Tummy time at 6 months

[crazydiamond222]

My 6 month old has never been keen on tummy time and I am wondering if I should continue to push it.

He sits unsupported and will play with toys that way but when he is on his tummy he gets annoyed because he can't yet grab things that way. He can raise himself on his hands but doesnt go on all fours or get his tummy off the ground but can shuffle backwards or sideways on his tummy for a metre or so.

Is this normal for 6 months? Should I try to encourage him on his tummy more or just let him play whilst sitting?

I think it depends on how much he doesn’t like it. If he’s crying and clearly upset, I wouldn’t push it

Mine hated tummy time. If you put her on her front she would just scream or cry until you picked her up so we didn't push it. Around 6 months she could sit up unsupported if we put her there. We let her get on with playing while sat up. She rolled front to back but never back to front.

Now shes nearly 9 months and in the last 2 weeks been trying to crawl and can suddenly roll both ways, sit herself up and pull up to her knees on everything. She is mostly on her front now as she's trying to crawl. Would it have happened earlier if we had pushed tummy time? I don't know but I do know she would have spent much more time miserable if we tried to make her dobl something she didn't want to do.

@Mizydoscape ah this made me feel so nice, to know there are more of us thinking the same way. Mine is 6m and he has not yet rolled back to front, is not saying "mama" or solving any puzzles but he smiles a lot and I enjoy that he is not trying to run away while I change his nappy :P

@crazydiamond222 do not worry, as said above some babies hate tummy time and they will be completely OK. For the sake of everyones' sanity it's much nicer not to have a screaming unhappy baby at home.

Thanks both. Mizy, that sounds exactly like my son. He rolled front to back really early but only does it very occasionally and has never rolled back to front. That is reassuring that he should be able to learn to crawl from just sitting. I would rather not push him to do something he hates.

He would rather stand up than do anything, he loves standing and holding on to furniture if I put him there.

@crazydiamond222 yeah she just kind of lunges forward from sitting into a crawl so it's all good. I was worried she would never learn and just sit there forever , however be careful what you wish for. I need eyes in the back of my head now and she hasn't even got her technique down yet. So much easier when she used to stay where I put her! 😂