EDMONTON – Most parents know it’s safer to have babies sleep on their backs. Some studies, though, have suggested that may affect a certain developmental milestone: rolling. But the work of a University of Alberta researcher shows otherwise.
Johanna Darrah started studying infant movement in the early 90s, around the same time doctors started encouraging parents to put babies to bed on their backs to help prevent Sudden Infant Death syndrome. Since then, certain studies have shown babies have started rolling later because they’re spending too much time on their backs.
However, after Darrah compared recent data from 350 Canadian babies to her internationally-recognized results from 20 years ago, she found no difference.
Even though every infant is different when it comes to reaching developmental milestones, according to Darrah’s findings, there is one thing they all seem to have in common.
“The age of rolling hasn’t changed in 20 years,” she claims.
“On average, it was around seven months when babies rolled from their tummy to their back, and then about a week later, they’ll roll from their back to their tummy.”
Darrah adds that even though babies should be sleeping on their backs, parents are encouraged to practice what’s called “tummy time” to help with their children’s development. She explained that it’s normal for babies to not always enjoy it very much, and they don’t have to be there for very long.
“A couple minutes, make it fun,” she says. “Sometimes we’ll suggest that you start putting the baby on your stomach, so you lie down and put the baby, and then you have really good eye contact and they’re feeling happy because they’re close to you.”
Virginia Quist, whose four-month-old son Logan has been rolling onto his stomach for the last two months, is happy to hear about Darrah’s research.
“Just want to make sure my baby’s safe and make sure he grows up healthy.”
With files from Su-Ling Goh, Global News
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