Tummy Time?

Discussion in 'The First Year' started by Trishandthegirls, Aug 24, 2007.

  1. Trishandthegirls

    Trishandthegirls Well-Known Member

    Hello,

    How much tummy time did you (do you) try with your four month olds? Mine sleep on wedges and have reflux, so I have to keep them upright much of the time. Neither of my girls seems to like being on her stomach, so between the having to be upright and the not liking it, I don't do tummy time very much it seems. I'm wondering how much they need in order to develop their chest and arm muscles and to learn how to roll over. Will less tummy time mean slower development? I have their four month appointment in a week and a half and I'll ask the Ped, but thought I'd find out what all of your experiences were.

    Thanks...
     
  2. MichelleL

    MichelleL Well-Known Member

    To be honest, my girls only got small bits of tummy time here and there. One of them learned to like it and the other was not a fan so it was hard. I would never let her get too mad but just kept trying over and over and over until she tolerated it better.
     
  3. becky5

    becky5 Guest

    I think that the key to it, is doing small increments of time throughout the day, until they get used to it. It is important for muscle development. I don't remember where I read it, but the tummy time actually helps with the reflux, by somehow strengthening that valve that keeps the food in their tummies.
     
  4. moski

    moski Well-Known Member TS Moderator

    My twins did not like tummy time. In order to get around that, I would lay in bed with one of them laying on top of me. I would talk with them and it would hold their interest a little bit longer.
     
  5. fuchsiagroan

    fuchsiagroan Well-Known Member

    I've been doing very frequent tummy time from the beginning - at least one session whenever they have wake time. The sessions were very short in the beginning, even less than a minute. Now they can spend much longer on their tummies and enjoy it. Both of them hated it at first; DS hated it for longer than DD did - but now he is the rolling champion!

    PPs have good ideas - have them do tummy time on your tummy, so they get that nice soothing contact and get to look at you. Give them lots of cool things to look at (especially YOU!) during tummy time. Give them breaks when they get too frustrated, but even if it's only 30 sec. at a time, those 30 sec. blocks add up.

    Also, do they seem to tolerate it better before or after feedings? They may like it better on an empty stomach (or the opposite).
     
  6. TFine

    TFine Well-Known Member

    When I put mine on their tummies for tummy time, all they do is fall asleep and then I have to watch them like crazy. The whole SIDS thing scares me. I kind of wish mine didnt like tummy time, maybe then they would fight a little and strengthen some muscles in the process!
     
  7. CHJH

    CHJH Well-Known Member

    The only way mine would tolerate it at that age is if I put their torsos on boppie pillows. Worked like a charm. I wish I'd thought of it sooner as both boys have flat head.
     
  8. Becca34

    Becca34 Well-Known Member

    We do 10 minutes in the evening, before we start the bedtime routine -- it's the only time they wake from a nap and don't eat right away.

    Otherwise, they eat first every time they wake up, and we can't do tummy time right afterwards, because they get upset and spit up....
     
  9. Jordari

    Jordari Well-Known Member

    My girls have reflux and hated tummy time too....i always felt badly that i wasnt doing enough, but like pp's say, try to do short sessions....i got a gymini and would put them on their backs to play which they love, then on their tummies (one at a time) - when she got really fussy i'd pick her up and soothe her...

    interestingly, it changed in just a few weeks; mine are 5 mos old and one has been rolling for almost three weeks and now is fine onher tummy (except when she gets stuck and cries)...the other who REALLY hated TT has gotten much stronger.

    I think even short increments as frequently as possible really help - although at 3 mos my pedi said she wanted them to spend 15 mins2x per day - i laughed and asked if she was going to come and deal with the screaming!
     
  10. traci_roo

    traci_roo Well-Known Member

    We do it for short increments 3-4 times a day. They have worked up to 5 minutes now. DS will now do it longer than DD. The PT suggested we do it on a wedge so DS won't spit up as much and that helped soooo much. It worked much better than the boppies.
     
  11. reeba1976

    reeba1976 Well-Known Member

    We did tummy time until our guys got fussy and tired. We had reflux real bad as well. When we did tummy time, I propped them up on their tummys on a boppy. They were OK with this for a little while. Keep it up. It will get longer and longer each time. My guys now are ALWAYS in the floor. I can never ever get them to stay put!
     
  12. shannonfilteau

    shannonfilteau Well-Known Member

    I have always tried to do tummytime every day ever since they were about a month old. As an OT, I KNOW the benefits of doing it for development, but as a twin Mom I know how hard it is to get in, with feeds and bottles, etc... It IS very important to aid with their develoment, so keep trying to get it in even if it's for a few minutes a day and work your time up each week or so. I used a small towel or burp cloth rolled up and placed it under their arms/armpits so they weren't sucking in the floor, my DD HATED TT and would just lay face down and scream her head off until I picked her up, but now does fine with it now that she can hold her head up herself and look around. It was the worst 3-10 minutes of the day for me, but now she likes it. Also you can lay face to face with them and try to distract them as they love faces, and also if they lay on your belly (flat on the couch or bed) this counts too for TT (my DD found this better as she could look at me or my DH for those minutes). Toys would be a good distraction for my DS.
     
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