Do babies actually NEED tummy-time?

[IcouldstillbeJoseph]

DD (now 23 wks) is suffering from second-child syndrome I.e she spends a fair bit of time in bouncy chair, or on her back on activity mat whilst I try and prevent 2yr old DS from killing himself. She is not rolling over yet and I was thinking this morning she doesn't really have any tummy time at all.
She is a happy, contented baby and her head shape is fine. Am I harming her by not doing tummy time? She really objects if I do try it - about 30 secs is about her maximum threshold.

I never heard of tummy time till I joined here.

My DD crawled at 6 months at walked at 8 months with no tummy time at all!

Don't worry about it.

My boy didn't have any tummy time because he'd had problems and the physio said not to. He's fine but he was a bit late to sit/crawl/walk etc etc!!!

To be honest, the longer she remains static the happier ill be!

Nope. My mother used to say that all babies should be issued at birth with a t shirt that says "This Grows Up Automatically".

DS's physio said yes, most emphatically. She insisted that he have it three times a day for increasingly long periods, and said that if he cried we'd just to try harder to keep him entertained or just let him cry. She insisted that it was far too important to neglect. He still didn't walk till 15 months.

DD rarely had it and she was quite late hitting most of her physical milestones; she rolled at 11 months, crawled at 13 months and walked at 18 months. But she could climb well and she was jumping long before she hit 2, so she caught up. And honestly, I think it was just her - she's a very cautious little person physically.

Honestly I'm not 100% convinced that it's worth the stress of a screaming baby (mine were both refluxy which made it very sore). But the professionals are insistent.

Apparently holding them on your shoulder so they need to support their own head counts. Which is good because my 23 week old has been placed on her tummy on the floor maybe a handful of times. She can't roll, but has just started sitting up unsupported. Her brother did things that way around too, didn't roll till about 8 months!

DD hated it we didn't do it everytime we saw the HV she'd declare she could tell we were doing it - now she can crawl there's no keeping her off her tummy day or night. Enjoy the remaining bouncy chair and lying still days. X

Curlew - I love that!

She has plenty of time being carried so she has to hold her head up but is nowhere near sitting. She can swing to her side from her back but can't roll. I'm not concerned, just wanted to not cause any harm..

Crazyold - that sounds awful for you

maybe carry her in a supportive sling some of the time if you're worried, not exactly the same as tummy time but uses different muscles than lying flat

Did she say what would happen if you didn't, CatLady? And 15 months isn't particularly late to walk, is it? And even if it is, does it matter?

Did your son have physio because he had specific issues the needed to be addressed? If so 15 months is even less late to walk!

Both her & DS hated the sling - more than they hated anything. I've just e-bayed it, in mint condition!

Oh just saw your post, sounds fine, I'm sure wouldn't cause any harm

No! Just made DD1 yell, so I never bothered with DD2.

That's a shame! Imagine it'd be handy with a toddler. What did you have? Sometimes it's worth trying different ones

I had a Kari -me, I tried all of the different ties etc but nope, both screamed like they had a head injury. Tried at different ages too, still no luck.

Luckily my boy liked it (only if I was moving mind!) he didn't roll or sit for ages - but now at 1 he's everywhere. Very almost walking.

I was amused that my daughter had a mat with a frog on it, declaring itself to be " tummy time mat. Tummy time is essential for growing babies.......etc etc,"
The French translation was "frog mat"

Phew, thank Gawd for that, I've put DD on her tummy about 5 times in her 19 weeks of life - she also hated it. She's got there on her own quite a few times recently though, so I'd agree it's pointless!

Stick 'baby hates' into Google and see what Google suggests.

Seems babies dislike car seats, followed by tummy time.

Nope, never did with either of mine, they both screamed blue murder. And hit all their physical milestones on the early side.

IME the little buggers seem to be able to move themselves from lying kicking their little legs to standing in front of the kitchen cupboard eating your scouring pads quick enough without tummy time.

It doesn't have to be plonking baby on her tummy On a hard surface. BFing counts and so does babywearing. I think the main thing is that a baby isn't just in one position constantly.

When I had my son in 2000, "tummy time" had not started to be talked about. They were really pushing back to sleep, so I never put him on his front.
The result was a child who did not crawl, as once he could roll, he refused to be on his front. He moved around fine, bum shuffling.
However, he did not walk until 18 months.
As a HCP, I now advise parents to get babies used to the idea, that being on their tummy is normal. If you leave it until they can roll, they may not accept it.

Flippin' heck.

Something else my kids missed out on!

How on earth did they manage to walk and crawl without all these money making mats and shite I've just found when I've googled to find out what you were talking bout.