The Biddy Belly was developed by Robin Tacchetti, a Physical Therapist who is also a mother of three. The idea came to her after observing all three of her babies struggle with Tummy Time. Being a Physical Therapist, she knew how important Tummy Time was for muscle development. However, she was unable to keep her babies from getting frustrated and crying when they were in the prone position.
Despite Robin's repeated attempts to turn the babies on their bellies, all three of her children developed flat spots on the back of their heads. She knew there had to be a better way to develop their muscles and reach their gross motor milestones within the normal time frame. She put her physical therapy and Mom knowledge together along with consultations from pediatricians and the "Biddy Belly" was born!
Marie and Madelyn's Review
Overall the Biddy Belly seemed like a fun product. It was really nice to be able to attach toys to the giraffe's head because Madelyn always pushes the toy out of reach. It was also nice that you can change them out so they don't get bored playing with the same thing. The other thing that we liked was that it did help her learn to put more weight on her hands. The main con to it is that it does not allow them to practice rolling since they are on an incline and there are the "guardrails," but that isn't the intention of the Biddy Belly - it is to help them master pushing up. The mirror under the giraffe's head was hidden by the giraffe's head a lot of the time, so Madelyn didn't really get to enjoy it much. Also, there are toys in the giraffe's ears can't be reached by the baby, but do allow the parents to play with them and get their attention.
(*Note from Heather - Once your baby has mastered pushing themselves up, you should put them on flat surfaces more often to let them practice rolling.)
Review Kristy, Mom of 2
"We love the biddy belly tummy time mat. We had tried other tummy time mats but our son did not like them. He would get easily frustrated on them because he was bored or could not completely push himself up. He loves the biddy belly because the mirror keeps him entertained. He is also able to use his arms to completely push himself up so he does not get so easily frustrated. My two year old also loves to play with the biddy belly and tells everyone it is her giraffe".
A few points from me...of course :)
The Biddy Belly costs $39.99, which seems a little pricey to me, but I decided to look into prices and most flat tummy time mats were between $17 and $40 as well. I guess I'm just cheap (I did get most of Sydney's stuff as hand-me-downs from my sister)! I REALLY like that the cover can be taken off and machine washed. Sydney had reflux when she was little, so washable was a must! I like that the product was created by a Physical Therapist mom who put a lot of thought into tummy time! For most babies, tummy time is not enjoyable at first. The Biddy Belly helps them learn to push themselves up better than flat mats because it puts their arms in the "ready position" to do so!
I did want to mention the mirror on the Biddy Belly. If ou look at it as a mirror, you might be disappointed, but it isn't supposed to be an actual mirror. It is reflective material to give your baby something extra to look at. True mirrors need hard backings, which you wouldn't really want on this product. Who would want their baby playing on something hard?
Also, Robin was very helpful through the whole process! If you buy a Biddy Belly and have any problems or questions, I'm sure she would be more than happy to try to help you!
