[leafygreenveg]

Hey everyone, I have a question about tummy time. I have a preemie 3 month old, and she really needs tummy time so she can work on her development. She hates it though, everytime she's on her belly for tummy time she screams and screams, I even tried putting her shoulders on the boppy to help her out. She's not really interested in toys yet, but I have beautiful brightly colored quilts that my sister made to put her on and she liked to look at them usually, just not on her tummy. Any advice? I didn't want to go out and buy a gym for her as she hates tummy time so much, I couldn't justify spending the 70+ dollars.

Any tips, tricks, or advice would be helpful. Thanks!

[M&MMOM]

My boys originally didn't like tummy time all that much, but the gym does allow them to both enjoy being on their backs and then eventually on their bellies. You can try to prop them up on a boppy or a rolled up towel to see if she prefers that, but only if she can hold up her head. I never forced my boys on tummy time, but I would then hold them tummy down across my forearm (or forearms if I used both arms. usually I'd hold with one and pet with the other). They got the cuddles in and their head supported, but they were on their tummy. That could help get her used to being on her tummy so in the future, you can get her to enjoy it a bit more.

Meanwhile, just let her stay on her tummy a little more each day and eventually she may get used to it and begin to like it.

[leafygreenveg]

Thanks! I'll try that.

[MyDuckySam]

I do more tummy time with Henry on my tummy. I lay on my back, then put him on me. That way I still get face-to-face contact with him and it's not a hard surface for his belly.

[Snow Mami]

Originally Posted by MyDuckySam

I do more tummy time with Henry on my tummy. I lay on my back, then put him on me. That way I still get face-to-face contact with him and it's not a hard surface for his belly.

I did this too.

[KristinaL]

I agree, tummy time on your belly looking at mommy is better than looking at the floor, and it's softer too

[suusssannn]

My son did great with tummy time, so when my daughter absolutely HATED it I was upset... but we found that laying her belly to belly on us, she would do all the "tummy time" activities... so I agree with the other ladies! A gym is just "nice to have"... definitely not a necessity!

[ipaintwithwords]

Belly to belly tummy time will have the same effect Eventually she will like the tummy time on her own. I've had two preemies, both of which never did much tummy time aside from the time where we went belly to belly. They were sitting up at 4 and 5 months, crawling at 5 and 7 months, and walking at 10 and 13 months. they have good fine and gross motor skills. Just saying this so you can have some peace of mind. If the tummy time doesn't happen your baby girl will be alright, and the tummy to tummy time can help too. If that isnt working very well, try to do it more on an incline so babie's head is higher, sometimes even babies without reflux can be a little uncomfortable in a flat position, but more comfortable if their heads are more elevated.

(my children were born at 8 months instead of 9.5, I understand the need for development in children who were born even earlier then that, but I'm sure you can get that development with tummy to tummy time.)

Also on a side note, if having a preemie interfered with your ability to breastfeed (or even if you just plain ole didn't want to do it) you can try kanga roo care, which you can do during the tummy to tummy time. You may already be practicing it or have heard of it, but here's the benefits just in case.
Kangaroo Care

Congrats on your little girl, she is beautiful!

Reagan hated TT until she could roll over.

My dd hated tummy time too. We could only do it for a few minutes at a time. Usually we ended up laying down & having her do tummy time on us and she didn't even like that. lol

But once she could roll over she was on her tummy ALL the time.