Now app.
Drawing on parents’ experiences
You can also draw on the experience and ideas from parents to help to answer tricky questions – e.g. discussing tricky questions as a group discussion to elicit tips and suggestions of other parents. Below, we’ve also included some ideas for further group discussion on each topic.
Q1: As a parent, what should I do if I have concerns about a food allergy or food intolerance?
ANSWER for group:
- Food allergy involves an immune-system reaction whereas food intolerance results in a chemical reaction to food that’s otherwise harmless. While the symptoms of allergy and intolerance can be similar, symptoms related to food allergy typically present quickly, while food intolerance may take 12- 24 hours to develop. Professional advice from a qualified professional is important to effectively diagnosis and manage food allergy or intolerance. If a parent is concerned about food allergy or intolerance, advise them the stop offering that food and to seek advice from a GP, Accredited Practising Dietitian or food allergy specialist.
Useful resources:
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- See the My Baby Now app ‘avoiding allergies’ section.
- ‘Food allergies and intolerance’, Better Health Channel
Further group discussion question:
- Has anyone else sought advice from a health professional regarding a food allergy or intolerance?
Q2: What’s the latest advice on commercial baby food pouches?
ANSWER for group:
- Some parents find food pouches are an easy option, but they come with some disadvantages compared to fresh snacks like a ready-to-eat banana or avocado. While babies start with smooth, pureed foods at around six months, progressing onto mashed foods with soft lumps by around seven months of age is developmentally important for most babies (NHMRC, 2012). This is also a time of food exploration, so parents should offer different foods for young children to smell, taste and touch. An over-reliance on pureed foods including food pouches that only encourage sucking may limit a young child’s acceptance of different textures and tastes. It may also limit self-feeding skills with their hands, fingers and spoons as they develop.
- There are also additional costs associated with food pouches when comparing the cost per kilo. e.g. fresh bananas approx. $4/kg, compared to one banana-flavoured pouch of food approx. $2 for 1 x120g pouch. This means the cost per kilo for pouches is approx. $32/kg – around 8 x the price per kilo for fresh bananas. The environmental costs also favour fresh foods, including no leftover rubbish that comes with pouches. While you can recycle baby food pouches as soft plastics, it takes a lot more resources compared to fruit skins in the compost.
Useful resources:
- My Baby Now app article on ‘packaged baby food’ in the ‘solids’ topic. MBN also has ideas on simple snacks for parents on-the-go.
- NHMRC Infant Feeding Guidelines 2012
- ‘‘Kids are sweet enough” campaign for parents about sugars in toddler foods, developed by the Obesity Policy Coalition (OPC), with resources for parents including a short video.
- The Royal Children’s Hospital National Child Health Poll (April 2022) found that 9 out of 10 parents want better regulations for baby and toddler foods such as food pouches. Further details on the OPC website
Further group discussion question:
- What are some other healthy snacks that your baby enjoys when you’re outdoors or on the go?
Q3: What are some practical ways to follow the “no screen time” recommendations for young children?
ANSWER for group:
- The Australian 24-hour movement guidelines recommend no screen time for young children under 2 years, and no more than 1 hour per day for those aged 2 – 5 years. The guidelines aim to minimise screen time in the first years of life as they are growing rapidly, and do not include interacting online with family and friends.
- Busy parents may be looking for helpful ways to entertain their baby at busy times like preparing meals or making phone calls. Tips include – giving baby a special toy that only comes out occasionally or playing music without a video or screen.
Useful resources:
- Check out the INFANT blog on mindful screen time with your baby.
- Refer to the My Baby Now app and INFANT facilitator’s guide for ideas on engaging babies without using screen-based device. Note: MBN app is designed for parents’ to view, not to show their babies!
- Australian 24-hour movement guidelines for infants, toddlers and preschoolers (birth to 5 years).
Further group discussion question:
- What are some ways that you entertain your baby without a using screen device?
New evidence
- Being active: growing evidence to support the importance of tummy time in a baby’s growth and development – research article by Carson et al. (2022).
- Vegetable consumption: best practice guidelines and resources on increasing vegetable intake – CSIRO VegKit: Increasing Australian Children’s Vegetable Consumption.
Your task
Watch the video update from the INFANT team’s Professor Kylie Hesketh on the value of tummy time. Submit a comment about talking about tummy time with parents – have you heard any common questions or helpful tips on tummy time from parents?
Read the comments from others and the INFANT team. Click the ‘mark complete’ button once you’re ready, then select ‘next lesson’ for the next step.
Its good to have a guideline of a time frame to achieve across the day, I think this will be helpful for parents and it was good to hear about latest findings re increased tummy time and meeting developmental milestones
I discuss tummy time at 3 month session, and Physio comes to 6 month session and reinforces information consistent with the info in the video, short bursts of tummy time adding up over the day, use of toys/face-to-face contact with parent to make it interesting, on mum’s tummy etc. This 6 month session with Physio is also a good time to discuss development of other motor skills and for mum’s to discuss any concerns they may have around return to exercise etc. I have found that generally this session has been reassuring for parents when Physio reminds them not to compare their bub to others in the group, and enables easy referral if required.
it is great to frequently see parents on the floor with their babies using tummy time whilst we are delivering our sessions. Confirms the message is being heard.
Tummy Time is embedded in practice from the HV, so nothing new in video or surprises with research. Important though for physical development, prevention of plagiocephaly and encouraging engagement of parental relationship / play.
FAQ’s great, thank you. Discussion around importance of tummy time is embedded in our practice and is a conversation I have with families from the home visit, starting with short regular bursts and increasing as tolerated, aiming for the 30min/day. Parents need to know what they are aiming for. Giving helpful strategies for increasing tolerence for tummy time also core business
Tummy time video had no new information it is an area we discuss from HV and the importance of same. I say every nappy change flip them over and give them 5 or 10 minutes it will soon add up to the 30 minutes. As baby gains strength and does not cry every time tummy time can be increased with floor activity
The importance of tummy time is something I talk to parents about from their HV appointment and then at every appointment. Emphasis is placed on the importance on doing this to help them reach their developmental milestones. Also talk about the importance of getting down on the floor with floor and talking to and playing with your baby
A question many parents ask is how long do I have to do tummy time for?
It is great to have the 30 minute guideline and to discuss that this could be broken down in to 10 x 3minutes over the day. I commonly discuss this with parents and also emphasize that it more beneficial to have positive short frequent tummy time episodes which will naturally extend as the baby gets used to the position.
I know that it is ingrained into us as MCHN to encourage tummy time but to give some hard and fast evidence to parents might help them to support their reluctant tummy timer to have that 30 mins each day
We also encourage tummy time in relation to feeding – inviting parents to use tummy time as a helpful way for babies to move wind through their gut
I try to encourage tummy time early. Most babies like tummy time if started early and if it is kept up they become used to it nd much more confident and skilled on their tummy. I talk about little bit often as most parents aren’t doing enough
I feel like the information in the video is not new news. I am constantly talking about the importance of tummy time with clients, and regularly checking in as to how often they are doing it. We often cover time on the chest and then the importance of time on a flat surface on the development of these muscles as gravity makes it a little harder. We also always talk about tummy time being the first step in a gross motor development and how everything progresses from here.
I often find it easiest to ease a baby that dislikes tummy time by introducing short bursts with each nappy change and a bit of a massage on the back and then encouraging them to slowly increase the time from there.
Reminding parents that every time they change the nappy to offer tummy time as part of this routine as well as other moments in the day assists with them easily achieving 30 minutes per day.
Tummy time is something a lot of parents struggle with, its good to have a guideline of time frame to achieve across the day.
I’m not surprised with the findings based around more tummy time = advanced gross motor skills and being active compared to lying on their backs. As infants tummy time on parents chest is a fabulous start, transition to a harder surface and having a black and white book in front helps. Bright colours after approx 10-12 weeks and inclined if they don’t like it eg a fit ball, rolled up towel. Floor play is a good time to be together with their babies.
Was good to hear about the relationship between increased tummy time and meeting developmental milestones.
Many parents say the babies prefer tummy time if they recline and they do it with the baby on their chest. I think the frequent short bursts is the best way to get babies used to it with some interaction from the caregiver or a sibling. Being able to say 30 min of added up time over the day being the goal seems to feel achievable to most people.
I always promote tummy time as being one of the best activities you can do with your baby to encourage development. So many parents think their baby doesn’t like it so then I teach them tummy time by stealth! All the other ways to get your baby on their tummy such as in the bath, carried over your arm, on your chest, on an exercise ball rocked back and forth, over a mirror etc. Thanks for all those great resources too.
Like an earlier comment, I get the parents to start at the very beginning, every time they change the nappy.
I always talk about tummy time at each visit, starting from the Home Visit and find many parents are surprised when advised they can start it straight away and we talk about strengthening the muscles for development. We talk about different positions when baby is not enjoying tummy time such as on their chest, lap and floor. Carrying them over their arm face down so they look up and seeing a different view of the world.
I encourage the parents to get down on the floor with them, talk and sing with them, read a book, place toys or mirrors in front of them to give them something stimulating to look at and look up. I have not done an INFANT session but at my New Parent Groups, I encourage parents to put their babies on the floor and talk about them looking around at the other babies which they are interested in. I also think it is important to advice them to put them on their tummy any chance they get to help them become used to this and stronger for their gross motor development.
The encouragement of tummy time and play on the floor has always been a focus of my practice, so too the preparation of freshly prepared foods especially vegetables and the avoidance of any pre- prepared foods in a jar, tin or pouch.
‘Nip Allergies in the Bub’ is another great resource to refer parents to regarding allergies https://preventallergies.org.au/
Yes, I have been sending out the Nip Allergies in the Bub PDF’s with ideas on how to include the allergens at different ages.
Lots of parents tell us their baby does not like tummy time. We look at options to make it more tolerable and explain that they just need to do it more, not less, when they don’t like it. I often suggest that baby goes onto their tummy on the floor or in the cot after every nappy change. By the time parents dispose of the nappy and wash their hands, baby may have had enough but this adds up over the day and if it becomes a habit its easy to achieve.
Very helpful tips
I find that in each 3 month group there is usually a baby who loves tummy time and one who really doesn’t like it at all. Usually by the 6 month session, parents report their baby is able to happily tolerate tummy time. It’s great to see some parents walk into a session and put their rug and baby on the floor right away, I use this as a talking point to say that I can already see some great ‘active play’ being supported.
Great to have some further links / information related to the FAQs.
Talking about ways to support babies who don’t like tummy time is a topic I discuss regularly, using the already mentioned strategies. Involving siblings is helpful.
It’s great to have some recent evidence that backs up the benefits of our recommendations.
I always make an effort to speak to parents about tummy time from a very early age emphasing then about protecting the baby’s head shape. When parent’s speak about their baby disliking tummy time I am happy to offer suggestions like rolling up a hand towel under their chest region, lying them over the parent’s leg, putting something bright in front of the baby like even an orange or providing tummy time in a warm environment after a bath on their towel.
I can understand why some babies do not like tummy time when placed on floor with no people, toys, mirrors etc to play with.
Parents need to know benefits of floor time particularly in meeting developmental milestones and also that several short episodes easily add up to recommended 30 mins per day.
A couple of simple suggestions for tummy time are when you change a nappy turn baby onto their tummy and massage their back. Another suggestion is with the use of a fit ball. Great for their vestibular development also.
Yes I too use these ideas – they’re great and add minutes many times a day
Appreciate section on FAQ’s and sample answers – especially regarding commercial baby food pouches.
A client shared a good tip for promoting tummy time – she places her baby on the floor watching his big brothers trains going around the track – while she supervises .
We get the parents to bring a mat and we all sit on the floor with the babies at every session – most parents put their baby on their tummy for at least part of the session and we strongly encourage this. I always encourage tummy time from birth and suggest starting on the parent chest and then, if full tummy time is not tolerated, moving to over their leg or a rolled up towel while being on the floor with them and building up to full tummy time.
I wont be running the sessions but will likely to attend the first session as observation, the info on how tummy times assists with development will be very useful in conversation as well as some anecdotes of what ahs worked with others
So many say they are not doing tummy time as they hate it!! I am most days talking about ways to encourage tummy time and about getting on floor with them, massaging down back while on tummy and using mirrors.
Also suggest trying doing tummy time in different rooms with different views as well as outside.
Screen time is always a big topic esp when manufacturers have added adaption to prams, cots, car seats for screens. parents are torn between wanting the “educational” programs and “other” screen time.
Also the cost of convenient baby food like pouches and the amount of sugar they contain is a hot topic.
The most common question or comment I get asked is: My baby hates tummy time!
It’s always a great opportunity to discuss the different ways you can do tummy time and talk about building up from small periods to longer periods.
How do you know when the infant is ready for tummy time or tummy time is appropriate at their development stage?
INFANT team response: Great question Elizabeth! It’s a good idea to start tummy time every day, soon after baby is born. At first, it might only be about 30 seconds but over time and with practice, a baby should be able to have longer periods of 5 – 10 mins that add up to 30min over the whole day. Babies who cannot yet hold their head up easily should be closely supervised. More info & tips for parents on the My Baby Now app, under the ‘play’ topic.