Ideas for tummy time

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Forum -> Parenting our children -> Infants

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amother

Mon, Nov 29 2021, 4:55 am

My baby is 18 weeks and hates tummy time! She'll lie on her stomach and lift her head for a couple of seconds before putting it down again. She'll do this A few times but won't keep it up for a good stretch of time. When I'm holding her over my shoulder she holds her head up very well and can even turn it from side to side its just on the floor! Any ideas? And should I be worried that she isn't keeping it up for longer periods? Thanks!

ora_43

Mon, Nov 29 2021, 5:31 am

My babies have all hated tummy time.

First off it's the muscle use that matters, so if they're happier while lying on a person than lying on the floor, just go with that. As long as they're horizontal (ish) and pushing up.

(but horizontal-ish is important, since the muscles have to work harder when they are working against gravity)

Second, I try doing lots of short tummy time.

SG18

Mon, Nov 29 2021, 5:59 am

Nursing in the laid back position- baby on your chest- exercises the muscles as well

Oldest

Mon, Nov 29 2021, 10:15 am

Join her on the floor. My baby loves when I do tummy time with her (facing her) Smile

honey36

Mon, Nov 29 2021, 10:38 am

I don't think it's such a big deal unless she is getting a flat head. Otherwise shell catch up eventually.

My baby did have a flat head so we tried to do lots and lots of tummy time. She hated it at first but once she got good at it she actually loves it! So we started with short stretches of 5 minutes and lengthened it gradually as she got better. Now she almost 6 months and happy to be on her tummy for almost an hour!

Best thing was to distract her while she was doing it. As someone else said get on the floor with her. Or even better- if you have older kids, put her on her tummy with them in the room. She will be distracted just watching them play/dance around/color on the floor (on a paper) etc.

amother

Daphne

Mon, Nov 29 2021, 8:52 pm

I used to put my baby towards the foot of my bed and I sat down on the floor right by her. This way she was on a very soft mattress (not hard floor) but lifted her head to see me at eye level and we were both comfortable.

observer

Mon, Nov 29 2021, 9:00 pm

Oldest wrote:

Join her on the floor. My baby loves when I do tummy time with her (facing her) Smile

I was just going to post this. I lay on the floor facing the baby and they have a lot more motivation to lift their head! I talk to them and laugh with them and get much more mileage with tummy time that way!

Also as another poster said, if baby doesn't tolerate it for long, do short amounts of time but more frequently.

momsrus

Tue, Nov 30 2021, 12:02 am

This helped my baby alot, she learned to love the floor.

https://www.amazon.com/MAGIFIR.....1ZQ==

Thisisnotmyreal

Tue, Nov 30 2021, 12:14 am

Try the guppy, look it up, to get the stretch.

Also there's benefit to tummy time even if baby is not lifting head.

Are you pushing her arms to be folded up to her chest to support her body?

dena613

Tue, Nov 30 2021, 12:17 am

My pediatrician told me not to worry, but to aim for five minutes a day and then try to build up.
The five minute didn't have to be consecutive

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