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SuzanneG
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| Posted: Aug 16 2008 at 1:00am | IP Logged
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Why can't I get ANY OF MY BABIES to *like* being on their tummies????  NONE of my four (now five) girls ever liked "tummy time"; they just cry, fuss and throw a fit after about 20 seconds.
I know there are babies (I have seen them  ) who are completely happy playing with something in front of them....la..la..la...they just lie there and chew on stuff, lifting their head up....and then one day they ROLL OVER! Something else my babies never do, probably because they aren't on their tummies enough! 
Now that babies sleep on their backs....how do you get them to be happy on their tummy??? What am I doing wrong?
Tips? Stories?
Does it matter?  Do I care? 
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Suzanne in ID
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JodieLyn
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we just do the 20 seconds or whatever now and again.. since babies can be worn and be just fine I don't find it's anything critical to have to do.. but it gives them an extra 20 second of floor time that's different than laying on their back and wiggling that way.
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Bridget
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I think the main reason for tummy time is to prevent flat head from back sleeping all the time. If it hasn't been a problem with the others... it's not a problem.
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Bridget, happily married to Kevin, mom to 8 on earth and a small army in heaven
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SusanJ
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Both of my kids so far have hated tummy time. I think I would just keep a blanket on the floor and if I needed to set them down for a second they would go there on their tummy but it never last long. Do you wear your babies a lot? I think that a lot of physical development benefits of tummy time are achieved through baby-wearing as well. I wouldn't worry too much if your four previous girls are all normal :)
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teachingmyown
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I don't do it. My babies just scream. Seth didn't roll over until seven months.  I don't think it has held him back. He is desperately trying to crawl now and we can't keep him off of his belly.
Just go with your instincts.
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Maryan
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| Posted: Aug 16 2008 at 9:23am | IP Logged
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My kids have all loved a reasonable amount of tummy time. And have all rolled over and crawled pretty early.
So... (don't laugh), I decided that I would hold Philip all.the.time... so that he would delay some of these skills because... well, it's just harder to keep track of a rolling and crawling young baby.
We went to the doctor's at four months and he asked if he could roll over and I said, "I don't know. He doesn't get much tummy time."
And then right on the table with the crinkly paper... he went from back to front.
And became my earliest crawler at 5 months.
So... I think a baby is gonna do what a baby wants to do. That's my theory of late.
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Maryan
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juststartn
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I just let them lay there. Okay, so I'm mean. A minute or two now and again won't hurt, and certainly gives me a minute or two of "hands free" activity. I can't wear them--I just canNOT. So I can carry them, but they have GOT to be able to deal with the floor at some point...(you can imagine with the twins, being alone...ugh).
Anyway, I just did a bit longer than they were happy with. And kept adding to it. And did it at least once everyday.
Rachel
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Rachel May
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juststartn wrote:
| I just let them lay there. |
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I usually get distracted and forget them , but that made me realize that the fussing preceeded sleep.
None of my back sleepers liked tummy time, but my tummy sleepers have loved it. And how they sleep is how I chose to put them to sleep from birth. It had nothing to do with them.
Maryan, you are killing me! I can't wait to tell Bill....
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mathmama
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I agree that a baby is going to roll over or whatever when they are ready. With DD#2 we held her constantly, perhaps even more than DD#1. At 10wks DH put DD#2 on the floor while he helped DD#1 on the potty and I prepared dinner. It was probably the longest she had ever been on the floor and she proceed to roll from her back to her belly and then onto her back again. You can imagine my shock when I looked over my shoulder and she was gone! She crawled early and walked at about 9.5 months.
Beth
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SuzanneG
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| Posted: Aug 19 2008 at 12:29am | IP Logged
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Maryan wrote:
So... (don't laugh), I decided that I would hold Philip all.the.time... so that he would delay some of these skills because... well, it's just harder to keep track of a rolling and crawling young baby.
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I completely understand this decision . I've always considered myself lucky that my girls have no desire to move anywhere for a really long time.
OK....so thanks everyone. I don't feel like I'm the only person in the whole world whose baby hates tummy time.
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Suzanne in ID
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Maryan
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I'm glad you understand my crazy decisions, Suzanne.
And it was my backwards way of telling you not to worry about tummy time... apparently, they do the skills they need to with or without it.
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Maryan
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JennGM
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It took a while for both my boys to like "tummy time", but I would keep trying every day. Each time they would enjoy it a bit longer. It helped to give them motivation to roll over, too. But both of my boys were/are spitters, so being on the tummy ALWAYS results in spit-up. 
Now N loves to be on his tummy, and usually sleeps on his side or rolls onto his tummy for sleeping.
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CrunchyMom
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SusanJ wrote:
| Both of my kids so far have hated tummy time. I think I would just keep a blanket on the floor and if I needed to set them down for a second they would go there on their tummy but it never last long. Do you wear your babies a lot? I think that a lot of physical development benefits of tummy time are achieved through baby-wearing as well. I wouldn't worry too much if your four previous girls are all normal :) |
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I think wearing or even holding a baby in arms counts. It is my understanding that the reason tummy time is needed is because it is so common for modern babies to spend inordinate amounts of time on their back in car seats, strollers, bouncy seat, swings, etc...
I never did tummy time with either of my boys, and neither had flat heads or any delays in physical development.
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Barbara C.
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The purpose is supposed to be to build up arm, chest, and neck muscles in preparation for crawling.
I don't worry about it too much. I do tummy time as much to entertain as anything. I found that mine like being propped up on a Boppy pillow, so their face isn't buried in the ground. They especially have fun when a big sister is on the floor in front of them cheering them on. Sometimes I do it without the Boppy, and sometimes lay back and let them have belly time on my chest.
I agree that every baby is just going to be different on the developmental time table. I have been carrying this one more, so it will be interesting to see how it effects things. I seem to remember the book "Our Babies, Ourselves" talking about a tribe where the children were always, and I mean always, carried and the kids tended to develop gross motor skills at a faster rate than average.
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graciefaith
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I didnt worry about it. Dr. told me dd3 needed to have tummy time for at least 1hr a day. Ya right. She started crawling around 8-9mo and is not cruising. So, i wouldnt worry. None of my other 2 liked tummy time either.
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Maryan
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Barbara C. wrote:
| I seem to remember the book "Our Babies, Ourselves" talking about a tribe where the children were always, and I mean always, carried and the kids tended to develop gross motor skills at a faster rate than average. |
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Now you tell me...
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4Real Forums : Mothering and Family Life
Topic: Tummy Time for Infants
