Is it tummy time if it is on ME?

[Hattie'sMama]

Hattie, my 5 week old, is way more active when doing tummy time while lying on someone's chest. Do you think this still encourages the muscle development that it would on the floor?

And could anyone give me specific amounts of time they do? are we talking 5 minutes? 20 minutes? How often do you do it?

[HonkyTonka]

My LO hated tummy time on the floor, but was happy to be on the chest. I think it counts. A pamphlet I got at the hospital said 5 minutes a day in the beginning.

[GoBecGo]

I have a 5month old and a 4yo. I literally NEVER did tummy time with either. I wore them both a LOT, usually upright in a wrap (rather than side-to-side in a sling), i put them down to roll about on the floor most days. I never deliberately put them down on their tummy. They both had excellent muscle tone from birth. Both rolled onto their tummies around 3-4months, and i let them stay put unless they get distressed, they usually roll back and forth themselves.

Honestly i think tummy time is very important for babies that spend their time predominantly in a carseat/stroller/bassinet/crib but NOT for kids who are held/carried a bunch. Being upright against your body fosters good muscle tone, and to answer your query more specifically i think that tummy time on someone's chest is probably even more beneficial than on the floor, since she is getting to interact at the same time.

[paxye]

We have never did the tummy time... I truly believe that it is not needed when babies are not in containers all day...

I wear my babies and they develop their muscles naturally...

[~Amy~]

Originally Posted by paxye

We have never did the tummy time... I truly believe that it is not needed when babies are not in containers all day...

I wear my babies and they develop their muscles naturally...

Ditto this. I barely ever put my DS down anywhere when he was really little, let alone on the floor on his belly.

[The4OfUs]

Originally Posted by GoBecGo

Honestly i think tummy time is very important for babies that spend their time predominantly in a carseat/stroller/bassinet/crib but NOT for kids who are held/carried a bunch. Being upright against your body fosters good muscle tone, and to answer your query more specifically i think that tummy time on someone's chest is probably even more beneficial than on the floor, since she is getting to interact at the same time.

: - tt on a chest also requires the development of a lot of little stabilizer muscles to balance while the person's chest is moving up and down breathing, just like holding them upright while you're walking does. I never really did tummy time with my second born because she was always upright in a carrier or in arms, unless she was asleep, so I saw no need. My son was happier on his own on the floor, in contraptions, etc. and so I went with his temperament and let him be on his own so long as he was OK, so I was sure to have him down on the floor on his belly every couple days so that could progress too.

[RaeDyCo]

We always did tummy time with DS1 and DS2 on our chests. They were happy, loved learning to lift their heads and completely content to stay that way for a long time.

I also would have the boys on their tummies on my shins when I would do sit ups or crunches on the floor (hope this makes sense). Again, they found it to be a game and I got some much needed exercise.

I just think the main thing w/ tummy time is to make is as stress free as possible.

[neverdoingitagain]

Originally Posted by Hattie'sMama

Hattie, my 5 week old, is way more active when doing tummy time while lying on someone's chest. Do you think this still encourages the muscle development that it would on the floor?

And could anyone give me specific amounts of time they do? are we talking 5 minutes? 20 minutes? How often do you do it?

Besides sitting up in arms, tummy time on someones chest would the next best thing. Think about it: the floor is flat and stable while someones chest...isn't, for the most part. You baby would be using a lot more muscles in order to stay stable. As for amount of time? Well, in this case, as much as you both desire.
Enjoy it while you can, the age when they get too big to lay on your chest comes so fast

[octobermom]

Originally Posted by GoBecGo
Honestly i think tummy time is very important for babies that spend their time predominantly in a carseat/stroller/bassinet/crib but NOT for kids who are held/carried a bunch. Being upright against your body fosters good muscle tone, and to answer your query more specifically i think that tummy time on someone's chest is probably even more beneficial than on the floor, since she is getting to interact at the same time.

another ditto here. Actually studies have shown the cordination and muscle controll babies develop from mommy tummy to tummy tiem as "better" than jsut laying them onthe floor. and the interaction is just fantastic.. THis doesn't mean tummy time on the floor is a bad thing my LO if she was on the flor playing always wanted to be on her tummy from a very early age like from around 2 weeks on but it was just how she liked it never forced.

Deanna

[skyewriter]

Originally Posted by paxye

We have never did the tummy time... I truly believe that it is not needed when babies are not in containers all day...

I wear my babies and they develop their muscles naturally...

I always carried mine as well, only just heard of tummy time with my newest! I love the containers comment, it is soo perfect.. at the hospital my kids (who stayed with me all three days!) were like why do they all put the babies in plastic containers?! they're not putting OUR baby in those boxes! (yay kids! and they didn't get any of my babies out of my arms after the weigh in!)
ps
what is with the 'hurry get them in a container!' mentality in this country?? doesn't anyone else notice that a helmet to wedge your child's flat head back into shape cuz you left it to rot in a plastic box of some kind is just wrong??

[TCMoulton]

Originally Posted by skyewriter

doesn't anyone else notice that a helmet to wedge your child's flat head back into shape cuz you left it to rot in a plastic box of some kind is just wrong??

Just an FYI - don't make assumptions that all (actually any - never heard of this as a reason) children who have to wear a helmet as an infant to help shape their head are wearing it because they rode in an infant seat or slept in a crib. I would hate for you to hurt a mom's feelings by inferring that her child needed a helmet because of her parenting choices when in actuality her child has a medical condition that requires the use of a helmet.

[Kathryn]

Originally Posted by skyewriter

doesn't anyone else notice that a helmet to wedge your child's flat head back into shape cuz you left it to rot in a plastic box of some kind is just wrong??

Many babies wear those to reshape their heads after neurosurgery. Two of my triplets had to wear them due to positioning in the womb. Lots of babies are unable to turn their head normally due to tight neck muscles, thus creating an uneven spot on their head. Very few of them are due to parents letting their children 'rot' in a plastic box and even if they are, it's quite hurtful for you to group every child that needs a helmet into that teeny tiny little BOX.

[GoBecGo]

Originally Posted by skyewriter

what is with the 'hurry get them in a container!' mentality in this country?? doesn't anyone else notice that a helmet to wedge your child's flat head back into shape cuz you left it to rot in a plastic box of some kind is just wrong??

Actually when parents were advised to put their babies on their backs to sleep, to prevent cot death, SIDS incidence went down by 40% and plagiocephaly (flat-head or flat-spot, sometimes requiring a helmet to correct) went UP by 600%. So actually the fact that a baby is sleeping in a cot or container on its back IS a common reason for plagiocephaly (though of course as we see on this thread, not the only one by any stretch - prematurity also has a big risk of plagiocephaly, partly due to the softness of the bones and partly because the life-saving machines often hold the little head in the same position for weeks).

The issue is arguably one of safety though - it is not the container but the position within it - in the 1950's babies were routinely placed in a pram and only lifted once every 4 hours to be fed and changed, but because parents put infants on their backs, fronts and sides in said pram the situation where the baby lies in the same position for long periods (especially common in young babies whose heads are heavy, necks are weak and simply not fighting gravity for a few weeks creates a small flattening which requires even more strength to "resist" laying on that a perfectly round head did and therefore worsens exponentially) was uncommon.

I will admit that both of my babies have perfectly round heads, but i largely ignore the back-to-sleep advice since baby sleeps in arms, in a wrap, or in my bed with me where i'm less concerned about her checking out. I know babies usually in arms but who nap and sleep in a cot who have flattish heads. For those parents positional plagiocephaly (which often resolves without need for a helmet) is not great, but is better than a dead baby (which ignoring SIDS advice threatens).

nak