Tummy Time - Lansing,MI

Hi M.,
My daughter also hated tummy time. I used to lay down on my back on the floor and prop her on my shins, hold her arms out, and say "she's flying" and then move her back and forth or side to side and make airplane noises...she LOVED it!! She would smile and babble (watch out for the drool..lol). But then I would lay her on the floor on her tummy and she would fuss after a few minutes. I didn't worry about it because in my eyes she got her "tummy time" on my legs. She is now almost 2 and has developed just fine. She rolled over from back to front by 5 months and then the other way a month later. Just try to make it fun for him and he will be fine. Good luck!

I agree with the other moms about not forcing it if he hates it. My son (almost a year) absolutely hated it even when we put a small pillow under his belly, or if we put him on a play mat with a bunch of things to look at and touch, or if our face was at eye level to try and entertain him. Around 5-6 months he started immediately flipping on his stomach when we put him in his crib and he slept that way, but still hated tummy time when he was awake and playing. Needless to say, he's developed just fine. I definitely don't discourage to keep trying, but don't get frustrated when he gets frustrated and just move on to a new activity.

There are several things that you can do to make tummy time more enjoyable. You can lay the baby on your lap so they can feel safer and not have all of the pressure on their tummy. You can also lay the baby on your tummy. If you have some kind of incline, you can lay the baby with his head at the top of the incline and then you sit in front of your baby, so he can see your face. Hopefully this helps a little. If you need any other suggestions, please write back.

I suggest differant toys or blankets, something that will keep him more occupied. My daughter was the same way, we had a blanket that had a bunch of differant things on it like a "fake" mirror" so she was able to look at herself so that helped a little but once she was able to hold her head up and lift herself off the ground with her arms she loved belly time. when babies are on there backs they are able to look around and move, they can't do that when they have belly time due to not having a lot of strength in there necks and arms yet. Just keep trying eventually he wont feel so restricted and he will love belly time too.

My kids never liked tummy time so I gave up on it. They developed just fine...no biggie! At least you tried!

~L.

I would just keep trying for a few minutes at a time, but I wouldn't get too worried. I had two children who both really didn't like tummy time either. They still learned to roll over, sit up and crawl. My daughter who was the worst about tummy time crawled the earliest of the two - she was 6 months old when she crawled.

My daughter hated tummy time. I gave up after a while. She ended up sleeping on her tummy and didn't need tummy time since her neck got the exercise when she woke up and lifted her head to look around. Her head is perfect and we didn't have to suffer with crying fits.

Hi M. and all you other mammasource moms---As I read your request, I had to wonder what the heck tummy time was. I am an 'old' mom, my kids are 25, 22 and 18. I've never heard anything about tummy time or of a need to help a baby's neck and back muscles. Obviously, this is something that someone, somewhere decided was important for a baby's development????? You know, from my experience, all babies will roll over or sit or do whatever they do WHEN they are ready to do it. Everyone is different and we will all develop and accomplish milestones when our body is ready for that. Yes, we need be observant for problems, but I think that today, we are so paranoid that we forget that those problems are the exception, not the norm.

Have fun playing with your baby with whatever 'games' he likes to play. He WILL let you know when he wants to learn something different, and with little ones, that happens just about each time you think you have his habits and schedule figured out. In health, D.

My son (now almost 5) HATED tummy time. Nothing we did made it better. He did not roll, crawl, scoot or bascially move until 14 mos. He was happy to sit and play. There was absolutley nothing wrong with him. His neck was strong...he actually sat very early. YOu can encourage them...but he just may not like it!

I feel your pain!! My daughter absolutely hated tummy time until she was about 8 1/2 months old. We were afraid she's miss milestones like rolling over and lifting herself up. We would just put her on her tummy for about 3-5 minutes at a time a couple times a day (sometimes skipping several days). She still hated it and cried every second of it but we kept trying. She learned to roll over at about 5 months but still didn't do it very often. When she hit about 7 1/2 months she started rolling on her tummy at night and screaming her little head off (still does sometimes). We started to have a little more tummy time (about 10 min at a time) and shortly after that she began to like being on her belly. It's a struggle and I know it's frustrating. He'll become interested at his own pace, but for now, just keep trying little bits at a time. Someday he'll learn that it's not so scary!! Good luck!!

It -may- be possible that he has minor stomach issues, and it's very uncomfortable for him to be on his belly. My son has (still) fairly bad Reflux, and tummy time was torturous for him. He learned to walk before he ever crawled since it was less troublesome on his stomach.

Just keep trying, for 5-10 minutes at a time, and eventually he'll get the skills for rolling etc. Goodluck!

My son is 5 months old, and he sounds just like yours! He really doesn't like tummy time, he gives up (face plastered into the ground) and starts screaming.
We actually purchased a bumbo seat (which he loves) and recently he started standing up in his exer-saucer thing. My son is not a tummy kind of kid...I have a feeling that your soon will be the same!
So long as you give him a little tummy time each day to help out the muscle development in his back and neck, I'm sure he will be fine. Some kids just don't like it...and who knows...he might like it a little later when he can hold his head up a little better.

When my oldest was born 6 years ago tummy time was not the big issue it seams to have become. By the time my second came along nearly three years later all the "experts" seemed to be talking about the importance of tummy time so I tried to encourage it with him....he hated it so much I didn't force the point. Both my kids developed just great without pushing tummy time. If he doesn't like it don't force it, it really isn't the big deal it's made out to be. Yes it does help develop strong neck muscles but that will happen anyway with all the things they do.
Good luck