Tummy time - 3 month old

[busymama77]

How is your LO doing with tummy time? We started it when he was around 5 weeks old - do it mainly once a day (he's now at daycare full time and they incorporate it during his other activities). But when he's with us, he's good for about 5 minutes and that's it. He can bring his head up to 45 degrees and some times 90 degrees, but not always. He just doesn't seem really interested in the activity even when I put a toy out in front of him for him to try and grab.

[Boot]

I'm skeptical about tummy time. I didn't really do it with either of mine until they started rolling onto their tummies at about 3 months. If they love it, great. but most babies don't. Unless you have any concerns about your baby's strength (and he sounds fine) I honestly wouldn't worry about it.. Just my 2c.

[busymama77]

Originally Posted by Boot

I'm skeptical about tummy time. I didn't really do it with either of mine until they started rolling onto their tummies at about 3 months. If they love it, great. but most babies don't. Unless you have any concerns about your baby's strength (and he sounds fine) I honestly wouldn't worry about it.. Just my 2c.

Yeah, no strength concerns, just happiness/enjoyment concerns. One thing I noticed that when he is on his tummy his legs are kicking like crazy, like he wants to try and crawl! When he's on his back, his legs are going all over the place.

Rolling ON to tummies starts at 3 months? My little guy is 3 months today and can roll over to his side and that's about it......

[Plarka]

I've heard that when babies are on their backs, they're upside down. They automatically kick all around like that, and if on their tummy, the kicking can actually get them somewhere! Then they realize if they kick on purpose, they can move forward on purpose. We started dd2 on her tummy all the time from one day old and she loves it. Get's bored after like 20 minutes, like she does anything.

Some things I've heard for babies who don't like it is to have some tummy time on your tummy, and also put them on their tummy on the couch, so you can be at their eye level easily.

But what you're doing, 5 min a day, is great, way better than nothing! I'd say keep that up at the least!

[busymama77]

Originally Posted by Plarka

I've heard that when babies are on their backs, they're upside down. They automatically kick all around like that, and if on their tummy, the kicking can actually get them somewhere! Then they realize if they kick on purpose, they can move forward on purpose. We started dd2 on her tummy all the time from one day old and she loves it. Get's bored after like 20 minutes, like she does anything.

Some things I've heard for babies who don't like it is to have some tummy time on your tummy, and also put them on their tummy on the couch, so you can be at their eye level easily.

But what you're doing, 5 min a day, is great, way better than nothing! I'd say keep that up at the least!

I will give that a try. Thanks!

[Ldogg]

Yeah, the *only* way my almost-three-month-old will stand tummy time for 5 minutes is if I put my head on the floor next to her and talk to her in a soothing voice.

My pediatrician lightly chastised us for not doing tummy time a couple weeks ago (which I wasn't doing because she HATED it!) but now I'm just doing whatever we can... not the "recommended" 30 minutes but I don't sweat it. Her head control has gotten better just in these past two weeks, so I consider that good progress!

[flavorfull1]

I was concerned because I wasn't doing tummy time at all, like 10 min since he was born until about 3 mo. I asked the pedi about it and he just kind of laughed and said it isn't really necessary. He said "there aren't any teenagers walking around unable to hold their head up..." So, I just didn't worry about it. I wear him a lot and he was holding his head up from that. Now, he likes to play on his tummy but still does not prefer it. Doesn't have trouble rolling either, and he started that around 4 mo. I think the main thing is that if it seems to work for you, cool, if it doesn't make sense, maybe it is too early, not the day, or just not right? My little guy really hated it bc of reflux issues. Now that he is more mature and we cut dairy- much happier!

[Nicole730]

We're not big on tummy time here at all. She's done it like 3 times now, for a total of 5 minutes. She has great head and neck control IMO.

[rhiOrion]

I've also read that time spent on you counts as tummy time. So all that time in the carrier, he's working on head control.

[Catubodua]

my LO is funny with this. there are days that 1 minute of tummy time is too much in his opinion and other days that he's happy for 15-20 minutes. i let him guide us on the time.

but, he's also working on his neck muscles while i'm wearing him or carrying him around so he's doing great with that.

as for the rolling over - i don't worry about it. my little guy is almost four months old and he'll get almost all the way over but can't seem to figure out what to do with the arm he's rolling on. i know he'll get it eventually

[octobermom]

my LO is a tummy sleeper so I figure she gets that time she actually does like some tummy time but I dont force it. SHe lieks to do little pushups on our bed though.

Deanna

[busymama77]

Originally Posted by rhiOrion

I've also read that time spent on you counts as tummy time. So all that time in the carrier, he's working on head control.

That's true. I didn't even think about that. He was in the carrier a lot this past weekend while we were out of town - slept a lot in it, too.

[SunRise]

Lifting baby in the air, above your head, must also count as tummy time / neck strengthening. I do this occasionally, (10 reps) and she holds her head up (she loves it) and my arms get some exercise too.

I have only purposefully put her on her tummy a couple of times in her life. After reading this thread I tried it the other day and she was lifting and holding her head up (13 weeks)

[JenBuckyfan]

From what I've heard, tummy time has been advised since the 'going back to sleep' campaign awhile back. Our pedi said we need to be having 10 minutes per day. Our newborn/mom group educator said if they hate being on their tummy, don't force them to be on them - she stated that we should look at tummy time as 'non back time'. There's some huge number out there (maybe 80%... can't remember) on the amount of time that western babies spend on their backs be it in a crib, swing, bouncy seat etc. I wear DS and we hold him all of the time (helps that he hates being put down!) with only a little time on the back. He has warmed up to 'specific' tummy time - especially if we have a pillow underneath him, and we have big animal clings on his closet doors that he will stare at. My other understanding is that tummy time is basically to prevent flat head syndrome, where in the western culture a round head is the asthetic desired look versus other cultures where the flat head is desired.