Tummy time for older babies.... - Infant Care (up to 18 months old) Message Board

Celestine · 05-06-2006, 12:25 PM

For those of you who have babies slightly older who aren't crawling, do you still do tummy time with them? Ds and I are having a little battle of wills I think here. He can't crawl yet. He can get his knees up and but doesn't seem to be able to co-ordinate his arms and legs together. I've been trying to give him lots of time on the floor to work on it. Problem is, he still whines and cries the whole time. When I say it's a battle of wills I mean that I'm pretty sure the whining and crying have more to do with him wanting me to pick him up more than anything else. I say that because if it was just a matter of being on his tummy, he can roll over just fine on his own. He's totally capable of that but he refuses to roll over either. Would you continue the tummy time even through the whining and crying? It's terrible to listen to, but at the same time he isn't doing much about it either which I know he could if he wanted to. I'm not sure if he's whining because of an actual problem or if this is a "test" to see if I'll run over and put him where he wants. I'm kinda thinking it's the latter. He's 8 months by the way and I've read that is a big time for testing.

Gayle0000 · 05-06-2006, 01:50 PM

Hi Celestine! You are are have the same thing going on. DD will be 8 months old tomorrow.

I've thought several times Ava was crying/whining when on her belly that she just wants to be picked up. I agree that's what's going on. She also can roll, but will only do it if she's really mad and I've let her cry for a while on her belly.

I still do tummy time...actually a little more than I used to in the early days. Mostly, I put her right in the crawl position so someday she will hopefully get the big picture that she can become mobile if she tries...she'd just rather not try. She'll rock a little in the crawl position..but eventually she lets down on her arms and ends up face down and acts like she's helpless.

On the other hand, she can go from sitting to standing using her own arm & leg strength when I hold her hands. She has the one-foot-in-front-of-the-other motion mastered, and can walk forward and turn around when I hold her hands. I don't even have to hold her upright. She just uses me for balance. She can stand on her own holding on to the couch or coffee table, and can even take a couple steps before she loses balance.

Like I said, I still do tummy time...but it's always starting in the crawl position and we go from there...mostly straight to the floor.

debating · 05-06-2006, 04:53 PM

Can you get down on the floor with her, at eye level, really close, so that she doesn't feel alone. Perhaps if you're close, as opposed to looking down on her, that she'll be more comfortable and willing to explore?

asako · 05-06-2006, 04:58 PM

my son does the same thing...he is perfectly capable of rolling but i notice that if he wants your attention, he won't roll and will just whine and cry until you pick him up...

also, he can't coordinate crawling either. he either gets his legs up under his body and scoots-while his head is down and arms by his side, or he gets up on his arms and leaves his legs straight....i wonder if he'll ever crawl...

JuniorsMommy929 · 05-06-2006, 05:02 PM

well my son is 7 months, been crawlin 1 month and walking behind toys for about 1 week, as for "tummy time" he had that since he was born, i always had him on the floor to play, i was usually with him