Reuben doesn’t like tummy time.
This is him on a good day
WebMD says babies resist tummy time when they don’t have good control and struggle to lift their head. You don’t say? His head nods about like Churchill (the dog, not the Prime Minister) and he invariably ends up smacking his little bonce off the floor. Therefore, I’m not very good at making him have tummy time. I don’t want him to be sad! But here’s some reasons why we really should persevere:
1. It can help to prevent cot death. Tummy time strengthens baby’s neck and back muscles, which apparently means he can move away from anything that might be smothering him.
2. Strong muscles also mean they can roll over, sit, crawl and walk
3. It helps his head become round – sounds funny but too much time on his back and he’ll get flat bits…Reuben is in danger of this, he luuuurves his back.
More over, my health visitor told me that if babies don’t do plenty of tummy time, their development will be stunted! [she told me this while praising a baby younger than Reuben for his amazing tummy time skills. Some babies just like it alright. And, I know first hand that some babies are sturdier than others and therefore take to tummy time much quicker than others. So there. I've got your back Reuben... no pun intended]
I’ve looked into this further, because I couldn’t remember what she said, but basically babies who aren’t regularly put on their tummy (and apparently only 22% of babies are!) are delayed in “reaching important developmental milestones such as crawling and walking,” according to Peta Smith, vice chair of the Association of Paediatric Chartered Physiotherapists (source: BBC News). She says, babies placed on their tummy become aware of their surroundings, body and movement sooner.
So, Reubster, it’s time to find ways to help you enjoy that thing you hate…
10 comments
Jade on 1-23-2013 at 3:43 am
Hey Hannah, I know Millie is younger than Reuben but we have the same problem! She has good head control now and while lying on her tummy while on me she can do the “baby push ups” very successfully I feel as if she’s going to take off but when she’s on her own she seems to just bury her face! She attempts to push with her legs but ends up getting frustrated. Some babies skip crawling right? Personally I wanna see the bum shuffle!
Suze on 1-23-2013 at 7:39 am
I think this is another situation where mummy knows best. I’m not sure forcing them to use muscles that are clearly not well enough developed yet (which is why his head’s wobbling) is healthy. It’s exhausting for them & from the way they react I suspect it’s painful. I never forced Ted into tummy time and I wouldn’t next time either. Tummy time is a very culture-specific practice and babies in other cultures don’t have strangely underdeveloped necks or fail to walk.
Ted crawled & walked when he was ready, just like he rolled over & started enjoying tummy time when he was ready.
You know Reuben. Tell the Health Visitor Almighty that he’s doing just fine, thanks.
Ellie on 1-23-2013 at 9:07 am
I love your blogs!!! And I agree with the lady above, mummy knows best! My daughter cried hysterically when put on her tummy! Every. Single. Time!! So I stopped doing it. She never crawled, she could hold her head and sit and so she became a bum shuffler! Her head didn’t fall off, she can walk and everything now!! Yes her head went abit flat at the back, but that’s ok as well, not permenantly squashed!!
hannah on 1-23-2013 at 1:05 pm
Thanks for your comments! I was beginning to think I was preventing him from being able to throw sticks or play football when he grew up. You’ve made me feel much better
I guess I’ll keep giving him the option but if he doesn’t like it, he can go back on his flat head!
diane on 1-23-2013 at 8:04 pm
I am totally anti the tummy time agenda! I will just have to remember why . . .
Babies aren’t ready to start using those muscles yet and forcing them to do so is painful . I think we just need to hold our babies more !
hannah on 1-23-2013 at 9:03 pm
I feel guilty now!! Having said that, he enjoyed it much more today. I think it’s finding the right time to try it, not straight after a feed and not when he’s tired. He also rolled over from his front to back twice today for the first time!
Ellie on 1-23-2013 at 9:16 pm
Awwww Yey for the roll overs!! See even he knows he doesn’t want tummy time!
worrying about all this madness is what makes you a great mum 
:) xx
Laura on 1-27-2013 at 1:15 pm
I’m the owner of a strange being who does love tummy time. But I let her sleep on her front (reflux issues) so I’m all about ignoring health visitors in general! I wanted to encourage tummy time to begin with because I had read some stuff on co-ordination in later life, like learning to write having a correlation. No idea if this is true of course!! I get down on the floor with K and chat to her and basically try and make it fun. But then she can push up well and has good head control. She can also roll from back to front but will not do it the other way! So all in all, it’s probably more her preference and less me being an idiot on the floor with her!
Janine Rudin on 2-27-2013 at 9:41 am
Mummy knows best is absolutely right – follow your baby’s lead and listen to them. Tummy time is only necessary for babies who spend all their time lying down or in car seats, bouncers, etc. But add in plenty of cuddles and carrying and that counts as tummy time! It’s using those back and neck muscles but in a more enjoyable and less stressful way for some babies.
hannah on 2-28-2013 at 8:37 pm
Ha, you’ve described Reuben to a tee…lots of time on his back because he loves it and in his car seat because we live miles away from any action! He’s actually just started to roll over whenever he’s put on his back so he’s enforcing his own tummy time