3 month old screams during tummy time

[BySharpRedFox]

Sorry bit of a long one

3 month old will not do tummy time. Either lies face down screaming or turns his head to the side and goes to sleep. If we prop him up with a towel he screams. He is not interested in toys during tummy time but is when lying on his back.

All the videos online say he should be lifting his head to a 45 degree angle, he is barely lifting his head higher than what he could as a newborn.

He also will not stay on his side or try to roll over even with support.

Doctor says he has a strong neck tho, when we lift him up and walk round with him he holds himself up mostly and looks round.

He is getting checked for hip displasia but only as a precaution as he has the extra lines but all motor tests the doctor did were fine.

Any advice or suggestions, worried he is going to struggle to crawl.

Is there something else I could be doing?
He has strong legs but arms seem weak, is there anything I can do to improve this?
When should I go to the doctors about this?

Or am I over reacting and need to give him longer.

Thanks in advance ☺️

I think if he’s holding his head up and looking around whilst you walk around, if go with that for now as will help to strengthen his neck.

I’d also stop worrying about crawling. It’s been removed from the milestones recently.

Will he do tummy time if you lay him on your lap?

Good to know about the milestones.

Yes he will lift his head if pit over my knee

That all sounds good then. I’d continue walking him around and showing him things, putting him over your lap and maybe try swimming?

If all your support system (GP, health visitor, etc) are happy, don’t stress. My DS was like this too until quite recently but now at 6m has no issues at all — rolling both ways, pushing up on his arms, trying to get moving! Re the screaming/crying, also very normal and you develop a sense over time of when they’re just expending effort and maybe also a bit frustrated vs when they’re actually distressed and you need to step in and comfort/help them. I like to say, the amount of effort and strength it takes our little ones to learn to move is 10x what any adult is doing when they work out and think of the weird noises you hear in the gym 😂

Also, they all learn at different speeds and in different ways. In my friend group alone, there’s a 10 month old who goes about at record speed on his belly like a seal, a 7 month old who sits and shuffles about on his bum and one who hauls himself everywhere with his arms, and my DS who is the only one seemingly that interested in getting up on his knees. Your little one is early days and will have their own personal movement journey too 😌

Also, this is great advice on trying tummy time over your lap and also swimming! Swimming really helps with the neural connections for bilateral movement.

Along with both of these, my DS also really responds best to tummy time with a mirror to watch himself in, something to chew/suck on to self-soothe (matchstick monkey, etc), or if I get down beside him to calm and distract, and we snuggle our faces together.

I'd lay him on my chest, that is also considered tummy time. I have a 9 month old and in my group some babies hated tummy time, screamed instantly etc, all babies are now sitting independently/holding heads appropriately x