4 Month Old Hates Belly-Time

I have twin boys...one HATED it...the other tolerated it. She will eventually learn to roll over and then have to deal with it. Try to just do it in short increments a couple times a day. As much as she will stand.

My son is the same age, and he does the same thing, maybe they just get frustrated because they cant move that much at their age.

Trust me. She will crawl at some point. Just let her enjoy the few months of her life that she can just lay quietly. (they all grow up and do everything we want, and then some). Don't fret.

R.,

I am a pediatric physical therapist and have been practicing for about 10 years now. I have definitely been one to stress tummy-time with little ones as the AMA has promoted the "back to sleep" a lot of moms are afraid to place their little ones on their stomach at all.

I think you are doing fine putting her on her tummy for a little bit at a time (5-10 minutes) and letting her place her face in the blanket as long as it is not too soft. I actually have preemie twins (now about four months). They have tummy time at least once a day but I am down on the floor with them and talk/play with them while they are lying there. Your little one might respond to this as well as making sure she is on her tummy on a fairly hard surface - we have low pile carpeting with a very thin blanket over it.

One of my little ones now pushes all the way up on his arms with his elbows extended while the other prefers to lie completely flat and chew her hand...they definitely have different personalities and this is why as health care providers we generally say that children will develop their rolling from stomach(prone) to back (supine) anywhere between 3-6 months. Tummy time does help develop both the motor skills for a newborn (rolling coordination/arm and back strength) and also helps with their body awareness as it gives them deep pressure through their abdomen and thighs as well as their arms/hands, etc.

A good book to get is what to expect in the first year. It definitely will give you some age ranges for motor and cognitive milestones and won't make everything seem like such a red flag - especially as a first timer. The big thing is to have fun with your baby! (=

Take care and feel free to e-mail me with any questions you might have about development.

A.

Yes. My daughter hated it too. We stopped and she still started crawling early. Don't force it. Encourage but don't force.

My son hated belly time too and I never forced him. He crawled very early and started walking at 9 months. They do things at their own pace and know what they like. Listen to your baby and you'll never go wrong.

Hi R., maybe you could start her out on your belly. I'm thinking that if you lay on your back and put her tummy on your tummy she might be okay with it. At least for short periods of time. Just talk, sing, make funny faces,and maybe even have a favorite toy within your reach. None of my 3 kids enjoyed tummy time, but they never objected to a little cuddle and play time. If not, I don't think I'd lose any sleep over it. She will do it when she is physically ready.

G.- mother of 3: 12yrs, 10yrs, & 21mos.

I see you've already heard this, but it never hurts to reiterate. My son hated it at that age, too. The instant I'd put him on his belly, he'd start to cry. I'd try to let him go for 5 minute stretches, three times a day, though often didn't have the heart for it. I'm responding because despite this, he was rolling all over the place on his own around 6 months and full on crawling right around 8 months. Hang in there; she'll get it.

Hi, Please don't worry about tummy-time. It is completely unnecessary! babies should never be put into a position that they cannot get into by themselves. To put them on their stomachs or prop them into a sitting position is to put a strain on the vertebrae and muscles that they are not ready for. The natural progression is to go from laying on the back, to rolling on to the stomach, to pushing up on the arms, to pushing into a sitting postion to pulling up to stand. A baby who does not do tummy time will do all of these things in the order that they were designed to do. They may crawl a month later than babies who are forced to develop prematurely, but who cares! They will have more muscle control, be more flexible and agile, and fall less often. Do not be in a rush for the next developmental milestone, enjoy the present. Your baby will never be this little again, relax. at about 5-6 months your baby will learn to roll onto her belly if she is given plenty of time on her back to develop. She will start twisting and rolling on her side and kicking her feet. Keep her out of the carseat and swing and bouncy chair as much as possible and give her plenty of floor time on her back! Good Luck
K. Smith Sleep Consultant and Parenting Coach
www.theindependentchild.com

Hi R.

My daugther hated it to and I would do it for a few minutes at a time and she's 7 months now and loves it. I would also use a Boppy pillow to give her some support. Don't worry to much about it I think most babies that are used to being on their back have a hard time adjusting,

Good luck!

Hi Rebeka,

Try using a medium sized semi-inflated beach ball ( I got mine at Gymboree for $2 and it is a really good size and one of the best investments I have made). Once the ball is somewhat inflated then lean your daughter over the ball (tummy down) and let her get used to it. Of course sow her the ball --preferably with colors or shapes on it so it entices her to want to be near,hold, and interact with the ball.

Also, if you have a Boppy, then draped her arms over the back of it (the horseshoe part) and have her face you) and then play a game or sing some songs that distract her from the fact that she is on her tummy.

Also, whenyou are doing "tummy time" do it in short spurts integrating it with other interesting activities that involve the beach ball that have her on both her back and her tummy.

Hope this was helpful.

L.

Mine also dislikes it, even with toys around. But we started doing this after the bath: once she is dry, we put on lotion. So first the chest and then I turn her over. I make it into a little baby back massage and she never complains during this tummy time. Then I make a big deal of showing her how I'm dumping out the bath water (from her little tub into the big tub, I bathe her on the counter) and she laughs as the water goes "swoosh". It's only maybe 5 minutes but it's something.

I think distraction and games go a long way :)

Lots of good advice from others, but I wanted to add something.
You may consider having her checked by a pediatric chiropractor. Sometimes if the neck is out of alignment (birth stress, etc) if can create problems and discomfort in certain positions. Go to www.icpa4kids.org and look for a pediatric chiro in your area.

Good luck,
C. Tanaka, DC

My son hated it too and I was worried he wouldn't learn how to roll over. I didn't know it was important for brain development---I thought it was for motor development. Anyway, I would try too and he just didn't like it, so it wasn't very often. He is now 4 and smart as can be! Perfect development in every way. Just wanted you to know it can be Ok...

Good luck!
J.

They like to be able to see things. So, my son loved a mirror in front of him or toys, or me laying with him. What worked the BEST was one of those adult exercise ab balls, or any ball I guess. I would put him on top of it, then he could see things because he was up higher. I would keep my hand on his back and slowly roll him around... he loved it.

Well, maybe there is some discomfort for her in this position. Maybe it bothers her belly, who knows? She is trying to tell you something so I would just not worry and let her be comfortable. My son didn't really catch on to the crawling and pulling himself up, etc. But as soon as I had to put him in daycare (unexpectedly) he began to do all sorts of new tricks and caught up in days with other babies. He is a visual learner, he takes visual clues and just "runs with it", even to this day. I see that in other children who have older siblings, toddlers, they are motivated to immitate and catch up to the more advanced children and it makes them move alone faster than maybe an only child or firstborn who doesn't have a model to follow. I think it helps to have your baby socializing if you are concerned about them staying on their developmental benchmarks, it can help sometimes.

I haven't read all of your responses but I thought I'd throw in what I learned in a mom group when my son was that age. After every diaper change, flip her over on to her belly and massage or tickle her back. If she stays one minute then over the course of the day, she'll be on her belly over ten minutes... the time she'll allow you to put her on her belly will get longer and longer. The other things work well too - put a mirror under her while she's on her belly... etc. Good luck!

Not sure how you're doing that, but I'd recommend laying down next to her so it's a time when she interacts with you. Make sure her arms and in a position where she can support herself and have a little toy or something she likes to look at.
When she cries, turn her back over.

Really don't worry too much. Just spend a little time (5-10 minutes) several times (2-4)/day in this posture. Try to put toys that interest her right in front of her, show her a book, help her to prop up on her elbows w/ a little rolled blanket or towel under her chest at armpit level....as soon as she gets frustrated...help her to roll over. This will all come with time and babies build up a frustration tolerance and strength at the same time. She is at prime age for frustration...and hating tummy time. Don't worry too much, just do a little at a time.

My daughter didn't love tummy time. Nevertheless, at three and a half months she was lifting up her head, rolling over a few weeks later, and crawling by 7 months (she was a VERY physical baby and hit these milestones pretty early). Who knows why some babies don't mind being on their tummy while others can't seem to stand it? But it doesn't seem to affect development. One thought: if she's eaten recently it just might be uncomfortable. Just keep trying at different times of day but don't force it; if she fusses turn her over. Also make sure she has plenty of toys to look at and grab for. You can also try setting her in a Boppy pillow if you have one with her arms on the pillow. She'll still be able to see and I think sometimes not being able to see is what gets them upset.

My little girll is not much of a fan of tummy time either and I can't stand for her to cry. I have noticed though, that if I put her on her tummy and put something (a toy, keys, the remote, or anything shiney) just out of her reach in front of her, she will not be as upset and will wiggle toward the object. My little one is five and a half months. Good luck, maybe that will work for you too.

Sometimes babies won't lie on their stomachs due to issues with reflux, Gerd etc. because it is uncomfortable for them. If she is crying then it might be painful for her.

My son hated it too! I think because he had a big head and it was hard to hold up but he was miserable every time we tried to put him on his belly. He's 14th months now and crawling and walking and all is well. Don't worry about it, they will turn on their own when their ready. If you want Target, Babies r us, One Step ahead have mats that you can put them on with a little rolled pillow (like a bolster) to prop them up. It has cool toys on it and visual stimulation. Otherwise I totally believe she'll work it out when she's ready.

Baby can have tummy on you! Maybe the blanket is not as warm (: She will eventually enjoy being on her tummy, no need to worry. Until then, let her lay on you. Either with her head on your chest and feet by your tummy, or feet on the floor using your body as a prop.

Don't worry, my daughter also HATED tummy time. The first time she ever roller over completely on her own she was almost 6 months old!! But she never fell behind on any other developmental milestones. And to reassure you even more- our pediatrician says our daughter is (Verbally) the most advanced patient she has EVER had (for her age) in 13 years - so obviously her brain development was fine even though she didn't get all that much tummy time! :)

The stuff we worry about as mom's! My little one loved tummy time and did become an early crawler...however, all of her little friends in playgroups and Gymboree detested tummy time and they all ended up crawling and eventually pulling up at the appropriate time. Try spinning balls in front of her on a mirror that you lay on the floor. That seems to keep them interested for a few minutes.

I think you've heard all the advice I have to give, but since I've had the same challenges very recently with my 4 mo old, I thought I'd respond in the spirit of moral support...

My daughter disliked it from early on and she is now turning the corner and starting to like it for longer now that she is getting stronger. Here is what I did in case it helps:
- I take her off her tummy as soon as her fussing gets fussy enough that I know it will become crying. At first, that meant a mere 10 seconds or so on her belly. Now it is several minutes.
- I tried putting things in front of her (including me), but she responded best to a mirror and one particularly favorite toy
- I do get down to her level next to her and give her nice pats on her back and words of encouragement.
- I make sure it has been at least an hour since she last ate
- I wait until she is in the best possible mood, which usually means well rested and not anywhere near needing a nap.

I figure as long as we're helping them learn how to enjoy belly time - even if it seems like slow progress - they'll figure out scooting, crawling, etc. in their own time.

Good luck!

Hi R.,

Don't worry!!! Your daughter will learn to crawl when she's ready. Both of my kids HATED, absolutely hated tummy time. It does not mean they'll have any developmental set-backs. Just go with the flow, she'll be fine and before you know it, she'll be crawling all over the place!

-Char

Hi R.-my girl was a huge UN-fan of tummy time too but crawling and walking unfolded anyway. One thing I did instead which she seemed to tolerate somewhat better (but this is all relative) was being on my chest while I was in a semi reclining position. It works the same muscles but seems a little easier than being put flat on her tummy. I also used her Boppy pillow to prop her up. I figured that the muscles were being worked but flat on her tummy was just too much for her. Eventually, when she was able to push up and was working on rolling from her front to her back, tummy time became more fun for her because she was working on something that gave her a sense of agency. I think the proponents of tummy time emphasize it so much so that we remember not to let our kids lie on their backs so much, given that we have to put them to sleep on their backs. Bear in mind that much of motor development in the first year rolls out despite our intervention-she will crawl-not because of, but regardless of tummy time. Try not to get too caught up in the hype which I know can be hard when you're doing this the first time and everything is stated so emphatically. Just enjoy and continue giving her lots of different sensory experiences and you'll see that those milestones will come. Take care.

Don't worry about it. My DS hated tummy time too. He used to cry after about 30 seconds. She will eventually get used to it especially if you make it fun for her. I had a mat that had a couple of toys suspended from an overhead arch for when he was on his back and a small mirror and some other things to look at and touch when he was on his stomach. I didn't force him to stay longer than he wanted to, I just started showing him the things he could do and see from that position and he started staying there longer and longer. Trust me, she WILL learn to crawl. I know it's hard now in the middle of it but we're always comparing our kids to others. When she's getting married no one is going to worry about how old she was when she started crawling, walking or said her first word. It will all happen at her own pace. She'll let you know when she's ready for the next milestone. Hang in there, you're not alone :)

They ALL do!! Just keep at it!!! Do not give up or stop. Use toys in front of them...anything but do it 5 or 6 times a day for about five minutes.

Well, I haven't had an infant in a longggg time, but my oldest daughter had a surgery when she was an infant, and wasn't able to be on her tummy for a long time. She learned to crawl backwards pretty good on her back. It was very cute.
I believe children progress at their own pace. She will get there when she is ready.

E.

When my son was really little I would put him on his tummy when he fell asleep (I was in the room, I always just put him on a floor blanket before he got mobile) He actually always slept better cuddling with the ground and then he would wake up on his stomach.
just an idea, but now that people are supposed to put babies down for "tummy time" every day when a baby who is used to being on its back... of course they're not going to like it!

Babies should have fun learning new things, and she will crawl...in about 3 mo, so no worries. Try shorter tummy time stints, do it during her most active time of the day and do it in different locations (my son loved being on my bed, the floor was offensive!!)Best of luck!

Hello,
yes, it's important for brain development but more so the back muscles and digestion (of course they are connected to brain in some way). try setting a boppy with a blanket in the hole area and put her on her tummy with you down on the floor in front saying encouraging words. If she still hates it, don't worry, her time will come. all babies have different rates and it's good not to get caught up in what the "growth charts" say.

R.,

As you've no doubt heard by now, it's very normal for babies to not like it. My daughter did not like it either, but we just continued to encourage her by finding ways to play with her while on her tummy. She still didn't get as much tummy time as is recommended, but one day she began to move her legs and arms while on her tummy and began to scoot backwards. After that she tolerated it better because she was doing something. The crawling happened the same way...she'd begun draggin herself forward and within minutes she moved one leg forward then the other and there was no stoping her from there! Your baby will be just fine! She'll get it!

You know what, my daughter was the same way when she was an infant. And to my, our, everyones dismay, she started crawling one day like if she had been doing it for months. She never liked being on her belly. She would roll over to her belly on her own then just roll right back over. She did crawl when she was about 9 months. She also had just started to walk days before she turned 1 years. Each child is different. And just so you know, my Daughter is 3 now about to be 4, and she is very bright. She is in preschool and is the only child in her class that gets homework. So I don't think her brain development was altered, shortend, or in the least bit effected. During her well visits to the doctors they were never worried about her not being on her belly. They simply told me she'll do when she's ready.

Hope you don't worry too much. If you do catch yourself stressing out about it, call the doctor. If not, just mention it at your next well visit.

She's only 4 months, don't worry.
Yes, some hate it. It's okay. Her neck strength/control is probably not yet strong enough... and so she appears to be "burying" her head into the blanket. Its just because her neck is probably tired and not ready to hold her entire body and neck up at the same time. And remember... a baby's head is very heavy....in proportion to their body. So it's a lot to hold up and heave into an upright position. That is why baby's "bob" their necks.

You should not do this on a blanket or anything soft... they can suffocate. Not criticizing, and I know, it seems common sense, but so many scenarios can happen per the safety of an infant.

A baby will crawl and wobble/rock/roll on their belly when they are ready. But in order to crawl, they must first be able roll over... and then, be able to hold their neck up without "bobbing" and then be able to hold their upper body with their forearms. This is a lot of motor skills to develop still.

Belly-time is not just for brain development...it's for their motor skills/muscle development and strength more so. Right now, at this age, everything they do will accrue toward their brain development, including their breastmilk/formula nutrition.

Just try later... little by little on her tummy...because they need to acclimate to it and adjust to it. Over time. Just a minute or so is fine... don't expect her to do a marathon with it now. Like any "exercise", even for adults... you need to SLOWLY build up to it.. building up the body, the muscles, the coordination, the ABILITY.. and what not. Every individual will "master" it in their own pace, and age.

If she seems frustrated and in distress over it, just stop, let her roll back onto her back and help her.

You have lots of time to "teach" her this... no rush. Babies have a whole amount of things to "learn" and a whole childhood to fulfill yet. No need to rush it. Key into your baby and "her" timing of things.

Let them try things, at their pacing, "play" is exercise too and contributes toward development... don't force, and if they cry, then give her a break. She is not ready probably.

Good luck, don't worry... development happens before you know it....take lots of photos, and journal about your new baby! It'll be a great souvenir for later and for her as a young lady later on.

Take care,
Susan

It is up to you as to how hard you want to push it. My oldest hated tummy time so I didn't force it. She is now five years old. We never crawled and other than having to learn how to fall she is fine. When babies crawl they learn to put their hands on the ground to support their weight. Because she never did when she falls we go do face first. Through the years we have gotten better. Now we hit the ground chest and stomach first. It will get better as the years go on and soon she fall like everyone else. Also check with family and see if others in failed to crawl as an infant. If you decided to froce it go luck with getting through it. If not yet know that she will learn to crawl she just might not ever really use it. Enjoy your little one.

Like as your 44th response I'm going to say something new and different...ha ha ha
Remember that any time she's on her tummy, lifting her head, counts! That means when you or hubby are watching TV, sitting comfortably on the couch, let her lounge with you, tummy to tummy (at a 30-45 degree angle). That counts!
I also want to lend my vote to the pillow under the low-chest/high-belly. We used one of those memory foam contour pillows (boppy was a little too fat) and my son liked tummy time much better that way.
Good luck with that!

I would start out small - just let her stay as long as she will then turn her over, even if it's 10 seconds. Just build it up. She'll get there - some of my kids (I have 5) were that way, they are all fine, smart, extremely well adjusted kids! Another way - you can get her used to it by putting her over your shoulder, burp-time style, and then lean backward a little. Keep leaning backward more and more (may take many days) until she gets used to being on her belly, then start transferring her to a blanket on the floor.

I used to put my son on his tummy everyday for a little bit usually with some of his favorite toys but still didn't like it. He didn't like it until he could turn over by himself. She'll get over it soon.

Yup, she hates it. But ya gotta keep doing it so she gets stronger. Keep it short, but keep doing it. Start with a couple of minutes. Set the timer, so you know how long it is, and gradually make it longer. She will develop those much needed muscles and will be crawling like a champ!

Hi R.-

No worries- when your baby is ready she will insist on being on her belly. Mine hated it too and is now 14 months and a confident walker (after being a confident crawler at 10 months). Babies go at their own pace and will develop as long as they are given good nutrition and a safe environment that they can explore freely. In fact, there are cultures that carry their babies everywhere and the babies still learn to walk at the same time that our babies do.

Oh- I learned that carrying the baby upright a lot actually helped strengthen her neck muscles. People were always commenting on my baby's neck strength, even though she never did tummy time till later. I think it was because she was carried a lot and had to strengthen her core muscles to balance in my arms.

Enjoy your sweet baby! It will go by too fast!

My daughter hated it too. I couldn't get her to stay there for more than one or two minutes at a time. One thing that worked for her was having my husband sit on the couch, and putting her on her tummy on his lap facing the TV. I think she really liked it because she could look around the living room and was not facing the floor. I also propped her up on the boppy and I'd lay down on the floor next to her and put a book in front of her and read for as long as she'd tolerate it.

I really stressed out about it too, but I have to agree with the other moms that it doesn't mean she won't hit her developmental milestones. My daughter never had more than 5 or 10 minutes a day on her tummy, and she crawled at 6 1/2 months and was walking at 9 months. Once she starts crawling, you have nothing to worry about, she'll want to be on her tummy all the time!

They all hate it early on, later they learn to like it. Put red or bright toys in front of her and once she develops the ability to grasp or grab toys she will spend a lot more time on her belly. In the beginning you just have to let them cry on their belly...

Hi, R..

My daughter hated tummy time. Absolutely hated it. She would cry as soon as I put her on her tummy.

I would let her cry it out for about five minutes, pick her up, comfort her, give her some praise and try again. Also, try a Boppy pillow or other type of curved pillow to support your daughter under her arms and prop her up. Once she gets the idea that she can see so much more on her belly, she may want to do it more often. It's hard for them to notice there's a whole world to see when they're upset.

My daughter never really loved tummy time no matter what I did, but eventually, around seven months she stayed on her tummy, didn't cry and started to get on her hands and knees and rock (one of the first signs they're getting ready to crawl).

Just keep trying. It's frustrating and hard to hear your baby cry, but you are helping her development by encouraging tummy time.

Good luck!

E.

Try putting her on one of those large excercise balls and gently rolling her back and forth and side to side. She will not have to support her head as much and it will get that cerebral fluid moving.

I had exactly the same problem with my son. When placed on his tummy, he would just lay down and cry and cry, and wouldn't even try to push up or roll over. What we ended up having to do on the advice of our pediatrician was to put him on his tummy, crying if necessary, for about 5 minutes at a time a few times a day. He hated it, but eventually learned to roll over and crawl. It was hard for me to hear him cry, but I would just lay down with him and talk to him and rub his back. It didn't stop him from crying, but it made me feel better.

Hope that helps!

Roll up a small towel and place it under your baby's armpits. It helped my baby tolerate tummy time when she was younger. She used to hate it when she was 4 months old. But, things often change over time. She's 8 months old and now loves being on her tummy!

Don't worry, she'll learn to crawl just fine! Mine was the same way. Not even one second one her tummy before a total freak out. What are we going to do, leave them there like turtles to just get really upset? My little one was crawling by ten months and is walking now and she's not even a year. Don't worry, your little muffin won't got to kindergarden not knowing how to move. It all catches up, not to worry!

Do NOT even worry about it! My baby girl hated tummy time, too so I hardly ever made her do it. Instead, I would just have her grip onto my thumbs while sitting on the ground or changing table and "help" her do little sit ups. It was fine!! She actually ended up not really crawling for too long and was an early walker instead!

my son had the same problem.. but now as a 9 month old he loves.. he can roll around where ever he pleases. i think its only a phase. good luck

What is the rush?????
When is time it will happen...
Just be patience...some kids early some later at the end everybody do it...right???? ;)

They often hate it in the beginning, but this might be one of the first times you have to "be the mom". It is such an integral part of their development, especially now that we no longer put babies to sleep on their tummies. It can help to lay on your tummy, head to head with her and sing to her and/or play with her. Those toy bars you can buy where the toys hang down can help. Coax her through this period of not liking it, and she will adjust. It's okay to have her on her tummy for only 5-10 minutes at a time, just try and have it be several times a day. As she adjusts, you can lengthen the period she's face down(!) a little bit at a time.

My babies didn't like belly time at all either! Let her be how she is comfortable & in time she will be on her tummy. I saw the advice about proping her up a bit, and that sounds good. Just keep in mind that in just a few short months she'll be on her tummy all by herself! She will learn to crawl before you know it as well. No worries!

Take care,
M.

My daughter hated tummy time but loved to lie on her belly on me, and she would actually try to look at my face and lift up. You can also stroke her spine from her neck to her tailbone and that triggers a reflex to lift up. If her neck support is still weak, you can use a wedge or pillow to help her until she is able to lift her head up on her own. You can also hold her so that her tummy is supported by your arms (kind of a two-armed football hold) which is great for gassiness, and she will lift her head then.

I saw you got a lot of responses and I do not have time to read them all so I am sorry if this is repeated advice, but here goes. Both of my babies did not like tummy time either, but this is what helped. 1) roll up a towel and place it under her chest and armpits, with her arms in front - this will help to prop her up a little until she gains strength to push up on her arms by herself - you could also use a boppy-type pillow if it is small enough to work for her. 2) Place a couple of color-contrasted (black/white, etc.) or brightly-colored toys in front of her so she has something to look at; you could also get down there with her sometimes and talk to her face-to-face. 3) Keep it short - only a few minutes at a time to start. I never kept my babies on their bellies to the point of really getting upset; it is not serving its purpose if they are laying there crying. A tiny little bit at a time is valuable. Just keep trying it several times a day. 4) Tummy-time is very important for brain development, but don't stress too much about it. If she has the opportunities on her tummy, she will get all the "time" she needs. Several months from now, she will probably start to enjoy it, and once she starts crawling, she will have LOTS of that "tummy-time" for brain development.

Good luck!