Tummy Time Hater!

[skippingturtle]

My DD (21 weeks) really doesn't like being on her front, either across my legs or on her playmat. She's always really resisted it, and because she was so uncomfortable with reflux we didn't persevere. The reflux is now fine, any tips to get her to enjoy being on her tum?

[seeker]

"any tips to get her to enjoy being on her tum?|


Yep, Just leave it until she can roll over onto her tummy by herself!

[sunndydays]

We have a tummy time mate (google it loads will come up) which has helped dd enjoy it more, also she likes it best when she is completely naked and on her changing mat!

[skippingturtle]

Yes, DD's patience wears thin very quickly, lots of yelling and crying. She's rolled over a couple of times on her own, resulting in a second of looking startled followed by distraught wailing!

My instinct is to let her do it on her own, but the Cranial Osteopath said she ideally would be spending more time on her front.

What's cruising?

[BornAgainBokononist]

Ds hates it too, about 30 seconds then the screaming begins, I don't force it he's happiest sitting up.

[herjazz]

You could try rolling a towel up so it's like a bolster cushion / sausage(!) and putting it underneath baby's chest with their arms forward. Lots of babies don't like being on their tummys because they can't see and it can be quite hard to keep themselves propped up

[TwentiethCenturyHeffa]

My DD always hated it too but crawled not long after 6 months (and was then happy on her front!). DS hates it and is sitting up and rolling around very happily at 6 months. He loves sleeping on his front (rolls there himself) and is getting happier on his front when awake. Since they don't like it, I've never bothered with it beyond occasionally checking whether they've changed their minds!

Both of them have put far more effort in trying to stand up and walk than anything else and will take any opportunity to pull themselves up.

I'm not convinced tummy time is worth it if they hate it. Mine both seem fine and pretty strong so never worried really :)

[ethelina]

Something to do with preventing flat heads and promoting neck & shoulder strength. Pretty sure none of us were ever subjected to much of this as babies and I for one dont have a flat head and I can hold it up fine.

[Showaddywaddy]

Yup, dd was the same. She was cruising at 7 months. She despised lying down almost from birth. She just wanted to be up and looking at the world. Crawling wasn't enough, sitting wasn't enough, she wanted to run. She put all of her efforts into standing up and moving.

[reikizen]

I've always been a bit bemused by the concept of 'tummy time'. Just let them roll over when they want to, or am I missing something. Some national award for developmentally forward children?

[ethelina]

Thought we were on our own with this one. I can count in seconds how long DS is happy to stay on his tummy, whether on floor, playmat or cot so I have basically thought Bugger It... He's nearly 10 weeks old and spends far more time sitting on my knee or in the sling. I know he has good muscle tone as he can lift his head quite far.

I blatantly lied to the HV when she asked about tummy time.

Glad he's not alone.

[Showaddywaddy]

DD hated it so we didn't bother.

She spent time in a sling and rolling about playing. We figured the 2 minutes of screaming she managed before headbutting the floor and sobbing real tears just wasn't worth it.

[CuppaTeaJanice]

My DS hated tummy time too, until he was about 6 months old and we'd put a futon mattress down on the floor for a Halloween party. He suddenly got the hang of it and began to crawl soon after.

Maybe your legs and her playmat are a bit hard and uncomfortable? Try laying her on something soft and supportive.