Belly time

Tara Lee - posted on 01/19/2009

On January 7th, I posted that Paityn HATES belly time...now 12 days later, she all of a sudden LOVES it, go figure !

Emily - posted on 01/19/2009

I just went to the pediatrician this morning. My baby has rolled from front to back only a couple times and hasn't rolled from back to front. He said that was fine. I also read in the book What to Expect the First Year that babies that don't get a lot of tummy time reach these milestones later but that it wasn't a cause for concern. Have you been for 4 month vaccinations yet? You could ask your doctor about it if you are worried...

Cara - posted on 01/19/2009

My girl still hates her belly time, but she can hold her head up with no problem.  She hasnt rolled from her back to her belly yet....or opposite.....Im thinking it may be lack of belly activities????  Or is that something not too common at 4 months?

Emily - posted on 01/19/2009

My baby girl hated it too..she's still not very fond of it. My pediatrician suggested I just do it as much as I can (even if she's just on her stomach for less than a minute). We slowly worked our way up to longer tummy time sessions.

Kezza - posted on 01/19/2009

my lil girl used 2 like layin on her front now she got 2 4 months nd can hold her head up all she does is cry aswell

Lisa - posted on 01/19/2009

Emma - I have that - i think it is called the surf mat, i'm not sure exactly of the name. But i had such a hard time filling the pouch with water. I only managed to get a little bit of water in it and it is not enough for the fish to swim. They just end up piled up on top of each other! But I like the mat because it comes with a little pillow that supports baby during tummy time and there is also a ruler on the mat so you can measure the baby's height. Mine is 25 inches long at 16 weeks. :-)

Stacy - posted on 01/19/2009

My baby hates it! She wails when I put her on her belly! I guess there are alot of us in the same boat!

Emma - posted on 01/18/2009

im not much help as i dont know what it called or where it from but i remember seing a product that is full of water and fish... ect that you put baby on on belly.. whenbaby pats it the fish and other things swim... will keep an eye out for it and get back to you xx

Jess - posted on 01/17/2009

Hi everyone, try lying on your back with your legs raised and kness bent at 90 angle and hold baby on their tummy ON your shins and smile and laugh and sing with them!! You can excersise your legs at the same time by raising baby up and down and side to side!!

.Or have baby on your tummy facing you while you are on your back.. Tummy time doesnt have to be just baby on the floor! 

Sam - posted on 01/13/2009

my baby girl loves being on her belly and often rolls over on her own. she has been doing this since she was 2 months old i often find her sleeping on her tummy with her bum in the air. but i had her on her tummy from day one and she has a tiny love gym with a little boogie board for lying on. i also let her"swim" on her belly from a young age.

Erica - posted on 01/12/2009

I got this thing that is like a lazy susan but the baby lays on it and can spin themselves around. The baby is about 4-6 inches off the floor, but it makes tummy time so much easier. Shelby is able to do so much more now because of it. It is made by Lamaze. Check out earlylearning.com.

Tara Lee - posted on 01/07/2009

My Paityn HATES to be on her belly, anytime, even when I burb her I have to sit her on my knee, or when we are carrying her, she has to face out...I try 'tummy time' at least once a day and she lasts about 2 minutes and then freaks...I got a "Bumbo" chair for her and it really helps with her neck and head posture...after only a couple of days...and its a great chair to take with you where ever you go...

Bonnie - posted on 01/07/2009

mine hates it also, but my doctor told me those who don't play on their tummy usually don't crawl but learn to walk quicker

Leslie - posted on 01/07/2009

I go to new mom's class (at Isis for those of you in Boston) and they have these great log like pillows that we use for tummy time and all the babies love it. They are thicker than boppies and firmer. The instructor said the best thing to use is a beach towel rolled up with a blanket over it to keep it together. Haven't tried it just yet...

Angela - posted on 01/06/2009

I used my nursing pillow as a bit or a support. It made it easier for my daughter to lift her head. After a couple weeks I don't need the pillow at all.

Reina - posted on 01/02/2009

My daughter has hated being on her belly too. About a month ago I started to turn her over on her belly every time I changed her. At first she only lasted a few seconds before crying but as I kept doing it she started lasting longer and longer. Now she will stay on her belly for about 5 minutes, until her neck gets tired.

Marie - posted on 01/02/2009

James is the same way, he doesn't enjoy being on his belly for more that a minute or two, but getting down on the floor with him is helping. If he's sees mommy do it, maybe he will think its ok. Having the tv on is a great distraction, but I am beginning to cut back on the tv because it totally absorbs him, sometimes he can't seem to look away.

Katarina - posted on 12/30/2008

Try turning on the t.v infront of them. I found that my daughter is mesmorized by the flashing lights and movement on the boobtube so much, she doesn't realize she's on her belly.

Martina - posted on 12/29/2008

My son is like Lisa Milner's. He HATED it at first, but I think the key is they like it AFTER they have some neck strength. Simon got a Bumbo at Thanksgiving and could barely hold his head up in it. Within a week of using it though, his neck was 100X better. Since then, he's liked tummy time more.



Other ways to encourage neck strength are to carry them so that they're looking at the floor. (like superman) Also sit them facing you and hold their arms but lean them back and pull them toward you so they have to use their neck to sit back up.

Jessica - posted on 12/27/2008

my daughter hates it as well. she'll stick it out a little longer if her 'big sister' who's 4 lays next to her.

Mary - posted on 12/24/2008

Hi- My daughter hated it when she was little, and she developed right on time anyway. With my son (9/9), I put one of our pillows under the boppy, so he's at an incline on his tummy. He is still using his neck muscles, but he doesn't look like he's flopped over the boppy, with it pressing into his tummy. He went from hating tummy time, to loving it! Good luck!

Renee - posted on 12/17/2008

My son (9-19) isn't a huge fan of it. I put him on his back first and let him play for about 10 mins with the toys hanging down from his floor mat and then I will put him on his tummy for as long as he will let me. Normally it is about 5-10mins. His ped. said that he only needed just a minute or two a day, and although he has really strong neck muscles, we still try to get him to exercise as much as possible.

Wendy - posted on 12/17/2008

My son is not fond of tummy time either (he USUALLY chooses to scream through it, or try to sleep:p), but it is very good for their developing muscles! Don't try it for long periods of time (more than 10mins) if they don't enjoy it, but do try to get at least 20-30minutes a day maybe at 3-4 different intervals for 5-10minutes at a time. A lot of doctors will suggest a few minutes after every diaper change.

Lisa - posted on 12/17/2008

Have you tried to put her on her belly on you? You can do it on your chest or on your thighs. Also, my son (he is almost 3 months) likes when I put his mirror in front of him when he is on the floor on his belly. I also hold up his favorite toys (ones that play music and/or light up) in front of him to encourage him to pick up his head.

Angela - posted on 12/17/2008

I'm in the same boat. My son hates being on his tummy. He'll occasionally stick it out for like 5-10 min, but even then he just lays there like a lump. He only tries lifting his head up for like the first minute or two and then usually starts crying.

Amanda - posted on 12/15/2008

I stopped doing it with my first and haven't even tried this time around. My first would cry for at least 30 min even with me holding her after I picked her up from her 1 min. of being on her tummy. I don't hold her head up when I carry her and she does great, so I just don't worry about it. :) Good luck!

Heather - posted on 12/15/2008

the thing i foung that helps the most is laying my daughter on my belly so she has me to look at while still giving those neck muscles some excerise. Now that we have been doing that for a little while i'v tried putting her on the floor again and she doesnt mind it quite as much.

Cheryce - posted on 12/14/2008

hey Cara!! my son always hates tummy time. he's ok for a minute or 2... then freaks out. i even lay on the floor with him... and it still doesnt work.

Ashley - posted on 12/14/2008

my daughter was born 9 11 and she hatesbelly time too

Lisa - posted on 12/14/2008

Keep trying. My Jake hated it - would cry within seconds but suddenly his head started popping up when he was 11 weeks old. Now every day he seems to take it a few seconds longer than the day before. We wait until he is in a good mood and has been happily playing on his back for at least 10 minutes then we pick him up and flip him over with a cushion under his chest for support. Once he is on his tummy, we both get down on the floor and act like crazy people shaking his toys above his head and cheering him on. As soon as he shows signs of crying we pick him up and give him a cuddle.

Stephanie - posted on 12/12/2008

90% of the time my son hates it too. He'll be 3 mo. next week. I try to do it twice a day for as long as he'll let me which is as little as 2 minutes at time to a maximum of 10. His neck strength is improving, but of course I worry its not enough. I've tried boppy pillows, tummy activity mats...nothing makes it any better.

Lisa - posted on 12/11/2008

same here but keep trying. I will try at least once a day.and a little tiny bit longer every day.eventually she'll get the hang of it and maybe like it when she realizes she can actually go places that way. lol dont give up,soon we'll be like "why in the WORLD did I encourage that one" lol good luck

Cayla - posted on 12/11/2008

My daughter also cries through belly time!! but i found that using your boppy pillow and putting it on the floor and putting her on her belly on that she is more apt to stick it out and play a little and gets to stretch those muscles.. I usually put a few toys in front of her so that she can look at something. Hope this helps you?

Holly - posted on 12/11/2008

My little girl doesn't like it either and it drives me nuts b/c it's so good for them!

Angie - posted on 12/11/2008

I just think some babies don't like it. Neither of my sons cared for it.