No tummy time - worried

[cracklybooks]

I’m a first time mum to a 16 week old DD. I’ve hardly done any tummy time with her and am a bit concerned that it may have affected her development.

I read that by 16 weeks, babies should be able to prop themselves up on their arms whilst on their tummy and have a look around.

I’ve been doing some tummy time with DD over the past few days and she is nowhere near that - her arm muscles seem very weak and she’s not pushing herself up off the floor at all. She just lies there, moving her legs and getting more and more distressed.

Have I affected her development by not starting tummy time sooner and is there anything I can do to help her progress?

Mine hated it until they could roll over on their own. Before then it was meltdowns anytime I tried. Hasn’t negatively affected them in any way.

When I had my DC tummy time was never talked about and I never did it, until they started rolling over themselves. They both developed absolutely fine and hold their heads up well 😊 I wouldnt worry.

Your baby will be totally fine, they all develop at their own pace.

-this will not stop you worrying.

If you really feel that their development is not right have a chat with your health visitor, but at 16 weeks they are just a tiny baby and they haven't read the baby development milestone chart so don't know what they should be doing.

Mine never did tummy time as as soon as they were on their tummy they fell asleep.

My DS is 20 weeks. He used to love tummy time, but he's since learnt to sit for a little bit unsupported and has decided to completely hate tummy time now, so ive stopped doing it. I think they all get to where they need to be sooner or later and in their own way.

I never did it I didn't know you were meant to.

Tummy time can also include if you ever held baby on your chest/tummy, on their tummy for a cuddle. You have most probably done that 💛

Tummy time is recommended so that Babies don’t get flat heads and it’s become yet another stick to beat us with if we don’t do it. Don’t fret. Your baby will develop at their own pace in their own way and will be absolutely fine. I never did it with my daughter because she hated in and she’s sitting up/rolling etc as expected for her age. Save yourself the stress and use the time doing enjoyable things with your baby. Congratulations!

Have you ever met an adult who can't hold their head up because their mum never bought a tummy time roller? No. Baby will be fine don't worry

I didn’t bother with tummy time with either of mine, because whenever I tried it they would start wailing after 30 seconds and I couldn’t bear to see them thrashing around upset on the floor.

They have both been surfing today and are now climbing monkey bars in the playground.

Don’t worry.

If you've never put her on her tummy then she won't have had the chance to develop those arm and neck muscles yet - but 16 weeks is still tiny, as soon as she gets the opportunity she will start pushing herself up and looking around. Even if it "delays" crawling by a few weeks it won't make any difference in the long run - no one will care if she crawled at 7 months or 10 months.

“Tummy time” can also include holding the baby up when you’re sitting / standing as that also engages their neck muscles. Pretty sure you will have been doing that so don’t worry

Tummy time is a new fad!! Ds walked at 9 months, no tummy time. Now a fully functional 28 yo. .

Both of mine hated tummy time. My older daughter met all her physical milestones, it made no difference that she didnt do much TT.

My younger girl is 4 months and has just learned to roll despite doing tummy time for about 5 minutes total in her whole life.

Tummy time helps all the upper body muscles from jaw / neck to ribs and core. But there are a lot of ways to do it. If your baby doesn’t like being flat on the floor then try propping her up on a pillow (supervised of course) or on her side so she can look around. Put toys in front of her everytime she’s on her tummy.

As long as you do it everyday (even for a little bit) she will soon strengthen.

@cracklybooks my lo hated tummy time.. only started showing interest around 5 months. Started rolling around 6-7 months. 8 months both back and front. 9months sitting up.

We adopted our DD and she spent the first 8 months of her life with a foster career who basically left her in a rocker or bouncer in front of the telly pretty much all day. So no tummy time and not much of anything else either!

She was v v slightly on the late side to walk but she is physically perfect is now an energetic four year old who runs and climbs and dances and never stops!

Babies are pretty resilient, really.

Foster carer* not foster career!

My DD hated tummy time, she'd just lie with her face in the mat until I moved her . She also didn't roll. She is now 11 and this didn't stop her doing many other things!

Never bothered with it, and DD was/ is fine, met all milestones and 'early' with some.

There are a lot of things you get told you must do and feel guilty about if you don't when you have a baby. Luckily this lessens as time goes on.

I don't hold any store by it. Ds1 HATED tummy time. Screamed blue murder. At 5mo he could sit independently and shortly afterwards could shuffle/move around. By 9mo he was pulling himself up and bearing weight on his legs. Ds2 loved tummy time. Settled on his tummy if crying, would lift his head to look around, once he could roll would roll onto his tummy by choice. Couldn't sit independently until 6mo and at 9mo can move around via rolling but is nowhere near as mobile as ds1 and not even close to pulling himself up. I honestly don't think it makes much (any?) difference.

DS Hayes tummy time so I just gave up with it
He's fine and ahead of all milestones

Thanks for the reassuring replies! I will start doing a little bit of tummy time every day. It's hard because I obviously pick her up as soon as she starts crying, which she does after about 30 seconds. So it doesn't give her much time on her front. She does spend quite a few hours in the sling some days, so that is something.

She's also showing signs of wanting to roll from her back to her front, pushing herself up with her leg to turn a bit to the side when she's on her back. But I read that babies usually do the opposite first of all (roll from their front to their back). She's literally back to front!

Let her lie on you for tummy time and cuddles

Has she got good neck strength? I have a 13 week old. He's not all that keen on tummy time either but sometimes does better if his upper half is on a pillow and legs on the bed.
As everyone has said if you are concerned speak to the health visitor. If you get a red book in your area there's info in that.

I’m not concerned that there’s anything wrong with her - she can’t hold her head up whilst on her tummy, but the reason for that is purely down to lack of tummy time I think.

I don’t know if she’s got good neck strength really - how can you tell? She’s not floppy like she was as a newborn, but beyond that I’m not sure.