Tummy Time Question

LunaBug924

I know this topic has been coming up a lot, but I haven't found specific answers to this question: if your LO cries, how long do you continue?

DD is 6 1/2 weeks and every time we try to do tummy time she starts crying almost instantly. I've let her go up to 5 minutes but it breaks my heart to go any longer and I feel like she isn't even getting the benefits of it. She will lift her head in other positions, but I know tummy time will be important for rolling and crawling too. Right now she just cries and rubs her face against the blanket.

Any suggestions or do I need to just keep at it? I always get eye level with her and try shooshing or patting her back but she's too hysterical to be soothed unless I pick her up. We've been at this since about 3 weeks old.

usernewname

Ditto what @anniemore‌ said

But also I let D'S fuss for a few seconds before I pick him up or I talk to him. This buys an extra minute or two. But in order to grow they have to work those muscles!

For the first little bit I rolled a receiving blanket for under his arms at his chest. This helped then I took it away now he's fine. He's learned to roll on his back now lol.

It's also a lot harder to push up on a flat surface than a chest. Quite hard work!

dogsombrero

J is 4 weeks and we use a little cushion so his head isn't on the floor. Being able to see motivated him to move around more but his control is getting pretty good so it's probably time to wean him off the pillow. He tolerates about 15 minutes on the floor but loves skin to skin tummy time. He hated it at first and would scream instantly until we added the cushion.

Bootsie327

My playmat came with a tummy time pillow and DS does well with it! Playmats are pretty inexpensive if you wanted to go that route, but like pp said maybe a rolled up towel or blanket would help.

LunaBug924

Thanks for the replies. I have tried the rolled up blanket and used her playmat because I saw that suggested in another post, and we do some tummy time on our chest, but she still only tolerates that for a minute or so. 

So I guess my real question is if she's going to cry regardless of how/where we do tummy time, how long is appropriate? Of course I will keep trying different methods in the hopes that we find something she likes, but for now I want to make sure we're getting an adequate amount of tummy time without torturing her!

usernewname

Depends on the child and their degree of stubbornness and willingness to accept change. Some children get over it fast some take a while.

Your not torturing her though. I promise

lrmrtn

LO sometimes cries the whole time. We usually give it about 5 minutes if that's the case. He is sometimes distracted by a toy. He has gotten better the more we do it.

pistolpackinmomma

DS1 hated true tummy time until he was a few months old. Time on your chest or while holding them on your shoulder counts. Right now they are building neck muscles for head control so any position that allows that is ok. DS still managed to roll on time.

jenb_99

Fussing and crying are very different. I will let a baby fuss for quite a while, especially if the baby is just bored or frustrated and not in actual distress. If the baby is actually crying in pain, hunger or distress (which is unlikely just from tummy time), I don't let it go more than a couple of minutes.

Like PP said, tummy time isn't torture. Keep doing it and varying it up, and your LO will probably learn to tolerate it.

Jennpatt23

AHHH!! I need help with my LOs tummy time.. He is 4w today, and the lil stinker rolls over to his back when he is on his tummy or I have tried the little pillow from his activity mat but he scoots himself over the pillow... At least he tolerates it on my chest but I feel like it's not as effective.

Xath

Try baby wearing.  If you wear in a sling the baby will work the same neck and head muscles.  After they get a little more head control, they won't mind being on their stomach as much.  

usernewname

Jennpatt23 said:

AHHH!! I need help with my LOs tummy time.. He is 4w today, and the lil stinker rolls over to his back when he is on his tummy or I have tried the little pillow from his activity mat but he scoots himself over the pillow... At least he tolerates it on my chest but I feel like it's not as effective.

Ds has figured out rolling too. Little scamp.

cmcintyre87

We do tummy time on the bed... she seems to do better with the cushioning compared to a playmat on the hardwood floors. But as one of the pp mentioned wearing your babe gives them exercise for their head/neck muscles- we've noticed after just a few times in her carrier she is crazy good at keeping her head up!

usernewname

D'S loves holding his head up in the carrier but babies need to be on their bellies just as much as it engages their stomach muscles to push up. A carrier doesn't do that fully.

I might try cushioning his floor mat a bit. It is kinda hard and might make it tricky for him. I didn't think of that!

danagmauro

What Brooke enjoys most about tummy time... Eating the blanket I lay her on