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Original poster

Bloody Tummy Time

24 replies

Redling · 08/01/2015 15:01

20 week DS loathes it. After 2 mins it's screaming and a face covered in snot and drool. Some slight success in proving him over one of those tummy time roll cushions. Do we have to do this? He's often on our tummies happily. He's a big strong boy with good neck control, bug will it help him roll? Should I put him back once I've calmed him down? Hate it!

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babymouse · 08/01/2015 15:03

any time he's not on his back is tummy time - so if he gets it in different ways that's fine too.

Littlef00t · 08/01/2015 19:20

Don't do it! My dd spent a lot of time napping on us, and in slings, which is all tummy time.

Dd only started enjoying tummy time when she was 6mo+

Singsongmama · 08/01/2015 19:24

Don't worry, as long as LO spends time sitting on your knee, sling etc, they'll be fine. Ds hated hated hated tummy time and he just eventually 'got it' and he'd spend all day flapping around on his tummy. I think once they roll onto their tummy they are much happier to find themselves in that position.

HerewardTheTired · 08/01/2015 19:30

Mine hated it. Didn't even last 2 mins. He did like tummy cuddles though, so I just did that. Babies cry enough without me starting it off!

JohnLewisAddict · 08/01/2015 19:35

My DS hated it and we did very little actual tummy time. He spent loads of time tummy to chest on us though and we had him in a sling regularly. He was later to sit and roll than other babies we know but he's absolutely fine now and is walking earlier than some of the babies that could sit and roll before him. Don't stress about it!

Original poster
Redling · 08/01/2015 19:42

I carry him in a carrier and he's oftrn lying on us. He holds himself upright and peers around when you carry him, like a little meerkat he's so straight and tall! so his neck is fine. Good, I can stop enforcing it, I hate it :)

OP posts:
bexster5 · 08/01/2015 19:46

"any time he's not on his back is tummy time" - hooray! That's brilliant news! Hated tummy time with no 1 and it's probably going worse with no 2. Phew!!!

HoggleHoggle · 08/01/2015 19:50

Ds hated it although when he started rolling about 4 months he was suddenly all about it. Agree with pp, they often start to enjoy it once they're getting there themselves. As soon as he could roll he then started sleeping on his tummy, he got the right taste for it...

inconceivableme · 08/01/2015 20:08

Mine hated it too. He was relatively late to sit unsupported (8 months or so) but rolled very early, first from back to front at around 10 weeks, and shortly after from front to back. He walked bang on a year old too.

Persevere but don't stess. Would a mirror under him help distract him? You can also hold him belly down on a not quite fully inflated beach ball and roll back and forth. Mine liked this and it works the right muscles.

Chilli81 · 10/01/2015 20:19

my ds1 always hated it and i never pushed it he learned to crawl and walk normally. ds2 loved it from the start and crawled quite early but not necessarily a good thing! Confused

PurpleStripedSock · 10/01/2015 20:21

I'm with the 'don't do it' crowd, especially if your baby doesn't like it. I never did it, didn't realise it was a recommended 'thing'. It in no way added or detracted from my baby's development (that I can tell anyway).

42bunnytails · 10/01/2015 20:23

DD1 SCREAMED!!!
She probably did 3 minute s tummy time in total before she could roll over.

Forgot to try with DD2 (who spent most of her life rolled on her side BFing anyway)

mawbroon · 10/01/2015 21:04

I never did this with mine. I reckoned that "tummy time" = +not on their back time" and since they were in the sling a lot then that was just fine.

NeedaDiscoNap · 10/01/2015 21:10

God yes! My DD despised tummy time until she was about 5 months and trying to roll over. She screamed and screamed. I just stopped it as she had plenty of sitting/upright 'time' and had/has a strong neck and back.

Now I can't bloody stop her at 7 months - loves being on her tummy and often surprised herself by rolling in her skeep!

Twizzletoes · 10/01/2015 22:35

I've given up with tummy time with my four month old, he hates it so much! He's big for his age and has excellent head control. Good to know that any time not on their back is fine!

BrianButterfield · 10/01/2015 22:45

I kept forgetting I was supposed to do this with DD (DC2) - she sat up at the same age as her brother anyway and is just as strong and flexible and all the rest. Make sure they have a variety of experiences/positions, is all. They don't want babies to be left lying on their backs or in bouncy chairs or car seats all the time, is the thing. But lying on you, sitting on your knee etc is just as good. And at 20 weeks they might even be OK in a high chair with a cushion behind them - both of mine were and very happy with their new improved vantage point on the world.

cookiefiend · 10/01/2015 22:53

Never did it with DD as she was on us, in sling and BF anyway all the time and the HV always commented on her sting neck muscles so as longs as you are doing other things it is fine. I think the NHS push it because some children spend loads of time lying by themselves. Don't worry about it.

buddhasbelly · 10/01/2015 22:56

Something that always sticks in my mind when I get worried if I am doing / not doing the right thing was a post on here about toilet training where a woman was at her wits end with it and she was ultimately worried that her child would be starting school still in nappies (which in the big picture isn't the worst thing in the world but was really distressing this woman).

One poster replied that they had never come across someone in their thirties getting ready for work in the morning and putting on their nappy.

It sounds like your ds is getting tummy time in other ways and will roll etc in his own time. My dd is now 9 months and only got small amounts of tummy time as she wasn't exactly thrilled with it either. She crawled out of the living room this morning trying to catch up with the cat Smile

footallsock · 10/01/2015 23:01

Never dd it as mine hated it. I have two massively sporty athletic primary aged kids ...

Fadingmemory · 10/01/2015 23:04

We didn't have TT when I was a gel my children were babies. They all crawled at an average stage and have all grown up to be good physical specimens.

TT is just one more tyranny! Babies start rolling onto their stomachs quite naturally and when that happens they will be happy with it.

Original poster
Redling · 11/01/2015 11:19

Hahaha everyone hates it! Thanks, I carry him in a sling, sit with him on my lap, lie with him on my chest etc. He can sit in the Ikea High Chair with the cushion insert fine. One day soon I'm sure he'll roll over and choose himself :)

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Wherehasmysleepgone · 11/01/2015 16:08

My ds hated it so we never did it, when he learnt to roll he was happier on his front and he could control this! I stressed about it too but went with how he felt in the end and he is ok now at 9.5 months Smile

lg57 · 11/01/2015 22:10

Neither of mine liked tummy time. I didn't realise how "important" it was with my first. Wink Both sat up at 5 months and crawled at 7 months. They're now both fully mobile jumping, running "normal" children. My hv didn't believe that my 1st sat up at 5 months when he disliked tummy time. (She then proceeded to lecture me on the importance of tummy time!)

moominbabe · 12/01/2015 14:49

DD hated tummy time until I found a toy with a mirror to plonk in front of her - suddenly she loved being on her tummy, grinning at herself in the mirror for ages. She's 2.5 now and still loves looking at herself in mirrors Smile

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