Tummy time & neck development

Hi there -
My babies are 13+1/2 weeks and one of them appears to be doing better with tummy time than the other... They both are doing pretty good with holding their heads up when you sit them up, but L can't seem to push herself up much when she is on her tummy. M is doing ok, not great.
I can't remember when they should start pushing up more & holding their heads up better when on their tummy. Should I be concerned yet? We don't do that much tummy time truth be told, should we be doing more? Neither of them really like it.
Thx!

 

Most babies don't like it. I wouldn't worry. Tummy time doesn't have to necessarily be flat on their bellies on the floor. I've done it across my lap, on my chest-it all counts. Really-a few minutes tops is plenty at that age. Put them on their tummy for a minute-they fuss-all done. Do it again later.

The one problem with twins, that I see, is we compare them. If you didn't have Baby B to compare Baby A to-you would think nothing of their head/neck control. I say this, as my boys are four, and I still worry and compare the two. They are individuals. They will do it on their own time.

Oh, and I was never great with tummy time. Between feeding, sleeping, changing...it was a wonder I remembered their names, my name, let alone tummy time! LOL!

 

I agree with PP, it's hard not to compare but just keep at it. Try using a toy with lights/sounds or a mirror to encourage head extension. Also, try propping their arms under them to give them more support to lift their head. A few minutes t/o the day is just as good as a 10 minute stretch so don't give up!

 

Mine hated it on the floor, but would do it 'against' me, much happier. Maybe you could do it that way?

 

Congratulations on your twins!

My boys never liked tummy time, either. You could try laying them on their tummies when they're on your lap, or put a prop under a couch cushion, put a baby on the edge, (holding onto hjm, of course!) and sit below him. Something we used to do when they got a little older (3/4 months? It's all a blur--I can't remember exactly!) that seemed to help add a few minutes to their tolerance was propping them over their boppy pillows. We would put their chests on the boppy and put their hands on the floor, and they would look into a mirror or at each other, once they could hold their heads up better.

One of my boys was WAY ahead of the other early on. He was holding his head up high and pushing up while my other would barely lift his head off the floor. Now the one that was behind is able to stand unassisted for minutes at a time, while the other is content with holding on and cruising. They have their own timelines and motivations. As hard as it is not to compare them, the important thing is that they're meeting their milestones--and even those have a wide range of dates!

Don't stress over it--a little bit here, a little bit there--it all adds up. Before you know it they'll be all over the place! Good luck and enjoy those babies!

 

Wow! I just noticed the rest of your signature! TWO sets of twins!!??!! No wonder you can't remember! LOL More power to ya, girl!

 

Im in the same boat. Devin(baby A) is way ahead of Dylan. He has complete head control and is rolling over, whereas Dylan, is floppy and has somewhat head control. They both tolerate tummy time. Dylan is in the process of being evaluated for EI

 

We do tummy time in the morning which is when they seem the most tolerant for 5 minutes at a time with each twin. They stay down there 5 minutes, crying if needed, and then we pick them up and give them their morning bottle I try to get them down again at least one more time for 5 minutes during the day...sometimes two more times. And yes, they do hate it. And one twin is better than the other at it. It's just the way of things

 

I like BabyCenter to advise of when they are supposed to do what. One of my DDs was and still is a late bloomer. She never really rolled, crawled, and walked at 17 months and just now is putting sentances together. I was never worried because everyone said they all catch up...and at 3 1/2 she has. However, the one thing I wish I cared more about was tummy time. The neck strength plays a big part in the next few phases, for us it would've been helpful for my DD's falling. They all fall when they are crawling and learning to walk/run. But my stronger DD would always catch herself and keep her neck up when she fell, my other would always get a huge goose egg on her head, it got so bad the doctor said we had to give her a helmet to go outside and play (it was that bad)! To this day you can still feel the knot in her head!