Newborn or 6 Month Old Baby Hates Tummy Time? Try These Parent-Approved Tips!

It’s a parent’s nightmare whether their newborn or 6 month old baby hates tummy time. In the first year, tummy time is very important for your baby, as pediatric experts at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) point out that it works wonders for motor skills, muscles, and coordination. Babies between newborn and six months tend to resist being set on their stomachs. Sometimes tummy time feels hard because babies are uncomfortable or simply don’t know what’s happening and parents might feel the same.

Let’s dive deep into when to start tummy time, the importance of tummy time according to age, and most importantly, what to do if your baby doesn’t like tummy time. We’ll also walk through age-specific milestones from 2 month old tummy time to 5 month old tummy time, helping you make each session smoother, more engaging, and beneficial.

Why Do Your Babies Hate Tummy Time?

Understanding why a baby hates tummy time is the first step in addressing the issue. Most of the time, babies find tummy time difficult and refuse it for that reason, rather than anything else. It’s worth stopping to think about it because your baby must keep their neck muscles working without being next to you and while facing the ground. 

Common Reasons Babies Dislike Tummy Time:

• They’re still getting used to the role. It’s natural for newborns and young infants to find lying on their tummies both unusual and somewhat uncomfortable. Due to being in utero or on their backs, babies are often comfortable with a curled-up position. At the start, tummy-down pushes their muscles more than usual, which is sometimes not comfortable.
• As a result of gas or reflux, the baby constantly feels uncomfortable around their tummy. Some babies have stomach problems in those first few months. Having babies lie belly down frequently adds pressure to their stomachs, which can increase signs of being bloated and raise the risk of acid reflux, leading to them becoming restless or upset.
• It is difficult to be on a solid surface. Touch and temperature can easily affect young children. Just similar to your pet may not like sleeping on a cold or hard floor without a soft pad or blanket to lie on. This uncomfortable sensory experience can lead babies to see tummy time as a bad time which makes them avoid it more.
• They might be worn out or too stimulated. Good timing matters a lot for good tummy time. If a baby needs to sleep or has experienced too much stimulation with lights, sounds, or faces, they tend to enjoy tummy time less. Choosing a moment when your baby is relaxed, such as following a nap or feeding, will help the experience go more smoothly.
• They are seeking out personal connection by wanting to be picked up or comforted. They love to be in close contact and feel safe. When placed on the floor stomach-down, the activity can feel lonely if the baby can’t roll over or see where Mom or Dad is. They might cry when you leave because they are missing your closeness.

When to Start Tummy Time

It’s good to start tummy time the very first day your baby gets home. According to pediatricians, you can start your newborn on brief, closely watched play sessions after they are stable and calm. Start simple by placing your baby on your chest, instead of having them lie on their own.

When you first start, let your baby play with a toy for 1 to 2 minutes, 2–3 times a day, before helping them do more.

Even if my newborn baby hates tummy time, it’s still essential to try. Singing, chatting, or laying a warm cover beneath can help make it more pleasant for your child. 

Tummy Time by Age: What to Expect

Newborn to 2 Month Old Tummy Time

Newborn and 2 month old tummy time is more about building neck control. Trying to lift or lift the head for a moment and looking around is a sign that your little one is becoming much more active. There’s no need to feel anxious if your sessions are brief and now and then end with your child crying.

Tips:

• Use a towel that has been rolled up under its chest.

• Make sure you are eye to eye with your baby as you talk to them.

• Lay a mirror down near the cage to keep your pet interested.

Tummy Time for 3 Month Old

At 3 months, most babies can hold their head and chest in a controlled way. During tummy time for 3 month old infants, they may start pushing up with their arms and following objects with their eyes.

Distribute your time so you are active for about 20–30 minutes several times each day. You can do short sessions lasting about 3–5 minutes to make your baby’s adaptation easy.

Tips:

• • Lay your baby down on a mattress that has interesting colors.

  • Show your baby toys that make noise and move.

• Consider your goals and the outcomes by looking at yourself in the mirror and hearing your voice. 

5 Month Old Tummy Time

5 month old tummy time is when things get more exciting. Babies will now do mini press-ups, turn themselves over, and try to get their hands on toys. Some brands start to move in a new direction.

Tips:

• Set toys within easy sight but still just out of your baby’s grasp.

• Using toys that feel soft will introduce children to exploring with their hands.

• Encourage young children to play with different activities in an activity gym.

6 Month Old Tummy Time

If your 6 month old baby hates tummy time, don’t panic. Some babies find it hard to get comfortable on their side—especially if they’re not used to it yet. You can make an effort to get them up to speed.

Tips:

• Try tummy time with your baby by utilizing a yoga ball gently rolling.

• Position babies on your lap when they are fed.

• Include music or the voices of people your child trusts around them.

Baby Cries During Tummy Time – What Can You Do?

If your baby cries during tummy time, know that it’s common and doesn’t mean you should stop. What you should do instead is adjust the way you interact.

Take a Look at These Harmonious Methods:

Make sure you’re involved in what’s happening. Be by their side and fill them with helpful words.

• Choose the right moment. Keep your baby away from tummy time if he or she is sleepy, caught up in a tantrum, or just had a full meal.
• Keep using props when doing improvisation. If you use a soft towel or nursing pillow under its chest, it should be more comfortable.
• Work on a single idea at a time. Break the tummy time into several short sessions rather than trying to feed for long periods.

You need to be patient and persistent. In time, your baby will notice that having fun and learning are a part of tummy time.

The Importance of Tummy Time: Why It Matters More Than You Think

Although tummy time looks simple, it is important for your baby’s healthy growth and development. For many parents, especially when their baby hates tummy time or cries during it, it can be tempting to skip it. Yet, realizing the advantages that will come later helps parents to keep at it, be patient, and feel motivated. Working on stomach strength and mental development, tummy time is essential for many important milestones in a baby’s first year.

1. Helps you gain strength in your head, neck, and upper body.

Lying your baby on their tummy is a great way to support their motor development. If a baby is lying stomach-down, they naturally work to lift their head and move their arms, improving their neck, shoulders, arms, and back. Their role in the body helps a baby achieve rolling, crawling, and sitting up straight.

2. Gets babies ready for important growth and learning steps

An additional minute of tummy time each day adds to your child’s ability to coordinate, balance themselves, and strengthen their tummy muscles. To crawl, pull up, and learn to walk, your baby needs strong physical abilities. Lack of tummy play may delay a baby’s progress through these important early stages.

3. Works to prevent babies from developing flat head syndrome

Leaving your child for long periods lying on their back can cause them to develop flat head syndrome, a condition called positional plagiocephaly. Playing on their tummy helps babies avoid flat heads without direct pressure on their skulls.

4. Supports the linking of body movements with senses

On their stomach, babies tend to interact with surrounding objects, the space around them or the people third-person watched. Hand-eye coordination, how people sense spaces, and how they process sensory signals are all improved by reaching, touching, and looking around. It helps babies learn how their body moves and what it does when different sights and textures are present.

5. Improves both inner strength and body alignment.

Good posture and core stability are formed in the first few years of a person’s life. Doing tummy time strengthens the muscles located along the trunk and back, making it easier to sit, change positions, and stand in balance. Such activations give your baby the foundation they need to move with trust and balance as time goes by.

6. Great for improving the relationship between your brain and body

When placing their children on their tummies, parents help with their physical and brain development. Stretching, lifting, and straining as they hold their head up is a way for them to build brain-body connections. They help children notice their bodies, coordinate their actions, and organize movement, making them important for activities toddlers and adults will need.

7. Promotes the growth of visual skills

Blending in a little tummy time helps babies notice their environment from another point of view. They learn to orient themselves to stationary objects, shift sight from close objects to objects farther away, and realize who is near and who is further away. Thanks to these skills, children are better prepared for later actions such as reading, catching a ball, or writing from board in school.

8. Provides the basis for children to behave on their own.

Babies use tummy time to learn about the world around them on their own. As they get used to the floor, babies start playing with toys and learning new things without being entertained by others. By doing this, children start to soothe themselves, explore more, and solve small problems, all important for healthy brain and emotional growth.

Tummy Time Tips by Age

Newborn to 2 Months:

• Have your child lay on your chest.
• Lay the baby down on your lap and keep holding their head steady.
• Don’t let each session last longer than 1 or 2 minutes.

2 to 4 Months:

• Be more frequent and increase the duration
• Bring colorful toys and mirrors to your child.
• Pile on a soft blanket or playmat over the floor.

4 to 6 Months:

• Increase active tummy time.
• Use interactive toys for your baby.
• Help your baby learn to roll and reach for things.

Even after your 6 month old baby hates tummy time, gently continue, positive sessions can make a big difference.

Signs It’s Time to See a Medical Expert

If your child still doesn’t like tummy time and you see developmental issues, it is advisable to see a doctor or physical therapist soon. These points should alert you to pay attention:

• Still, your baby hates tummy time at 6 months old and shows little improvement in tolerance or ability.
• Distress during every session continues, even when you have tried different strategies.
• Your baby can’t lift their head during tummy time by 3 or 4 months of age.
• There are no signs of your baby being able to support themselves by pushing up on arms at 5 months.
• Noticing that a child’s muscles are very stiff or limp can be a sign of related tone issues.
• Bump or flattening on one side of the head that doesn’t improve.

Your baby’s doctor can give you recommendations and strategies based on your baby’s health to guide you safely and effectively in making tummy time pleasant.

Encouragement for Parents

If your baby hates tummy time, you’re doing the right thing by looking for solutions and staying consistent. Because babies are all unique, not everything that helps a baby will help another. Keep good vibes in the room, encourage your baby with helpful toys and your voice, and stand by them as they learn new things.

A little time on the tummy can improve your baby’s coordination and make them feel more comfortable. Keep going, don’t rush, and recognize your little achievements.

Final Thoughts

Whatever the problem is, whether your 2 month old tummy time lasts a few minutes or your 6 month old hates tummy time altogether, it’s all part of the growing process. No two babies grow the same way, and what matters is being regular in your approach, encouraging them, and adapting as needed.

Bear in mind that what you’re doing now is preparing your child for strength, movement, and being more self-reliant for many years.

If your baby hates tummy time, now you’ve got a toolkit of parent-approved tips to make it work for both of you. Don’t give in — you are on the right track.

Thanks for reading and being with Pregnancy Must.