Rolling over

[Gini]

My 5 month old has just learnt to roll over - Fantastic, very proud of him - However, he used to be happy to lay on his play mat while I did a few bits here and there, now though, he rolls on his front and then gets in a temper as he can't roll back!
A book I have says leave him as it will strengthen his back/neck and he will learn to go back eventually, but I'm not keen as he bangs his head when he gives up!
Basically, has anyone any tips of things that I can buy that he will be happy to play in (I already have a bumbo) else my house will end up an even bigger pigsty than it is already (if thats possible!)

One of those inflatable donut play nests? I think they're by Galt.

I know what you mean. DS1 used to roll over and as soon as he got on his tummy, he'd be sick. inevitably, he'd then get tired and his head would fall in it.

LOL - at least he doesn't do that - thank heavens for small mercies eh!

soupdrageon, that is exactly what my ds is doing at the moment, screams if I put him on his back, struggles over on to his front, is sick and then his face falls in it! I'm glad he's not the only one.
Sorry no tips for entertaining, I always give him a couple of minutes of complaining before I turn him back, otherwise he complains at being turned over!
He is desparate to sit too, but can't yet, so keeps bumping his nose. Poor thing

Hi Gini
Ds is 8 mths and didn't roll till 7 mths. Incidentally he still can't roll from front to back and cries when he gets stuck.
I would definitely recommend the Galt inflatable playnest. I think it's what helped ds to learn to sit cos he's fully supported on all sides, can sit upright (which he much prefers) and still has room for toys at his feet and all around the ring. This meant he could strengthen his upper body muscles by reaching but wasn't going to land on his tummy by overreaching. He now sits really well and reaches and springs back with no problems.
We use it as a toy box too!

My dd is 8 months and can roll both ways but chooses not to! She is not interested at all, should I be worried?

hi SamboM
a friend's daughter didn't roll till 10 months. If your dd is quite happy where she is and just isn't that bothered by rolling I wouldn't worry. Just keep encouraging her with that final push onto her tummy.
My ds did this for ages with his legs flailing in the air, but it was tucking his arms under his body that he couldn't get the hang of. He's still a slow roller one month on but he gets there in the end. He much prefers sitting up - he can cause more trouble that way

sorry just reread your post. what I was meaning was that she's probably far more interested in something else - is she good with her hands and more delicate movements? she might be concentrating on "fine" rather than "gross" motor skills if you see what i mean.

yes my dd sits a lot, then she leans forward to get something and springs onto her tummy! She really want to stand up all the time too.

My ds is 12 months and still does not roll over, he does not like it on his tum and goes straight to sitting, has not stopped him crawling and standing up. He has never rolled over in his bed and TBH its great because he sleep flat out on his back and does not try and climb out of his cot.
I think his grobag is the culprit, bad for him, good for me!
Corr what a ramble!

girly - I was hoping that grobags stopped the roll - seeing as ds finds it so frustrating on his tum - but no! the night before last, ds woke up crying in ths night for the first time in months - went in to him and he was on his front in his grobag looking very confused and a bit tangled up.

Maybe its just because he can't be bothered too then! Try tucking then end of the grobag down the end of the cot and wedging it with a towel, that might help Bobsmum!

Latest development on ds rolling - Spent the morning in A & E yesterday as I turned to get a nappy while he was on the bed and BANG! you guessed it, he rolled on to the wooden floor, head first!
I Crped myself and phoned NHS direct, they said take him to A E as a precautionary, so I spent about 3hours there and when we were seen they didn't even look at him, just said, yea, he's fine, off you go! Give him some calpol if he seems grumpy.
Still feel very mean, I know it happens but still, his little head with a bump!

Good plan girly, but ds tends to kick his legs in the air to get to sleep (we can hear the thumping in his cot from downstairs) - bizarre child. they have the weirdest habits - new thread there methinks.

My ds used to do that too! tucking the grobag in put a stop to that! we found all theat thumping used to keep him awake.

My ds thumps his legs up and down too when he is supposed to be sleeping. We thought perhaps it was an effort to get himself to the sitting up position!!!

Maybe its a boy thing, dd never did that and used to sleep on her tum from 5 months when she starting rolling over.

Strange thumping babies!

My 9mo old has been doing the thumping thing since about 4mo. The thump seems to start from her waist, luckily her bedroom is over our garage so she doesn't disturb us too much ! Add an odd lying down stamping motion and rolloing herself over and over until grobag resembles a wrung out teatowel to the thumping and it makes for a very restless hour before she finally gives in! At least my bum is benefitting from all those trips up the stairs.... !

Any ideas how to encourage ds to roll from front to back? Or do some babies just not bother?

Where can you get the inflatable playnest from? 7 month dd is keen on sitting up but eventually ends up bent double as she can no longer support herself. This playnest sounds ideal. Incidentally she stil can't roll over either. Gets about half way and then can't seem to move her bottom arm out of the way. She also sleeps in a grobag. She also wears terry nappies with a wrap. I wonder whether the sheer bulk is getting in the way

My little girl had problems figuring out what to do with her 'bottom arm' (the arm that is under their body if lay on their side). Had to kind of tempt her to look in the direction I wnated her to roll witha toy or whatever and then move her bottom arm out the way. She eventually figured it out and seemed to get the hang of it within about 5 weeks.

Would someone please explain to me what ds and all that means, I'm new to Mumsnet and I'd like to the hang of the jargon ! Ta

dh - dear/darling husband
ds - ditto son
dd - ditto daughter

mothercare and argo both sell them. some come with arches over the top but aren't really necessary for older babies and a bit pricier.
don't worry about nappies! ds is in totsbots (shaped terries) with wraps and got there eventually.
If you think about it ayone born pre 1980s would have been in terries too and we all got there in the end!
Help her with freeing up the arm a few times and she might get the idea.

Thanx SamboM. At last I can integrate into Mumsnet society !

EJsmum - as an aside - have a look at the "getting started" bitty (top of the screen under useful stuff) tells you acronyms, smileys and how to do links to other websites etc. and hi - i'm a bit new too!