90 minutes of tummy time?

[madalynw]

DD2 is 4.5mo and still HATES to be on her stomach. My first was the same way. To add to that, DD2 is overall a pretty cranky baby so I hate to add to her general crankiness by making her super pissed off with excessive tummy time.

But both her doc and PT who helped with her neck after birth said the rec is 90 minutes of tummy time per day.

She stays awake about 1hr15-1hr30 max before passing out so I calculated that in each awake segment she would have to spend like 15min on her stomach! There's no way!
Am I weird?
Do people's babies REALLY do that much tummy time??

[Deleted]

Technically not 3-6 mos yet (a few more days) but I lurk this board. We don't get 90 minutes of "tummy time". I put him on his tummy about 5 times a day and I am lucky if I get 5 minutes before he is screaming with his face buried in the floor. I've tried on the floor, on a table so he can look at me, propped on a blanket, propped on a boppy, all manner of toys , nothing makes him like tummy time. I do however walk with him up over my shoulder, hold him tummy to tummy while I lay down and he pushes up from there, I also carry him a lot in the ktan. I feel like this counts because he has good head control and rolled over already.

I don't think him screaming into the floor helps build muscles.

[nerdalert]

My LO is 4.5 months but she loves tummy time. I never time it but I probably put her on her tummy 5-6 times a day for about 10-15 mins at a time. But my baby is pretty chill and cool with however I put her. 90 minutes seems like a lot for a baby that hates it. If DD hated it, I wouldn't make her do it all the time.

You could try just holding her to your chest at a slight incline, like when you're sitting in a rocking chair. Does she like sitting? DD is also starting to love sitting, so she gets practice using those muscles by being in the bumbo seat or me having her sit on my lap.

+1 to "screaming into the floor is not going to help build muscles." I wouldn't stress about getting 90 minutes in if she hates it.

[madalynw]

Yeah she's held upright - in my arms or in a baby carrier - about 90% of the time because she's so cranky and I also have her sister to care for so I don't put her down or she'll shriek. So that part is covered. And she'll sit in my lap some. But it's funny how they insisted - especially her doc - that it has to be flat on the floor, not even in the lap, just hard floor.
I'm not stressing too too much just mainly wondered if I'm the slackest mom on the planet for not enforcing tummy time so much... I mean my DD1 hated it too and as a FTM I was a lot more sensitive to screaming so I enforced it even less and she turned out fine. She's 3yo and perfect in every way...

[amiee]

My DD hates tummy time. If it is on her boppy, she is in a good mood and we have a toy (some weird vibrating pig toy?? that goes across the floor) to entertain her we get maybe 10 minutes. She likes laying on my chest, sitting up - she can sit for a few minutes on the couch without assistance (I am there in front of her, but nothing propping her up), standing (with support)... just not tummy time. I have a 10 year old who loved tummy time , but didn't enjoy sitting. Each child is different in temperament and their likes/dislikes. I wouldn't stress. Give the opportunity for it each day as one day she may suddenly love it, but don't worry yourself over it.

[pippiann]

My lo hates tummy time too, I have discovered getting right
In their face with a toy that make noise to distract helps and also putting them with their head on your shoulder like your going to burp them helped my lo build a lot of strength without being on his actual tummy. Fortunately for him he learned to roll tummy to back soo I doubt I will get any more tummy time out of him!

[nicb13]

Tummy time is incredibly important for so many different reasons. My daughter was in physical therapy for torticollis (starting at 4 weeks old) and both the PT and Pedi wanted her to get tummy time as often as physically possible during the day. Being on their stomachs, on the floor not only helps build various muscles but it gets them prepped for rolling, crawling and pushing up with their arms which will help them to get up to sitting on their own.

Tummy time isn't just for getting babies off the backs of their heads. I don't think that these doctors are asking something completely ridiculous. If they suggested it, then you really should do it as often as possible. Even a couple minutes, 20 times a day is better than hardly at all.

[things]

I rare did/do tummy time with my LOs. I've probably done it just over a dozen times this time, and probably less before. And never for more than a few minutes here and there. 90 minutes... bahahaha, no.

They can exercise the same muscles with being upright in a carrier. So, no, I would not, have not, done extended periods of tummy time. All of my kids rolled between 3-4 months, and my other three sat unassisted between 5-6 months, crawled between 5.5-6.5 months, etc.

[KayVeeKay]

DD was the same way then one day she decided she liked tummy time. When she gets bored, she rolls over.

I think we were lucky to get 45 minutes a day on the actual floor when she was younger. Most of her tummy time was spent on our chests. She had bad reflux, too, so she would spit up all over us.

The guidelines are just that, guidelines. Every baby is different. Take a deep breath and do it as much as is comfortable for both of you. Trust me, LO will make it plain when she is done for the time being.

[madalynw]

Well as the OP I thought I'd add an update... She still hates tummy time (just turned 5 mo) but now there's no chance of getting her to stay on her stomach for any decent amount of time because she's learned how to roll back from her tummy to back and won't ever stay on her stomach.
So there goes nothing...
Learning from this - don't ever let docs and guidelines stress you out. Kids will do what they want and be just fine.

[amiee]

Loved hearing the update!!! Mine DD still hates it, and hasn't rolled over yet at 4.5 months. I know, though, that she will do it all when she is ready. Plus she'd much rather stand (with our assistance).

Glad you are feeling less stressed- good luck with all the rolling around!!!

[ljob22]

was thinking about this thread over the past few days. my 3.5 mo has stopped trying to lift herself up and just eats her hands. she's rolled over a few times, but now doesn't seem like she can be bothered. i've shaken toys, clapped, put mirrors in front of her, etc. but she keeps her head close to her fingers.

[Deleted]

Thanks for the update. My LO still hates tummy time too! He also rolls onto his back when I lay him down...so now we prop up in the boppy so he can't roll over. He does not approve.