I haven't really given DD much tummy time, as she just seems to hate it, she never lasts more than a minute, then she screams her head off. She's 7 weeks. I've heard a lot of babies don't like it. What do you do to get them to like it? She has a few favourite toys shes likes to watch and listen to - a rattle and a singing ladybeetle - but nothing can calm her down when shes on her tummy. I don't want to let her scream just so she gets tummy time, but I don't want her not to learn to hold her head up and all that either.
Yeah my bubs never liked it that young. They got most of their tummy time on me.. lying on my chest and lifting themselves up to look at me. I was only reclined a bit.. not lying on the floor or anything. And then once they could hold their head up better they enjoyed tummy time more. But even then, not really. I wouldn't stress too much about it, you'll know when she's ready to play better on her tummy. Don't feel that you need to force her
Yeah, don't stress too much about it. Both my boys hated it at first so I never pushed it, I just tried it every now and then. They worked it out when they were ready. Putting her on your chest is a good suggestion and you could try tummy time on the edge of your bed so you can sit on the floor and be at eye level with her. Even try her on her tummy when you're drying her off after a bath.
I agree with Liz. DD never gets much tummy time cos she doesn't like it either (although she does sleep on her belly).
I'm not too concerned about it.
Just lie her on your belly - thats what we do here as well..... and there is nothing wrong with her head control (had her checked yesterday with the child nurse and she said she is developing beautifully - even without tummy time!!)
Leasha, as the others have said, don't stress. Try to put her on her tummy at least once a day, but if she gets upset roll her over (or pick her up). Even a minute at a time is enough at that age anyway. And if she doesn't even like that, don't worry, she will later. It's helpful if they like it, but it's not the be all and end all.
We also did a lot of lying on our chests, or over our shoulders. At 2 months our MCHN suggested that he also needed a bit of time on the floor, since while he was lifting up his head OK (part of the reason for tummy time) he had no sign of the foot-scrabbling that was apparently the other thing that should be developing. He lasted a couple of minutes in front of the floor-to-ceiling-window, watching the tree - and he did that each day for another month or so. Then mysteriously he started to not mind it much first thing after waking up - so he would have a long session then and that was it.
After that poor bub learnt to roll from his back to his tummy - and it took him 2 months to learn to roll the other way. So he got a very large amount of tummy time from 4-6 months...
From the "flat head" point of view, anything that is not lying on their back will be helpful - so your sling or cuddle time is important here.
Claire hated tummy time that age as well! I ended up just doing tummy time for her in short bursts, and usually on my chest so she could look at my face. I'd lie on the couch so my top half was elevated a bit and have her on my chest and make faces at her and sing her songs. She still wasnt keen on it, but she was happier to be on my chest that on a rug on the floor.
She was able to roll from her tummy to back around 3 months old so i dont think the lack of tummy time was a big problem for her.
Tummy time?
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