Tummy time Trouble!

[CoffeeAndBiscuitsPlease]

I'm having trouble with my little girl and tummy time.

She is 16 weeks old, and despite no tummy time, has brilliant head control, can sit in a gumbo seat without a wobble..

Up until she was 5 weeks old she would sleep on my tummy, but refused any kind of tummy time awake, now she won't even lie on my tummy of Kean on my shoulder!.

Two things are troubling me about this

• She is getting a flat head at the back. Through the day I put her for naps on the side if I am watching her, and on the play mat I will tip her sideways for a play, but still no improvement on the flat head.
  

• rolling onto her tummy and not being able to move back. When I put her in the cot at night with feet at the bottom of the cot, I wake up and her head is where her feet were. she loves to flip about and is almost at the point of going all the way over, and I'm worried she will just smother herself when she gets there.
  

If she is on her tummy she will scream and scream with her face smushed into the surface,will not use her arms even if you position her and support her chest, she just flops her arms to the side and screams, will not tip her head to the side in the floor or surface. I've tried propping her up with tummy time toys, holding her up, lying facing her, lying next to her, slowly moving her from her side to her from, masaging cream on her back after baths while singing, everything results in angry screams. Not sure what to try next!

Any suggestions?

[CoffeeAndBiscuitsPlease]

bumbo seat lean on my shoulder. Silly fat fingers

[StandoutMop]

All of mine hated tummy time, just lay there face smushed into floor as you describe. So i gave up and didn't bother. All fine now but no help to you...

Does she sleep with blankets or in a gro bag? The latter would reduce risk of smothering / overheating by getting head under covers. I doubt just being on tummy but unable to turn back would cause a problem, other than waking up cross.

If her head control is OK, I wouldn't worry (easier said than done I know )

[CoffeeAndBiscuitsPlease]

She sleeps in a sleeping bag (not a grow bag but same thing!) Mine main worry is that she will just have her face pressed into the mattress and worked up she will be breathing even faster, when I think of the risks of babies smothering themselves pushed against cot bumpers I imagine being face down would be the same risk :(

Thank you for the reassurance :)

[MrsCK]

fold up a blanket to support under their shoulders and chest. this should help to avoid the smushed upness.

[CoffeeAndBiscuitsPlease]

I've tried everything like that MrsCk as I mentioned above, she just screams and screams immediately :/

[Artandco]

Have you tried sitting her up more and using a sling more?
A sling counts as tummy time as no pressure on head as you get in a pram.
At 4 months you can sit on floor or sofa with her sitting propped between your legs for a little time each day

[CoffeeAndBiscuitsPlease]

I can't afford a sling I'm afraid. She sits up a lot on me and she has just started using a bumbo seat, like I said she has brilliant head control in terms of stability. But she refuses to lift her head off the ground or use her arms once she is belly down. Screams before I even let go of her. Can't even do baby massage on her back no matter what angle I try, lying flat, propped up, chest or arms resting on something, nothing works

[Artandco]

Maybe sell the bumbo to buy sling? I thought bumbo had been recalled as deemed unsafe as they just lean back and can topple backwards

[CoffeeAndBiscuitsPlease]

Most of the accidents with bumbo seats were due to parents doing daft things to be honest. She only sits in it with me facing her sat on the floor. Never left alone. The bumbo was borrowed from a friend who is pregnant again and will be having it again as she loved it with her first, not mine to sell :)

[Adarajames]

Freecycle or streetlife can be good places to get a sling