18 Sep Tips For Babies Who Don’t Like Tummy Time
Many parents know that “tummy time” is important. Babies need to have plenty of tummy time to help build their neck and upper-body strength. However, while regular tummy time can be great for little ones—not all infants love spending time on their bellies.
This can seem frustrating for parents, but even if your baby seems to hate tummy time, there are ways that you can help make the whole process easier (and less stressful) for everyone involved.
The thing the remember is that there are lots of babies that hate being on their belly, and if your child is fussing and crying—you aren’t alone. This doesn’t however, mean that you should just avoid having your baby on their backs altogether. Your child still needs to have some tummy time to help build these important muscles, and these tips can help your little one get used to time on their tummy.
- Start tummy time early. This will help make tummy time more of a habit for your baby. When first starting out with newborns, you only need to do about a minute or two at a time, until they build up the strength to do tummy time for 10-15 minutes per session.
- Do Tummy Time With Them. If your baby starts to cry when it is tummy time, then get down on the floor with them and do some tummy time of your own. Remember, your baby can’t see a whole lot when they are on their tummy, and even if you are sitting nearby, they may think you have left for good. Get down on their level and it may help your baby stay calmer.
- Make tummy time fun. Even if your baby is crying the entire time you put them on their belly, there are things that you can do in order to make tummy time more fun. Simply do your best to entertain your baby while they are on their bellies. This can be done with toys, books or light up tummy time mats that will distract them and make this time seem like a game. You can even withhold certain toys just for tummy time interactions.
- Add a mirror. This is a simple fix if your baby tends to fuss and cry a whole lot during tummy time. Just add a mirror on the ground so that your baby can see their own reflection, it will be distracting and exciting enough for them to make it through their tummy time session.
- Change up the location. If you always do tummy time in the same spot, consider switching it up. Tummy time in a bedroom or even outside, or at a friend’s house can make tummy time more exciting, and prevent the early panic that often happens when your child knows
its about to be tummy time in their usual spot.
If you have more questions about tummy time, and things that you can do instead of tummy time for your baby, call Continuum Pediatrics at 817-617-8600 to schedule an appointment today.