What Should I Do If My Baby Hates Tummy Time?

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

If your baby hates tummy time make it happier by making your baby more comfortable. Decrease the pressure on their chest and stomach by placing a small towel underneath them or letting them lay on your chest.

“Tummy time is awful! My baby hates it.” Have you ever spoken those words? If so, you may have decided to skip tummy time, yet wonder if doing so will harm your child’s development.

Most mothers know tummy time play should occur during the early months, but many have no idea why it is important. Without understanding the reasons for this recommendation, it is easy to skip it when your baby fusses, spits up, or seems panicked.

What is the reason for tummy time play?

Mothers know infants should sleep on their backs to prevent suffocation and death. This safety guidance is especially true in those first few months when the child cannot lift their head and is at risk of smothering. The Back to Sleep® program has successfully decreased the rate of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), which was the initial aim of the campaign. However, some moms become so fearful of suffocation that they never place their babies face down while awake.

Laying your child on their tummy during waking hours is vital because they must learn to lift their head to protect themselves from smothering. Over the next few months, lifting and turning the head to either side progresses to rolling and crawling. Therefore, raising the head while face down is the first gross motor skill your baby should master. Lying on the stomach to play sets up your baby for success in learning to roll and crawl.

Suppose your child spends most of their awake time on their back, sitting in a carrier or bouncer, or on the floor looking at an overhead mobile. Here, your baby is not developing the muscles needed to lift their head while face down. Plus, many babies who skip tummy time develop flat spots on the back of their heads, making future motor milestones more challenging to master.

Why do some babies hate tummy time?

Some infants fuss because it is hard and do not like struggling. Others dislike feeling pressure on their chest and bellies. Often, babies spit up while facing down, and the vomit causes a burning sensation in their throats, making them uncomfortable. Sometimes, they are comfortable yet vomit all their milk, which means they are not getting enough nourishment.

For all these reasons, the solution is not to stop tummy time but to modify it, making the activity more comfortable for your child.

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Do this to make tummy time a happier time

1. Try placing a small rolled-up towel under your baby’s chest with their arms over it so they can push up on their hands. This modified tummy time position decreases the pressure on the child’s chest and makes it harder for them to spit up.
2. If your baby still dislikes it, lay them face down on your chest while you recline on a chair, sofa, or bed. Some little ones need more elevation than the towel provides. Lying on your chest as you recline elevates their head and shoulders substantially higher than their hips.

Whether you use the rolled-up towel on the play mat or lay your baby on your chest, interact with them. Often, babies fuss because they want company, and when they feel alone, they cry. When you place your child on the floor to play, position them so they can see you.

Tips for incorporating tummy time into your daily routine

1. Commit to making tummy time part of the daily routine.
2. Schedule frequent, but shorter, tummy time play sessions.
3. Wait thirty minutes (if possible) after feeding before placing your child on their tummy.
4. Elevate your baby’s head during tummy time to lessen spit-up and frustration.
5. Roll your child from their back to their tummy instead of picking them up and flipping them onto their belly.
6. Remember that some tummy time play is better than none, even if the sessions are shorter than preferred.

An encouragement for moms

Being a mom is challenging, especially when you must expose your child to things they dislike, such as tummy time or medical care. Yet, you do those hard things because you know it’s best.

While it’s easy to skip tummy time play and hope your child develops properly, it’s not recommended. When it’s awful, don’t quit. Instead, modify the tummy time position. Next, set a schedule of shorter, but more frequent, sessions of tummy time play. Remember, some fussing and spit-up is common, so stay the course.

In the meantime, pray for strength and remind yourself that your child won’t be an infant for long. Envision your baby crawling to find you. That mobility is what you want. So, make adjustments, shorten the sessions, and persevere because you want your child to grow properly.

If problems persist and these recommendations fail to make tummy time enjoyable, share your concerns with your doctor and seek further assistance.

Do not give up on tummy time though your baby hates it. Your child won’t be an infant for long. Soon, they’ll crawl to find you. Enjoy these days when the minutes feel like years. They will be over in the blink of an eye.