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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Tips for a tear-free tummy time please!!!

21 replies

MrsHelenBee · 13/08/2014 11:20

Hi everyone.
DS2 is now 13 weeks and tummy time is a battle. He's a strong boy but when it comes to TT, he's made no progress whatsoever. He just lays with his face flat against the mat.

None of my other muumy friends have struggled with it. What am I doing wrong? Do I just need to be tougher and ignore the screaming? He's such a happy soul otherwise it breaks my heart to leave him yelling.
DS1 was just the same and, as soon as he knew how to roll, he was off his tummy and onto his back in seconds, but I've never forgiven myself for the flat patch he has on the back of his head.
I can't bear to see DS2 lose his lovely round head too because I'm doing the wrong thing.
Any tips PLEASE?!!!!

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TropicalHorse · 13/08/2014 11:37

Can you roll up a little towel or a pillowcase and prop his shoulders/chest up? And maybe put something visually stimulating in front of him so he's got a reason to look up??

jwpetal · 13/08/2014 11:39

We placed a rolled up towel under ours so that they were slightly propped up and then put toys or interesting things in front of them. My son also would sit in front of his sisters (twins) and make funny faces and play with the toys.

Roll the towel long ways and place it in a U shape. place your little one with the bottom of the U where it is round with it under the arms and across the chest. I hope that makes sense.

Don't have him do it for long but can do it through out the day. You can gradually extend the time. I hope that all makes sense and good luck.

captainproton · 13/08/2014 11:43

Both mine had torticollis, so we had to to do tummy time to build up their neck muscles. The physio said that no matter how much they cried, we would not be hurting them. DC2 really came on leaps and bounds. The towel trick is very good.

Notfastjustfurious · 13/08/2014 11:51

I wouldn't do it. Tummy time isn't something that was mentioned when my eldest was a baby so after trying it a couple of times with my now 2 yr old I got the same reaction as you so didn't force the issue. Her head is fine. I'm not going to bother at all with my new baby. There are pillows you can get to stop them getting a flat head if that's your concern, can't remember what they're called though.

AverageMom · 13/08/2014 11:55

Having the same problem with my 12 week old! Going to try the towel trick, I don't know why I didn't think of it after weeks of struggling!

frolicsandfiddledeedees · 13/08/2014 12:03

Carrying them in a sling instead of using the pushchair has the same benefits as tummy time... The majority of flat head issues are mostly to do with our western insistence on putting babies in chairs and prams and car seats (more than is strictly essential, obviously car seats are a must when in a car!) and leaving them lying down under baby gyms etc which flattens their skulls at the back, instead of keeping them in arm. Where their head is free from pressure.

I never bothered with tummy time for either of mine. Once they could roll they spent time on their tummies of their own accord while trying g to crawl. And most naps were in the sling.

frolicsandfiddledeedees · 13/08/2014 12:04

In arms, that should say!

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 13/08/2014 12:05

Tummy time is pretty much any time not spent lying flat on back. You don't need to leave them lying flat on their face!

Original poster

MrsHelenBee · 13/08/2014 12:06

Thanks people.
We've got a little c-shaped pillow which came with a music mat, and I've been proppng him on that with the c-shape facing into his chest and going under his arms (which I think is what you were describing jwpetal) but it doesn't seem to make any difference. He seems to just hang over it, so tweeked where it was with very little change, and eventually end up pulling it out. It's always the way we start though. Not tried a towel but I'll give it a go.
We always do TT on one of his mats - a multicoloured jungle mat and a Lamaze one with colours and textures - but that doesn't seem to make a difference either. Neither do the toys. He's very interested in some of his teddies and toys otherwise, but seems to focus only on the fact that he's unahppy being where he is. Maybe he needs to be a little higher than he is and see a bit more in order to focus more on his surroundings than looking straight down.

We do lots of TT in terms of him laying chest-to-chest, which he does enjoy, and he lifts his head all the time like that. On his back, I'm trying to avoid him laying down unless he's asleep or very close to it so he spends quite a lot of time in his bouncy chair.

OP posts:

Original poster

MrsHelenBee · 13/08/2014 12:10

Really wanted a sling frolicksandfiddledeedees but the ones I was keen on were too pricey for us. I've thought about asking for one for Christmas but suspect that's a bit late in the day as DS will 7.5m then. He's a big boy too, so probably too heavy for a sling by the time we can afford one.

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Artandco · 13/08/2014 12:18

Best tummy time is sling as mentioned or just lay him on your chest on tummy. The boba 4g is best sling IMO. Around £90 but lasts until 3/4 years with them on your back which is handy ie at airports/ castle visits/ when they are walking but might need lift back etc

A bouncy chair is the same and the floor in terms of flat head I'm afraid.

frolicsandfiddledeedees · 13/08/2014 12:18

I still carry my 4 yr old in a sling on long walks.! Do you have a nearby sling library or sling meet where you could go and try some out? You can get pre loved slings cheaper than new, if you join some of the sling selling facebook groups.

Original poster

MrsHelenBee · 13/08/2014 12:27

Oh, I'm a worse mummy than I thought then Artandco as he loves his chair. We got as he had terrible colic and the upright position was the only position he was comfortable in after a feed. Sigh!!!
frolicsandfiddledeedees wow, never even heard of a sling library. I tried out a few when DS was really little, and I really liked the Close ones because they were so soft and supportive, but didn't have all the clips, which I didn't like.
DS1 has severe hypermobility and only started walking unaided at Easter (he was 3 a few weeks ago), so I wish I'd known there were slings which would have accommodated him still. I thought they ony lasted for the first year or two. That said, carrying him is such hard work, he's so heavy!!

OP posts:

Artandco · 13/08/2014 12:51

Mrs - of course you aren't. It's just that's what my eldests consultant told us to avoid ( he was born with a flat head though, but completely gone by 6 minths). Hence we didn't buy a bouncer/ swing.

We had sheepskin rug - apparently as soft less pressure on head if laying on it than play rug

Sling - as above. Look at ' soft structured slings', for ones suitable from birth- toddler on front then back to get max usage

Bath with baby - they can have tummy time laying on you in the water

Lay on sofa - baby lay on you tummy looking at you

Sit on sofa - baby laying up your chest

Can he sit supported/ hold head yet? If so let him sit between your legs on floor so he's supported but head free, or wedge him sitting slightly surrounded by cushions ( maybe in a few more weeks)

Also when laying down in cot we always laid ours on back but head facing out cot, but alternated what end on the bed so their head wasn't always leaning one way

OneSkinnyChip · 13/08/2014 12:58

We never did TT. I kept seeing it mentioned here and wondered if we should but the evidence for it seemed a bit mixed. We just left DD to it and she was fine. No flat head in spite of bouncy chairs / lying on back. We just held her on our knee a lot and carried her in a sling so she could look around. It helped that she's naturally nosey and liked looking around :)

Honestly, all the little differences at the baby stage (how soon they roll / crawl / sit / walk / talk) even out by the time they are toddlers. Just shower them with love and they'll be fine :)

OneSkinnyChip · 13/08/2014 13:00

And sorry to be clear I put DD on her tummy a few times but she just lay there like a beached whale, then howled despairingly so we didn't force the issue until she was ready to roll. I can see the advantage of forcing it where there is a flat head or a medical issue but otherwise I wouldn't force it.

ToesAndFingers · 13/08/2014 17:46

Does he start crying immediately? You don't have to do it for long periods of time. They usually say "little and often" about tummy time.

My DS hated it too but he would sometimes be ok with it, normally first thing in the morning when he's not tired or hungry.

ElephantsNeverForgive · 13/08/2014 17:52

By forgetting the whole ridiculous business and waiting until your child can roll over and wants to be on their front.

shopafrolic · 13/08/2014 17:56

A rolled up towel or this worked for us.

minipie · 13/08/2014 18:05

I agree with other comments re time on your tummy or chest is fine

But if you want to do tummy time on the floor - we found that a propped up mirror that DD could see herself in made a big difference. She LOVED it. Still only bought us a few minutes at a time but better than nothing!

Also, sometimes when DD seemed cross about being on her tummy, it was because she was trying to roll onto her back. I kept picking her up when she got cross then finally realised she was trying to learn to roll. I left her to it a bit more and suddenly she could roll onto her back. (Tummy time impossible after that she just rolled!)

Anyway what I'm saying is, do check he is really unhappy rather than just trying to learn something.

Pico2 · 14/08/2014 18:42

You can do tummy time by holding your baby in your arms on its front. So with your arms under the baby's chest and legs.

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