Tummy time/ crawling

[MummaSue]

Hey guys,

DD has always hated tummy time (I think it used to make her reflux worse). I persisted with it though and she got at least 15 minutes a day spread over the day.

Well...... a few weeks ago she figured out that she could roll herself back onto her back from her tummy and now I put her on her tummy, she rolls onto her back and then giggles at me as if to say "ha, what you gonna do about that then mum?". It's really funny actually.

Anyway, how will she ever crawl if she doesn't spend any time on her tummy. She can push up with her arms, but her legs stay flat on the floor, she doesn't go up onto all fours.

I'm worried that she won't ever be able to crawl if she doesn't practice this. Did anyone else's little ones do this? Or just skip crawling completely?

I'll add that she is *almost* sitting unassisted. She's nearly there but leans forward to eat her feet which is hilarious!

Anyway, thanks.
Sue x

[Fleur]

She'll get there

I think there should more emphasis on 'floor time' rather than tummy time. It's general floor time that develops their muscles & strength IMO, a lot of babies don't love tummy time, Pie liked it better after she could roll but they are all different.

I would keep trying, encourage her but don't stress about it too much just yet

[Snacks]

Probably now that she's rolling in one direction she'll work on rolling from her back to tummy next. It will just happen. My advice would be don't have a schedule for her - then you'll just be delighted at each new stage!
(Nat hated tummy time and she didn't crawl until about 11 months, but then she walked at 14 months. Phoebe enjoyed it and she crawled at I think 7 months? Then walked at 13 months, so all in all not a whole lot of difference.)

[Janie]

I agree with Fleur, 'floor' time is a good way of looking at it. Now that she can roll, she will start to enjoy it all more, and once she starts rolling onto her tummy you'll be amazed at how often she choose to do it LOL! Mind you, DS2 is so funny, he rolls both ways easily, but often rolls onto his tummy and then cries because he can't go forward! He's desperate to crawl, but is nowhere near strong enough (he's only 5.5 months corrected). He always hated tummy time (reflux baby too) but has definitely got better with it in the last month or so. And I will confess to being a 'bad mother' who just didn't bother making him do it, especially not on the floor. But he's getting there anyway

[MummaSue]

Thanks guys, she gets lots of floor time, mostly on her back LOL.
I guess you're right though, she will do it at her own pace hey?

Thanks again
Sue x

[HotI]

Well...... a few weeks ago she figured out that she could roll herself back onto her back from her tummy and now I put her on her tummy, she rolls onto her back and then giggles at me as if to say "ha, what you gonna do about that then mum?". It's really funny actually.

My little one does exactly the same thing! She hates tummy time on the floor too. She is ok if it is over my knee or on my chest though. I reckon it will be awhile til she works out how to go back to tummy cos she hates it so much. She is doing a kinda clock-like crawl where her head stays in the same place but her legs move her body around in a circle.

[feeb]

DS1 hated tummy time, he started comano crawling at 10 months and proper at 13 or 14 months, walked at 21 months.

DS2 hates tummy time so much so when I put him down on tummy he is flipped over before i have stood straight up again!! He wants to sit up all the time and will happily sit up for ages. He has been rolling both ways from 4 months but very rarely rolls onto tummy.

[MummaSue]

Feeb, it's a good point, I think that she's going to be a baby that loves to just sit and watch the world. She LOVES to sit with us on the sofa and chat. LOL, too cute.

Kate, yeah - we do "tummy on mummy" and she loves that. Thinks it's really funny to try and suck my nose or chin

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

DD1 HATED having tummy time, she wasn't even a fan of laying on her back and playing on the floor, she sat from 5mths and thats all she wanted to do.. at 10mths she just up and crawled, she never army crawled or rolled around the floor.
I did make sure she had tummy time every day (even if she didn't like it) even if it was just 2min with me trying to get her to smile.

DD2 is very similar, sat from 5.5mths, will lay on her back and play happily but HATES tummy time unless DD1 and i are both on our bellies looking like complete idiots.. i am hoping she will be like her big sister and just decide to up and crawl one day.

GL with it all....

[MummaSue]

Thanks ZF x

[~Hestia~]

Haven't read all the responses but just wanted to say that tummy time is over rated in my honest opinion. Moo HATED tummy time, he would scream and cry so I didn't do it.
He was happy on his back so he spent a lot of time on the floor, just not on his tummy. Once he was able to roll he didn't seem to be so bothered by being on his tummy.
He never commando crawled - started 'properly' crawling at 6 months I think. Maybe 7 months I can't quite remember!

[appletree]

DS is pretty much the same, he hates tummy time because of his reflux and hasn't yet worked out how to consistently roll himself over yet so just lies there and screams! He likes it if i prop him up on DD's swim ring though, and its low enough that he can roll himself over off it. Another thing he loves playing on is one of those round blow up roller things, i put him on his tummy and roll him forward and back, and also do this with him on his back. Also, something i remember from DD doing gymbaroo (poor 2nd child never gets to do anything fun! LOL), was to do lots of different floor exercises like bicycle legs, arms round and round, crossing opposite foot to hand (this was supposed to be really good for crawling).

They absolutely will do it when they want to, DD has bad hip dysplasia so when she was around this age she went into a spica cast for 12 weeks (thick plaster which goes from under the armpits to ankles with her legs in a froggy position), even with the weight of the cast and being unable to move anything other than her arms she still managed to work out how to crawl in it!

[MummaSue]

Yeah, I hate the feeling of pressure to put babies on their tummies. It was always one of the first things that the MCHN's asked me when I used to get her weighed a lot in the early days. And she HATED it with a passion then so I was a bit stressed about it all.

I just haven't really been bothering that much with it of late so wanted to ask what everyone thought.

Glad to hear that you guys agree with me - and yeah - overrated!!!!
S X