'Tummy to play' - how?

[Pootles2010]

I've just read that apparently the current advice is 'back to sleep, tummy to play' now I'd heard 'back to sleep' but had no idea about putting them on tummy to play! Apparently you're meant to do with every day? DS is 11 weeks old and i've never done this!

Well, I've just tried and he screamed. Can't see it ever working. How important is it? Please help, worried now!

Mine hated it, so I just did it for 5 minutes every few days. Unless they spend some time on their front it will take much longer for them to be able to lift themselves up on their arms. He's now doing that and starting to enjoy it at 4 months.

I used to lay my DS over a rolled-up blanket so his chest/arms were supported, only for a few moments at first, picking him up/moving his if he cried. Gradually he spent longer on his tummy.

If he's not been on his tummy before then screaming is a perfectly normal reaction, don't worry! It's a new sensation/viewpoint etc.

Just try a couple of times a day, propping him up if necessary, and he'll hopefully get used to it.

Why don't you lie on your back, and have him on your front? This will ease the shock of being the wrong way up (!) but will also encourage head lifting/ neck strengthening as well as his arms supporting his body.

a lot of young babies don't like it, but he may get used to it and become more okay with it as he gets a bit stronger and more able to lift his head?
i found putting a mirror under them encouraged to lift head to have a look, so may be worth a try. putting him on your front will probably be easier for him than putting him on the floor as previous poster said.
i wouldnt worry too much just try him for a few mins a day, he doesnt have to be on his front all the time when playing. once he gets older and wants to crawl he will just keep putting himself on his tummy voluntarily if he wants to, my ds2 is always putting himself on his front now although was not too keen as a young baby, so it does work out eventually

I used to put DD on my bed with her head near the edge, then I would sit on the floor so we were face to face and I could chat to her.

Of course you can't leave them up there on their own, in case they fall off.

I wouldn't worry about it, I tried with mine they didn't like it and then about 5 months old rolled over and spent the next few months doing nothing but until they learnt to walk....

Don't worry about it too much. I didn't really do tummy time with my DS but he was still crawling by 8 months. A little later than some but a lot earlier than others.

The back to sleep, tummy to play advice stems, in part, from trying to prevent plagiocephaly (flat head). If babies spend too much time on their backs, their heads can flatten across the back or on one side. Therefore, I'd say it is quite important to encourage tummy time. It also strengthens neck and arm muscles.

You could try lying your baby across your lap or on your chest with you either leaning back or lying flat.

We had a lamaze toy for tummy time-its like a raised spinning platform with things to look at/touch so baby doesnt just have face stuck in the floor!

The lamaze toy looks good. From what age did you use it with the platform roo83?

I know someone has already mentioned putting a mirror on the floor, but what I did with my dd, who also hated it to start with,was to lie her in front of our mirrored wardrobe doors so she could easily see herself. And she started to like it - this was the only way she would tolerate tummy time.

My 5 mo is just tolerating tummy time now. I put a baby mozart dvd on and put the personal dvd player in front of her on the floor. The music and changing images distract her. We've managed to build the time up this way. Otherwise she just screams and screams.

DS much prefers naked tummy time, he gets very frustrated when he's dressed. He spends maybe ten minutes in the morning and another ten in the evening on disposible changing mats just before having a wash or a bath.

He gets quite upset if you put him on his front when he's dressed, I have no idea why.

He's 12 weeks now, but only really started enjoying tummy time in the last few weeks. And has now learnt to roll from front to back...

My 3 all loathed being on their tummies, so I didn't really bother with it, I couldn't see the point of trying to make them do something that made them scream. I also have never really understood why. Can anyone actually explain to me what the point of tummy time is?? They all crawled at around 8 months if that is of any relevance.

DD also enjoyed naked tummy time more than dressed tummy time, but used to dislike it so much regardless that she rolled herself over at 12 weeks... once she mastered that she tolerated it a lot better. I also used to lie on my tummy in front of her to try to have eye-to-eye contact and show her how much fun it was :o

ds 1 never liked it. I never pushed it. He developed fine.

I think it is mainly to prevent head shape issues.