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Original poster

How to encourage the dreaded tummy time

18 replies

RedHerring24 · 01/03/2022 20:57

DD is 3months old. We have been trying tummy time since birth but she absolutely hates it.
Initially it was made worse by the fact she had awful reflux. She is now medicated for this and is better, but not perfect.
We've been trying to encourage her to do tummy time at various times of the day. Ill change her nappy then put her down on her front.
If her arms are folded under her chest she will sit up perfectly but she gets bored being still and will splay her arms out and faceplant the floor!
She seems desperate to move but obviously doesnt have the strength for this and she just gets frustrated and cries/grunts (like a wounded hippo).
Ill dangle toys in front kf her and even lay down on the floor with her. There will be some smiles and cooing/babbles and then she just gets fed up.

So how can I make this easier for her?
I know shes only 3 months old but Im conscious of a friend who has a baby born a few weeks before DD who is rolling front to back already. I dont know if DD is behind or if I am just expecting too much? I know i shouldnt compare as all babies develop at different rates.

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Easterbunnyiswindowshopping · 01/03/2022 21:13

Never did tummy time here.. Ds walked at 9 months. His ds walked at 7 months!!
Dd hated it as they were too chubby!
Never held them back.
But comparing your dc to another is more damaging than no tummy time anyway!

Duracellbunnywannabe · 01/03/2022 21:20

Sling time counts.
Lay on your back and put your baby tummy down on your chest.
Put a baby mirror on the floor so they can see themselves or put them in front of a mirror.
Little and often is best.

Duracellbunnywannabe · 01/03/2022 21:21

Mine both hated tummy time until they rolled themselves from their back to their tummies

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Starryskiesinthesky · 01/03/2022 21:22

I feel old saying this but in my day tummy time was something that you could do, rather than you had to do. If the baby didnt like it you didnt do it or just did it for seconds. I wouldnt bother.

Original poster
RedHerring24 · 01/03/2022 21:24

I remember being told I was an early walker, think I bypassed the crawling phase.
I wouldnt say Im comparing DD to another baby as such. Its hard when my friend asks if DD is doing X and when I say no, Im met with a disapproving look and almost an eye roll as if to say she should be.

OP posts:
LouMoo13 · 01/03/2022 21:24

I didn't do much tummy time with my DD and she rolled at 3-4 months, sat up at 5 months, walked at 11 months... you get the idea... I used things like a tummy time cushion, propped her up when she had good head control, held her in different positions etc... we also did swimming. There are lots of ways to develop their gross motor skills that aren't strict tummy time Smile

JemimaTiggywinkle · 01/03/2022 21:24

Lie/lean back on the sofa and put her on your chest, that counts. Once she’s a bit older/stronger she’ll do better on the floor.
And really don’t worry about comparing, they all do things in their own time.

RandomQuest · 01/03/2022 21:28

My first refused to engage with it- she’d either scream or go straight to sleep so we didn’t really do it. Without any encouragement she started rolling over in her cot to change sleep positions from around 4 months, she also never crawled but walked at 9 months. My second loved tummy time, rolled front to back at only 7 weeks, crawled at 7 months but didn’t walk until he was 12 months. The point being it really doesn’t matter that much! Babies all develop at their own pace.

Joolsin · 01/03/2022 21:30

Mine both detested it so I didn't do it. Their development wasn't hindered in the slightest.

Brbreeze · 01/03/2022 21:33

I wouldn't worry. My LO is 4 months. She always enjoyed laying on my chest when I'm reclined but I barely put her down on her front until a couple of weeks ago as she hated it. She's literally in a week gone from hating it to propping herself up and moving legs. It will just happen.
I think way too much emphasis is put on it. I read something that suggested putting baby on their front for a few minutes at a time several times a day from birth - that to me is crazy!

BrownOrange · 01/03/2022 21:34

I never did tummy time. My baby met all the normal milestones.
I read somewhere that the main thing is that your baby doesn't spend all the time on their back.
3 months is early for rolling.

firstimemamma · 01/03/2022 21:35

I just wouldn't bother op.

Tomlettegregg · 01/03/2022 21:38

Mine hated it. Literally we did it every few weeks for a few minutes before she started rolling herself at 4 months and then she refused to stop crawling and standing / cruising at 5 months. Wish I hadn't bothered. Nursery tell me she's due to walk any day now and she's not even 11 months.

kagerou · 01/03/2022 21:42

Don't worry babies aren't expected to roll at 3 months! It sounds like you're doing everything right

Some babies just hate tummy time (mine did until she was about 6 months but now she's wanting to crawl she's constantly on her tummy)

surreymum89 · 01/03/2022 21:50

I never did tummy time much with any of mine , but I did hold them a lot in my arms so they were not always lying flat and did get time to work their neck muscles.

My third baby is now 6 months and of course I want him to meet all his milestones but if he wants to be a late crawler/Walker then I really don't mind Grin much easier when they stay where you left them in my experience , so try not to worry too much about what baby does or doesn't do in comparison just enjoy them being so tiny because it goes so quickly !Smile

Original poster
RedHerring24 · 01/03/2022 22:03

Thanks everyone. Its all very reassuring.
DD is luckily a very happy baby. She wakes up smiling, loves to have a chat with us and will coo and babble away. Shes now very interested in toys and grabbing them and bringing them to her mouth.
I know in those respects she isnt behind with development.
Im going to start making more use with the sling as she was too small to use it until recently.
I wont push tummy too much as she does have good head control but will encorporate it where i can and stop when she looks like she isnt enjoying it.
Just want to ensure Im doing the right thing for her and really appreciate everyones help Smile

OP posts:
Simonjt · 02/03/2022 05:56

Our absolutely hated it so we stopped doing it as she would scream the whole time, shes three months old, I rather she walked a little bit later etc than lay on her tummy screaming. She’ll get there, when shes ready.

SkankingMopoke · 02/03/2022 06:43

@JemimaTiggywinkle

Lie/lean back on the sofa and put her on your chest, that counts. Once she’s a bit older/stronger she’ll do better on the floor. And really don’t worry about comparing, they all do things in their own time.
This is what we did too. Also agree with PPs that they are all different with when they achieve milestones and even the order it happens in. DD1 crawled before she rolled (at about 7 months). Rolling just didn't seem to occur to her. She did learn to sit unaided at 4.5 months though because she's always been a nosy little thing who wanted to see what was going on! She either hadn't bothered to read the baby manual or deemed it only applies to lesser mortals Grin DD2 managed to get earlier milestones in the 'right' order and at the 'right' time, but then was also a late walker (too busy talking...). They'll all get there OP Smile and then you'll be on to stressing about book bands
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