Tummy Time

er1983

Hi All, so the phn advised us to start tummy time this week. How long should we do this for and is it just placing them on their tummies?? Any advice would be appreciated

Alf Veedersane

er1983 wrote: »

Hi All, so the phn advised us to start tummy time this week. How long should we do this for and is it just placing them on their tummies?? Any advice would be appreciated

Yeah, it's just placing them on their tummy. It's to get the baby to start using their neck muscles to look up and strengthen those muscles.

Just start off a little at a time. It might only be a minute initially. What I used to do as well as tummy time on the mat was when I was holding her was to lie back a little in the chair and see if she'd look up or just bury her head in my chest.

LegacyUser

Did it once on the advice of some midwife. Baby started crying. Picked him up and never did it again.

Baby started crawling a few weeks later anyway.

greenman09

Our little one hates tummy times esp on our belly. We put her in the changing mat last night and put on frozen. Lasted the whole let it go song. 3 months and she's as good as obsessed with that song.

Woshy

My little one hated it so I was terrible at doing it - it didn't seem to have any negative effect on him anyway.

One thing suggested to me was a little rolled up towel under their chests to encourage them to lift the upper half of their bodies - not sure how effective or easy that is though.

I also used to put him on my chest on his tummy instead and he liked that, would lift his head to look at me and stuff. It's hard to believe he was ever small enough to do that now!

greenman09

Mamas and papas have a tummy time cushion. Think they are 25€ or something. Got it reduced at baby fair. We put her on this last night for the first time and just support her legs if she needs it.
Our phn said @13 weeks her head movement is 50% where it should be.
Another stint tonight

LegacyUser

greenman09 wrote: »

Our phn said @13 weeks her head movement is 50% where it should be.

I don't get this. The only measure they can use for this is an average, i.e. average child can move head about halfway at 13 weeks. Therefore all the PHN is telling you is that your child is at the average. It's not a target and I would love to know what this advice is for other than to cause unnecessary worry or to give some shell of comfort.

Or else, more likely, it is completely made up target and you have just spent €25 on a cushion for no reason.

How many children walk about unable to hold their head up?

pwurple

It's just putting them on their tummy occasionally so they don't get a flat bit on the back of their head from always being in the exact same position.

It can be on you, or on a bed, on the floor, anywhere.

elly123

My little fella hated tummy time on the floor, id often do it in his cot, on our bed or on us. The easiest i think was on your chest and let them look up at you. Its important that they strengthen their neck but if it was upsetting my little fella id take him up.

LilMrsDahamsta

All of mine did/do it up on the couch, face out to the room, so they can look down/across at the others playing on the floor. Its enough of a distraction to get them used to it, and then they move on to doing it on the floor when they know how to look up and aren't stuck there with their face in the carpet! Little and often is the key, I find. The current 10 week old does a few minutes after every nappy change, except when he's looking for boob/sleep, and likes it now, but my experience is that they all hate it initially; you just have to keep at it for very brief periods, several times a day until they get over it.

Fagashlil

My son hates it, first time we did it, he pulled his knees in and went to sleep on the mat!!

He spends a lot of time on daddy's shoulder and is constantly looking around like a meerkat so not worried at all!

LegacyUser

LilMrsDahamsta wrote: »

you just have to keep at it for very brief periods, several times a day until they get over it.

Why, what will happen if you don't?

It's a nonsense, it's totally unnecessary.

lollpop

It's putting babies on their tummy. Can start it from a day old. Main purpose is to strengthen back muscles for when they are walking. Most babies don't like it to start with so build up slowly, a minute or two a day. It helps to have something for them to play with while they are doing it, my lo loved looking in a mirror so I always used one at tummy time.

CarpeDiem85

I wouldn't be too worried about it. I did it 3-4 times a day and ended up thinking there was something with my daughter as she wouldn't budge and cried every time. She ended up being a bum shuffler and crawled later on. I'd do it but babies have their own minds about how things should be done.

orchidsrpretty

I have twins who were pretty similar in weight etc when born. My boy is excellent at lifting his head up and is very strong while my girl is about 2-3 weeks behind him. She is just starting to lift her head up. I'm not worried as every child will do things in their own time. While encouragement is great I wouldn't be worried if they are not so interested right now. It will change soon enough.