My Daughter HATES Tummy Time

Updated on August 14, 2007
C.R. asks from Salem, MA
5 answers

My 4-month-old daughter hates it when I put her on her stomach. By "hate" I mean she starts to complain from the minute she is put in that position, frantically moving here head left to right, and sometimes (which freaks me out) leaving her face down on the mat/bed/floor. She progresses from fussing to all out crying in about 2 minutes.

When I talked to my doctor about this at her 2 month check-up (this has gone on since I first started trying it about a week after I brought her home), he said that it was because she wasn't used to it and all babies would fuss in a new position. Since then, I have been trying to help her get acclimated to the position. I've tried putting her on different surfaces, elevating her with boppies and rolled up blankets, lying with her face to face, distracting her with toys, putting her on my own stomach so that she could feel me and look at me, laying her across my lap, and "flying" her by holding her tummy down.

It's not working. She has not learned to roll over (from either back or stomach) and I am worried that something is wrong. Help!

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E.M.

answers from Boston on

I am not sure this will work, but thought I would pass along the idea just in case ... try putting in a Baby Einstein video (or something like that) and see if you can get her interested in watching it propped on her boppy or on your stomach. Sounds like you have tried these positions, but maybe something to distract her might do the trick!! Good luck.

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K.G.

answers from Boston on

Hi C.,

I certainly share your concern! My daughter is 5 months old and has always hated being on her tummy, but I still did it even if it was a few minutes at a time. I think it is starting to pay off because even though she is still not a huge fan of the floor, she is slowly progressing through the rolling over stage...it's not an everyday occurence but she's working on it.

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S.R.

answers from Boston on

Hi C., my baby girl is 8 months old and I had exactly the same issue you have with Allyson. My baby hated tummy time, so the pediatrician told me not to worry that she will eventually roll over, which she did (around 6 1/2 months) also she started sitting up before most babies do and she also have reached all the milestones way ahead of time. So my advise, don't worry, just try tummy time once in a while and she'll eventually do it by herself. Enjoy your baby and your maternity leave!

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W.D.

answers from Boston on

my kids hated it too.. keep trying, but don't force it.. she'll eventually get there.. my daughter rolled over once, then never did it again for months, so try not to worry about that either. they all do it with time.. you can lie down with her on your chest and see if she freaks there too,, if she's ok, just play with her there.. it's mostly for neck strength..

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

L.M.

answers from Boston on

hi,
Tough one! What I did for tummy time is put the baby on your chest and you lay flat and then move her to her tummy for 30 seconds and then progressivley get more time...
Best of luck!

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