Diane Wiessinger wrote "But what primitive infant would have been put down on all those sticks and leaves?"

I doubt whether infants were put down at all in the distant pass? If they were, then it would have been briefly and probably on their backs. My reasoning being just as Diane has pointed out - if I think about putting a young baby on the lawn outside then I would put it down on it's back for obvious reasons! I also have to agree with the "tummy time" not being ideal for a young baby under (I guess) 3-4 months. I remember my kids expressions of distress on their tummies, and tending not to place them on their stomachs because of this (despite it being "best advice" from baby clinic). Luckily they got carried around most of the time.

This topic has also bought me back to the idea raised by Gill Rapley - that babies do things when they are mature enough. This would also apply to tummy time. Don't most babies role from tummy to back first? Maybe this has some bearing, in that it tells us that the baby is mature enough to spend some time of their stomach because he is able to role onto his back if necessary? I'm not an expert in child development, but it's got me thinking! 
 
Perhaps spending a little time on your tummy when you are +3months (an expert will have to work the age out!) might be advantageous to an infant who is never carried in a sling and spends most of the time on their backs, but ads little to an infant who spends most of his time in a sling?

To tie this back to breastfeeding, don't forget the work of Dr Sarah Ball from the UK. She has shown that most mothers sleep with their babies (intentionally and unintentionally) for at least part of the night. Those breastfeeding mothers almost always spontaneously adopt a characteristic postition - baby against mother, between her curled legs and armpit. The baby is either sleeping on their side on roles onto it's back.This appears to be a instinctive behaviour and not learned - that is what was so interesting about her talk, is realisng that one did this too! 
 I guess the mother's body prevents the baby rolling onto it's stomach, thus it can only role onto it;s back. This is interesting research (and I wrote a review of her talk about this if anyone wants it) - but it is done in a "western' setting i.e. hospital or home bed.  It would be really interesting to make the observations in a more primitive enviroment, with the mattras taken out of the equation.

I guess we do not actually know what is natual anymore and are still making the adaption to our luxery western lifestyles.

Sara Bernard (tummy sleeper!)
The Netherlands






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