How do you help a baby learn to roll from front to back?

[Superchilled]

My DD (4 months) has just started rolling onto her front - mainly through fairly energetic swinging of legs and arms until she gets enough momentum to roll. The problem is that she's only happy on her front for a few minutes and then goes into meltdown, screaming and crying so loudly that she is now hoarse :-(, so I have to keep rolling her back onto her back. At which point she promptly rolls back onto her front and the whole cycle starts again.

So, do I a) keep rolling her back onto her back, b) just ignore her in the hope that she'll eventually work it out herself or learn to like tummy time a bit more (distinct risk of my eardrums exploding in the meantime) or c) help her learn to roll from front to back. And if the answer is c, any suggestions?

It's a common phase, you just have to ride it out. Help her when you can be bothered and she'll learn to get back onto her back the times you don't get to her quickly enough.

Is she your first? I wouldn't stress too much though because this is about where you realise that just when you get one thing sorted another one comes along. When she roll over completely she'll yell the house down out of ofrustration at not being able to crawl etc.

I don't think there's any way you can "teach" her how to do it - she's still at the stage of randomly using different muscles and being surprised what her body does as a result. She'll get there eventually, but it's trial and error I'm afraid. If she yells and you'd rather she didn't, you'll have to keep turning her back, but it won't harm her if it's not instant!

Yes she's my first - how could you tell?????!!!! Am definitely suffering from PFB syndrome, although there might be less of the precious part going on now that she's discovered the ability to scream very very very loudly! Might buy myself some earplugs.....

Was rather hoping that there might be some tricks to help her get past the frustration stage, but I guess I'll just have to be patient (not something I'm familiar with - so she definitely takes after me!)

"get past the frustration stage"

ooooooh you've got a lot to learn

Whilst I am reading this I am serenaded with the frustrated cries of DD2 trying to do just this!

Once she gets the hang of rolling back over, she will start trying to do push-ups and be annoyed that she can't manage them. Then it'll be frustration that she can't get her legs up under her. Then being on all 4's but not moving, then only being able to crawl backwards.... next thing you know, she'll be annoyed at not passing her driving test

Hmmmm - this motherhood thing isn't as easy as I thought!!!! I think I've been lulled into a false sense of security by the relatively placid baby she's been up until now. Definitely have very very much to learn!!!

Thanks for all the advice - at least I'm not alone!!!

Yep, totally normal but a serious pia . When she goes on her front make sure she's got toys/something interesting to look at or lie on, that'll hold her attention for a bit. Let her cry a little bit as its the frustration that will drive her to work it out for herself. Try and show her how to roll back rather than just rescue her, she will get it in the end. DS1 took a couple of weeks, ds2 took 3 weeks

hth

All helpful comments - and good to know that it might be only for a few weeks until she can roll back again. I look forward to all the other frustrations to follow