thread: Belly time - how much?

  1. #1
    Registered User

    Jan 2011
    ~~Off With The Fairies~~
    1,746

    Belly time - how much?

    How much belly time do you give your bubs?

    When I was at the MCHN the other week, she said I should be putting Miss Z on her belly as soon as she wakes up, and to basically have her on her belly the whole time she is awake!

    She said due to the SIDS recommendation of bubs having to sleep on their backs, that they need more belly time to develop (or something along those lines, miss Z really doesn't like the MCHN visits lol)

    So, out of curiosity, how much belly time do you give your lil ones?

    Really interested in reading what the go is with you lovely ladies!

  2. #2
    Registered User

    Jul 2008
    Melbourne
    3,244

    i never overdid it or worried too much about time. i'd make an effort to do it when DS was awake but if he wasn't enjoying it/it upset him, i'd stop. i don't think my policy did him any harm - he rolled 'on schedule' and crawled at 7 months. once he could roll, he'd just go back onto his back if he didn't want to be on his tummy anyway

  3. #3
    Registered User

    Nov 2010
    Perth, WA
    3,172

    At the moment it's about half and half with Mr A. I usually help him roll over onto his tummy when he starts getting frustrated at not being able to do so himself. But then, he quite likes being on his tummy these days - hated it at first.

    I really wouldn't think having her on her belly the whole time would be right, they aren't really moving much when asleep so I'd go for a balance

  4. #4
    Registered User

    Dec 2008
    Brisbane, QLD
    5,171

    DS HATED being on his tummy. He would scream from the moment I put him down to when I picked him up. Nothing would distract him.
    He spent very little time on his tummy as a result. Maybe 5 mins a week, if that.
    He is absolutely fine. He was a little behind his peers for a long time, but not just physically and not outside what is considered "normal". So I'm inclined to believe he would have been anyway.
    He is now 2 and 8 months and developing just fine.

  5. #5
    Registered User

    Sep 2008
    Sydney
    1,413

    I can't remember exactly how long my DD would have been on her tummy for, but it would have been alot of the time she was awake as she liked being in that position. I think it made her more comfy as had reflux so put some pressure on her tummy to get wind out.

    I say just go with the flow, and just see how much time she likes being on her tummy for!

  6. #6
    Registered User

    Nov 2008
    Melbourne
    2,008

    I did it often, but not for long because DS wasn't a fan. Whenever we put him down some where, be it for a nappy change, playtime or whatever we'd give tummy time a shot. For the longest time it only lasted 10 or 15 seconds, before he got upset, but as time went by he would tolerate it for longer and longer.

    The one thing that I found made it more comfortable for DS was to roll up a blanket and put it under his chest with his arms over it (kinda like if you were lying on your tummy and resting on your elbows).

  7. #7
    Registered User

    Jan 2011
    ~~Off With The Fairies~~
    1,746

    I agree Sloane, was the same with Miss H. I let her dictate tummy time as well ... and she was on schedule with everything else as well.

    Just seemed the nurse was really stressing it this time round!

    Cranks, she has her Nonno's temper! and she really does not appreciate having to be on her belly for longer than 10 minutes at a time!

    I love how cranky babies can get, their lil grunts and yelps! which often surprises themselves hehehe