Fi hates tummy time!!

[Suzie and Faith]

I have tried every day putting her on her tummy, i've tried blankets, play mats, beds, carpets, everything but after about 20 secs she starts crying and i don't like her being sad she tends to lift her legs up and her arms up - she looks a bit like she is swimming, and she'll flail around. She is showing no inclination to roll over or anything!

Her favourite thing is sitting up (propped up) if she is laid on her back she can shuffle quite fast in various directions! She will often wriggle off her play mat!

Should I keep trying, should I try several times a day? Does it matter a lot?

 

[daftscotslass]

I just posted something similar to this in general. We've really stuck with the tummy time thing because of Becky's flat bit. She's barely been on her back since 8 weeks when we first noticed it (always propped up or held) but she absolutely loathes tummy time. We have persevered and now she'll tolerate it. The main issue we've had in the last 6 weeks or so is that she rolls so well from front to back now (escape mechanism!) that as soon as I put her down she'll roll right back over again. Funnily enough she'll stay on her tum when she's done it herself!

What I found helped was lots of distractions - toys and also lying on the floor with her tummy to tummy. Lou suggested propping her up with a cushion under which we did when she was smaller but haven't tried for ages. We've gone from "UMF UMF UMF" when on tummy time to her wriggling happily. We try about 4 times a day!

I suppose it's fairly important for strengthening their neck muscles a bit but I think she's like OH and I - neither of us enjoyed being on our tummies as babies and both of us bypassed crawling and went straight to walking. I was a bum shuffler until I walked at about 10 monthsish and I get the feeling my wee one will be too!

 

[kalia]

DD hates tummy time too. She doesn't really get the concept and won't put any weight on her arms so she ends up nose down

 

[beanie]

both mine have despised tummy time and were crap at it lol. However if you have a sling, the tummy to tummy carry is just as effective as tummy time for helping them strengthen their neck muscles. Another way of helping them is to lay them across your knees and put their elbowsagaist the side of your leg which forces (in a nice way) them to hold their neck up but stay supported. I can take a photo tomorrow if that description makes no sense lol.

I have never found their hatred of tummy time hold them back at all. Seren was crawling at 8 1/2 months, and Cally is now going on her hands and knees. They also have sat unaided very quickly too. The tummy time thing is partly because of the flat head issue but this risk can be reduced by carrying them, them sitting up etc.

 

[maldives]

mine hated tummy time at first. now he's ok with it while awake but only rolled over once so far
but the thing he likes is sleeping on his tummy. ever since he was able to lift his head i felt safe to let him sleep on his tummy. he really prefers this position while asleep!
i've been told some babies go on crawling before even rolling.