11 weeks - tummy time query/concern

[harverina]

Hi there,

My DD is 11 weeks old. Books etc tell me that at 3 months she will be able to hold her head up during tummy time. A gina ford book showed a child propped up fully on his arms. This is worrying me.

My DD doesnt like tummy time and her head is mostly down. She does try to bring her head up, but only slightly. She can move it from side to side. Her head control is good when sitting up and being held upright.

Just want to find out if I should be concerned and what other mums have experienced at this age?

Thanks.

Don't worry, so long as she is held in lots of different ways (ie not left lying on her back for 24 hours a day, which no normal parents would do!), then she'll develop just fine. By all means encourage her to do tummy time, but if she hates it, don't force the issue.

Dd1 hated it, skipped crawling and went straight to walking at 11 months. Dd 2 didn't like it that much, but is cruising around now happily at 12 months. They all do things in their own time, but all get there in the end.

Thanks for this...she normally cries after a couple of mins on her tummy and gets really flustered. We still do it every couple of days, though try to do it most days even for a couple of minutes. DD is in lots of different positions throughout the day, so thanks, you have reassured me. Its really been worrying me.

Couple of mins? That's pretty good! I could never get more than about ten seconds out of mine. Mind you, they are fairly stroppy strong minded even now.

i think 'tummy time' unnatural tbh
seems mean to me
i would not worry at all she sounds fine

most babies hate 'tummy time'. Its really hard work for them. Don't worry at all. She will be doing all sorts in no time. Just enjoy that fact that she fairly immobile for now. The fun starts when they can really move around.......!

Thanks again, I'll try to stop worrying! Feel like all I do is worry about one thing or another!

Yup, that's normal too!

My DD hated tummy time as well, head down, cried... I did not like to see her upset, so didn't force it, only put her on her front when she was really alert, and only until she got grumpy (ooh, about 10 seconds!)

She is now 25 weeks and fine. Still not her fave position, and will still only tolerate it for 2-3 minutes, but she is well able to hold up her head, support self on elbows.

Also you mention that your DD is 11 weeks, and three months is 13 weeks - so in the extra two weeks she may change a lot again.

Yep, don't worry! If she has head control when you sit her up then she's developing ok. I find most of the books to be very prescriptive, whereas if you get on here you find a huge range of what-baby-does-what-when.

My 24 week old DS still hates tummy time - he puts his arms behind him and tries to 'swim' instead of propping himself up on his arms. The only time he'll push himself up is in the bath / paddling pool, and even then he won't do it for that long. I wouldn't say he was able to hold his head up at 3 months. His head support isn't bad, though, and he gets practice holding it up when he's on my shoulder / in the sling.

What can help is for you to put a hand under their chest to support them - then even if they only lift their head a bit, they can actually see something (rather than have their head in the carpet) which helps them enjoy it more. A rolled-up towel under the chest works the same way.

Another good way of doing it is to put them on a bed (with or without rolled towel / your hand). That way you can interact with them at their level which is much more fun.

There's so much to worry about, isn't there, with your first?

Hey, thanks for the tips. We have a tummy time mat with a padded support which she tolerates a bit more. Asked my HV about it today and got the same reply as you guys - not to worry and just to keep encouraging DD to give it a go.

Yeah Angeldog, its worry worry worry! But worth it!

Hi i'm in the pro tummy time camp over here but its true that some babies really really dislike being on their fronts on the floor.

I would try the advice given by AngelDog but would add that if your DD is still not happy with support under her chest try a slightly different tact by getting her on her tummy without her noticing IYSWIM

so for example semi reclining yourself (on the sofa is quite good) and pop your DD on her tummy on your chest and interact with her in that position. You can gradually increase how reclined you become so gradually she becomes nearer to being fully flat on her tummy.

Another good way is playing aeroplanes so supporting her in your arms and rocking whilst on her tummy.

I hope this makes sense i'm not very good at describing things in writing!

Oh god they all hate tummy time. No second child ever does it.

Thanks hogshead will give these ideas a go.

My DS hated tummy time until very recently (he's now 4.5 months). He's still not mad keen on it, but can now turn over onto his front and will tolerate it better if he flips over himself. At 11 weeks, if I put him down on his front he'd just flounder around with his face against the floor. I think he's pretty strong too. He does have some flattening of his head, so I've persisted with tummy time despite his dislike. So all in all your DC sounds very normal.

AngelDog I loved your first post here - "The only time he'll push himself up is in the bath / paddling pool" I guess that's a pretty strong incentive - I've got visions of a baby struggling in the water!! (though I'm sure this is not how you did it)

Bubsmaw this is really reasuring. DD is trying to roll over but cant quite make it. Thanks for your help