Tummy Time - De Pere, WI

I would always put mine on their tummy, and when they started to get fussy, I would put them in the Johnny Jump Up at that age. Then, when they were tired of that back to their tummy again. Their attention span is just that short that they need to be moved, changed, given something new to play with, new to look at every couple of minutes. When her legs get a little stronger, I would find a exersaucer that she can run in a circle. We had one that was ancored on one side and the wheels were on the opposite side so that it just went in a circle and we did ot have to worry about stairs. This thing kept them busy and happy for hours!!! I could make and eat dinner with them spinning around in it by 7-8 months. I would not stress about the amount of time she is on her tummy. Just keep alternating activities so that she is not always on her back. I loved that age! Have fun!

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M.,
My 4 mo old daughter disliked tummy time as well until very recently. I found that her dislike seemed to correspond with when she was gassy. So I am careful to give her tummy time long after a feeding. My daughter also enjoys when I lay with her facing her. She enjoys when I make silly noises, clap, and sing to her when she is on her tummy. Even still, she gets fussy after about 5 minutes of tummy time. I have been told by the pediatrician not to "push" the amount of time she is on her tummy so it does not become an undesirable activity for her. Hope this helps :)

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The playmat I have has a mirror attached to it and that is able to hold my son's attention a little bit longer while on his tummy. Some other advice I got was to get on the floor myself at his level and look him right in the eye and talk to him.
Good luck!

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Hi M., my name is B.. I have a 9 month old daughter, who also didn't exactly enjoy tummy time when she was younger either. The best advice I can offer is this, try a boppy or semi raised pillow, and with your supervision of course allow her time on her tummy on them. Until she strengthens her neck, is able to sit up, etc. you just have to be creative. But it will pass, I never thought my daughter Avery would come to like being on her tummy playing, etc. But now she sits up independently, crawls everywhere, stands with assistance, so just remember every baby is their own unique individual and her time will come too when she enjoys tummy time, and everything else along the way. Best of luck to you!!

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M. ,; some kids just arent tummy kids, its ok, if they arnt they will learn to roll over on their backs, and if they are they will learn to roll over on their tummies, its all good, let her be comfortable, she probably is a very bright child and wants to see what is going on around her, its ok to let her,, if you were not comfortable in a position you would not like to be there for long, if you were at a show you enjoyed and wanted to see it you would not be happy to not see it , your child obviously wants to watch her favorite show, the mommy show, or the family show, she wants to be involved its ok, let her see yah , ler her smile at yah, dont sweat it, just let her be happy , D. s

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Hi M.,

To help your daughter learn to love tummy time, trying playing the airplane game. Lay on your back and bend your knees into your stomach then lay your daughter on your legs on her tummy looking down at you. My daughter always thought this was fun! Also try propping her up over a boppy or pillow so she can see everything better until her arms and neck get stronger.

Megan

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Hi M. S,
My daughter had a hard time with tummy time too. So I thought about why she didn't like it. I assumed it was because she couldn't see me or any thing else from the low point veiw of on the floor. So I would either lay down there with her or sit in front of her while she laid on a couple of blankets on my dinning or kitchen tables. But you can't leave her unattended. I would also put her on the beds and lay there with her. Key point is to sing, talk and laugh with her. Play with some of her favorite toys. Always remember, YOU are her favorite thing to play with, so be there for her. Concurring tummy time is a big mile stone for babies. They really get stronger and can crawl earlier then walk earlier. She is already 6 months so you need to get moving. Also, if she cries for more then a minute. Pick her up, you don't want her to get mad but you also don't want to give in every time. Crying is also a way to build stomach muscles. Go ahead and put her back down and stay with her. When you leave her, that is very scary for baby. Work minute by minute. Within a few weeks she will love it and start crawling. Good Luck

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I agree with the others that this is normal, and the boppy is a good idea, but if you don't have a boppy, you don't have to go spend $30. Just roll up a blanket and put it under her chest to help prop her up so she can see a little more.

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one suggestion that i got when i asked the same question to my friends was to use a heat pad with maybe a blanket over it so it doesnt get too hot. I think it's suppose to make them warm and comfy on their tummies. I didn't have one so i never tried this, but it sounded like a good idea! :) just watch how warm it gets?

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M., this is completely normal! My babies didn't like tummy time either. They do not have the upper body strength yet and get frusterated when they cannot hold up the upper part of their body and head. I found that using a boppy pillow at tummy time really relieved their stress, although at first they are still somewhat frusterated with the whole idea.
If you go to www.boppy.com, under Boppy Products they have a few items for play time...my nephew really liked the "EntertainMe Play Gym", this way he could lay on his back and play or use the support of the boppy for play time. They didn't have products like this out when my babies were young, as Boppy was a pretty new product 10 years ago when we had our first. Good Luck...Bree

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There aren't too many babies that seem to like tummy time. Sometimes it helps to put a book or a toy situated so they can see it. Sometimes it helps to just sit there with them and rub their back or talk to them. Tummy Time is so important for developing muscles they will need later and for brain development. Maybe gradually increasing her time will help, too. Is she on a blanket or softer surface? Color or texture blankets might be the trick to use.

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Hi M.- When our DD and DS were little they also hated tummy time (now 4yr and 7 yrs). We learned in our ECFE class to roll up a bathtowel and put it under their arm pits and across their chest, this helps them to prop themselves up a little bit. The towel is nice because you can control how much it props her up, by how much of the towel you roll up. Our kids also like looking into a baby mirror - I think it made them think, "hey if that kid can do it so can I!" Good luck!! You'll both do great, its only one of the many little challenges and success you'll face as she grows!!

~S.

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When my son was four months old he didn't like tummy time either. I was told that even 1 minute 10 times a day would help. So if she lasts 3-5 minutes I would just keep putting her on her tummy several times a day. So 3-5 minutes 10 times a day would equal over 30minutes.
To help extend tummy time don't roll her over as soon as she fusses. Let her fuss for a bit and lay on the floor with her and try to play with her and calm her, extending the time that she is on her tummy. Also there are great toys that are made to increase tummy time. I saw one when my son was little that was like a water mat and the baby could push around the shapes and glitter that was in the mat. She might be more apt to stay on her tummy longer if she is doing something she thinks is fun.

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Lots of babies don't care for tummy time. I just figured my kids would learn to roll over faster, and they did. I wouldn't torcher them with tummy time, but I would give it to them several times a day for several minutes. I usually did it after I changed their diapers because we were already on the floor together.

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My daughter didn't like tummy time at all when she was itty bitty, but I kept putting her down on a blanket on the floor for short intervals (5mins is enough). She's 6 months now and I probably couldn't keep her off her tummy now if I tried.
Try these suggestions: Do you have a blanket with bright colors or stuff for her to look at or chew on? Do you get down there with her at all? Do you put little teethers down on it or some small baby toys for her to grab/look at while she's on her tummy?
Good Luck!

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This is the first of many lessons you will learn M. about how much your child is her own person. They often don't do what we think they should do....

It's OK - just put her down there until she cries then roll her over. Each time she will do it longer and longer. Put something she likes in her vision there... but that isn't her real problem. She wants to easily enjoy her world. Holding herself up by her arms is hard. She will need lots of time to build up her strength to where she enjoys it.

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I used a tummy time playmat made by Munchkin that you fill with water. When my baby pressed on the mat, little fish toys, shapes, and sea creatures inside the waterfilled mat would twirl around in the water. The baby loved it. Especially when he started to understanding "cause and effect'. It was a good motivator. And yes, my kids all hated tummy time. 3 to 5 minutes at a time is plenty when they're small. Especially if you do a little t.t. here and there. They'll get strong before you know it and will be into everything!

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I don't think any baby likes being on their tummy until they can start lifting their head up, etc. Just deal with the crying until she's strong enough.

But, one way to help. Try putting her on the bed and looking up at her from below her...reading books with lots of contrasting colors, and smiling at her, use toys, etc...but that is a good way to get under her so she can see you.

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Hi there,

I agree with all of the responses you've already gotten, but have one more suggestion that worked for us. My son hated tummy time with a passion. Our pediatrician said that while she doesn't recommend TV watching for kids (and I'm planning on my son watching as little tv as possible), one way she got her daughter to do tummy time was to put her on the boppy or rolled up towel and turn on the tv. The baby was fascinated with the pictures, enough to distract her into doing tummy time for at least five minutes. We did this too occasionally and he would tolerate it longer. The dr. said she thought TT was important enough to give in on the tv watching in this instance. Now at 7 months he has become a fan of tummy time, almost over night so we don't need to use the tv trick any more. Good luck!

C.

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Have you tried placing her on her tummy over the boppy? My first daughter would only be on her tummy that way. My daughter now, also 6 months old, will only play on her tummy if I let her roll over to her tummy by herself. So I leave her on the floor on her back and put her toy just out of reach so she has to roll over to get it, she won't do the boppy she just pushes herself over the top and onto her face.

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I've known alot of babies who don't like tummy time including my own just keep working with her on it eventually she'll get better with it or she'll just start crawling
hang in there it's normal

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Our daughter didn't like tummy time either, so we ended up getting a special tummy time spinner for her. I'm pretty sure we got it at Babies R Us. It's a kind of spinning tray that goes on top of an activity mat -you set the baby on it (on her tummy) and she can play with the toys on the mat and spin herself around. It's nice because it keeps her head off the ground so her face isn't smooshed into the floor! Of course it's not a necessary item, but we found it helpful.

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have you tried tummy time on your chest? worked for us

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http://www.target.com/Lamaze-Spin-Explore-Garden-Gym/dp/B...

this toy looks really really fun! try it, or others like it.
try putting her on your tummy, or getting down there with her and playing with a mat or something under her. give her different textured mats/carpets/papers/materials to feel under her hands and stuff.

its important for tummy time. simply put, to help grow nerve endings in their palms and strengthen their necks, and also to help develop depth perception. really! its amazing how important it is... but how it got to be a 'bad thing' with sids and stuff...

anwyay good luck!

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