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Tummy Time

ShortStuff5ShortStuff5 member
in January 2016 Moms
I know I need to be doing tummy time with my baby girl and I do every now and then but she gets fussy because her face is always planted in the ground. Her head is in the 94th percentile so she has a big ol head and it's hard for her to lift from a tummy position, but I know she needs to try in order to strengthen that ability. The pediatrician is always asking how much tummy time she is getting but she doesn't seem to last for more than a few mins before she is fussy and mad. What do you moms do to help tummy time do I need to just stick it out and make her stay down even when she gets upset. I thought of maybe increase by a minutes time each day. Let me know what you and your LO do to help strengthen the neck area.
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Re: Tummy Time

  • kmo8986kmo8986 member
    Just try to do it a couple of times a day for just a few minutes, also if you lay down and give her tummy time on your tummy she will probably still try to life her head which is good too.
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  • mrsncmrsnc member
    My pediatrician said that its okay not to do traditional tummy time. Just make sure she gets ample opportunity during the day to work those muscles. Tummy time on your stomach, an inclined surface, held vertically all are viable alternatives. LO hates tummy time on the floor, but in my opinion it's the most effective workout so I do it until she gets fussy (which is like 2 min!!) twice a day in addition to the other ways. 
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  • kaym6kaym6 member
    My little guy hates tummy time and used to start screaming the second I flipped him over. Some things I started doing were like a PP said just do a few minutes at a time. I also started sitting on the couch and laying him across my lap with his chest laying across my legs, he seemed to tolerate this a lot better. We also carry him upright a lot around the house as opposed to cradling him in our arms when walking around. I recently tried him on the floor again and he has improved a ton and lasted a few minutes without screaming which is great for him. At his 2 month appointment the ped said he has great head control so it must be working! I know some people like to leave them to fuss a little but I found with him I had to flip him back over and calm him down as soon as he started crying or else it would turn into a full blown meltdown. Then when he calmed down I would try again. My son is almost 10 weeks and I just started seeing some effort and improvement from him so keep with it! I know how miserable it is to know you need to do tummy time when its guaranteed to make them scream lol
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  • teachmegs817teachmegs817 member
    LO is starting to become more tolerable of tummy time.  Before then, he'd only last 3-4 minutes.  I just tried to do it 3-4 times a day if that were the case.   If he could get in 12-15 minutes a day of it, then that's all I could get.  Now, he's at about 25-30.  We still do it 2-3 times a day, but he can go about 8-10 minutes each time now. 
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  • 2winterbabies2winterbabies member
    My LO hates tummy time as well because she used to have her head planted on the ground too. I noticed that I wasn't properly spacing her hands so when I brought them in closer to her chest she was content and able to lift herself up. She didn't last long at first but now she is so much stronger! She can lift her head for minutes. I go to physical therapy for her and they said as long as she gets in 30 minutes of tummy time a day She should be good. It doesn't all have to be in one session either.
    DD#1 born 12/30/2015
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
    DS#1 born 02/19/2013
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker

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  • narissa2013narissa2013 member
    Ive seen videos on line where they roll up a little blankie to put under the kiddo's chest to give them a boost and take away from the face smashed into ground feeling. Could be a good alternative along with what PPs suggested.
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  • A&LmommyA&Lmommy member
    I've only put him for tummy time twice, he's only 5 wks. I recline on the couch and lay him on my chest and talk to him and he starts lifting up to see me. He overcompensates and will actually fling himself back. I figure, its the same exercise, just a little more tolerable.
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  • mamajenna_cnmmamajenna_cnm member
    I put a tummy time pillow under LOs chest to keep him from head planting on the floor...it's brutal to watch! I got it at target, it's also a great sensory toy.  But that may be a good way to help your baby keep her head from being smashed in the ground
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  • MommyduclosMommyduclos member
    Eh my first hated tummy time- I did it as he tolerated, if he cried we stopped, his muscles developed just fine. I wouldn't stress it- she'll get there and I agree that being help upright or in a sitting position strengthens the same muscles. You can try talking, singing, shaking a toy, patting her bottom or rubbing her back, but if she doesn't like it I wouldn't force it. 
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  • l4rkl4rk member
    We stopped doing tummy time. My LO just lays on the floor and sobs. She doesn't even move. It didn't seem productive and it's unpleasant for everyone involved. 
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  • Wicked4589Wicked4589 member
    Try it on a boppy. Or only do it a few min at a time. We do it on the boppy and he loves it so much better. 
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  • kaym6kaym6 member
    Like PP said I just stop when he gets upset, it's not worth it. The muscles will develop its not like they're going to be 3 and not able to lift their head lol 
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  • CejimlCejiml member
    DD hated it more than DS does. But she rolled over at 10 weeks and he is content where he is. Like PP said elevating helps. Try it on the boppy with arms over. Also any time you wear the baby it counts. I've been putting DS in the bumbo seat a few times a day too. He is wobbly but will sit for 5-10 at a time. I don't do it close to his nap. I also get on the floor right in his eyesight and talk to him. Sometimes he lasts longer of I'm there. 
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  • EbiejayEbiejay member
    I'm glad to hear holding baby vertical helps too. Our little man loves to be vertical so we often carry and hold him like that, and he's in the wrap a couple times a day. Makes me feel better about only doing tummy time on the floor once or twice a day. 
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  • ChrissyD1203ChrissyD1203 member
    Baby has regressed - used to be able to do 10 minutes at a time and now we are down to 3 and she starts screaming.  Something I read said she should be doing 90 minutes over the course of the day - I'm at 12 most days so I think I have some work cut out for me and her. 
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  • nackienackie member
    I feel like mine has too.  He used to roll himself onto his back when he got tired of tummy time.  Now he just lies there and cries.  We also get nowhere near 90 minutes, but he can hold his head up like a champ, so I'm not too worried
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  • sharonholck28sharonholck28 member
    Lurking from d15.. My LO hates it so much too! She also has a big head! I think we are still only at 1-3 mins at a time and really for only a couple times a day. She has great head control until she gets put on the ground and acts like she forgets how. 

    sadly if I put her on a boppy towards a tv I get a great result but I haaaaaate doing that! So that's a once in awhile thing. I've also come to notice she does really good in different rooms and if there's other babies around. And what we've done to help strengthen her arms in the mean time is what we call baby pull ups so I sit her on my lap and gentle hold her arms and let her pull herself from a reclined position to sitting forward. I feel like it's helped a bit. This is the first week we've actually had minimal tummy enjoyment lol and she's 14 weeks.
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  • apinkpelicanapinkpelican member
    We are trying to do more tummy time but I won't keep him down if he is upset. Here is a recent article I read explaining a theory against forcing babies to do tummy time.   

    https://www.janetlansbury.com/2011/08/the-case-against-tummy-time-guest-post-by-irene-gutteridge/
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  • mrsgetz4000mrsgetz4000 member
    @andimegie325 i love his facial expressions!
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  • ainversoainverso member
    Tummy time is very important for future milestones, especially since now that babies sleep on their backs for safety they have less natural opportunity to push up on arms Ect . However that being said, it is better to do it for short periods of time several times a day (whatever baby will tolerate) than long period once a day. It's ok if baby cries or whines a little, it will help with crawling and other skills ( writing, finger feeding Ect) due to weight bearing through arms and hands. 
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  • fishee333fishee333 member
    apinkpelican said:
    We are trying to do more tummy time but I won't keep him down if he is upset. Here is a recent article I read explaining a theory against forcing babies to do tummy time.   

    https://www.janetlansbury.com/2011/08/the-case-against-tummy-time-guest-post-by-irene-gutteridge/
    Thanks for sharing!
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  • Cricket99Cricket99 member
    @andimegie325 Those eyebrows though!!!! 

    My LO still only tolerates tummy time on the floor for a couple minutes at a time at 12 weeks. He does most of his tummy time lying on my chest, where he does push ups to look at me.
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