Starfish Therapies

A pediatric therapy company operating in San Francisco and the greater Bay Area. We provide physical, occupational, speech and aquatic therapy services in the most beneficial and convenient setting for you and your child, including our clinic, currently located in Burlingame, your home, school or daycare.

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My Child Hates Tummy Time – Should I Be Concerned?

July 2, 2020 by Stacy Menz

Tummy Time on Day 1!

So, my simple answer is yes and no. Not so simple huh!

The yes is because tummy time is so important. You want to work with your child to increase their tolerance to it. We have a few posts with tips and tricks, we also have an e-book that gives you lots of ideas for playing with your little one from ages 0-3 months. And, we have a wellness program that over 6 weeks helps your little one to become a tummy time champ!

The no is because you can help them tolerate it more – see all the resources above! And, we have a whole list on our Amazon shop for toys that can help with tummy time!

To dig in further I might ask what your little one is doing that they hate it. Is it because of reflux? We have a post that talks about this.

Do they just cry quickly when you place them down? That can be helped by checking out the tips and tricks we mention in the posts above. It’s starting early, easy, and for short, frequent bursts. How fun is it to have your little one lying on your chest? This is tummy time! If you think about all the things that are easy, it can make it less overwhelming! And, sometimes the frustration is necessary. They are working hard, just like when we go to the gym or go for that run. So letting them grunt and make noises for short periods is ok. They are working out!

Does your child have a flat spot on their head or have a preference for looking to one side? If so then you definitely want to fit tummy time in. You can even try different ways of carrying your little one so they are off the back of their head and able to look in multiple directions. You don’t want their torticollis or plagiocephaly to get worse! The sooner you address it the better!

If they just arch their back immediately, look for ways to make it easier (again, refer to some of the tips and tricks posts above). You can also introduce sidelying as a way to ease in to tummy time. It’s also another way to help your little one get off their back. What we often forget is that in addition to sleeping on their back, every time they are in the stroller, car seat, swing, bouncy chair, etc they are on their back. So sidelying is another alternative!

So, basically don’t give up! Tummy time is so important for the later skills your child will develop, and they are never to old to get started, but the sooner you start the easier it is! Just pretend that you are their personal trainer helping them build the muscles they need to hit all those other major milestones!

Here are some videos to show you some tummy time over the various weeks and with various assists.

  • Tummy Time – 1ish weeks old (on a shoulder/chest)
  • Tummy Time – 2 weeks old
  • Tummy Time – 2 weeks old (with tactile help)
  • Tummy Time – 7 weeks old
  • Tummy Time on a Boppy – 7 weeks old
  • Tummy Time – 10 weeks old
  • Tummy Time (over a towel roll)

Related

Filed Under: Blog, Developmental Milestones Tagged With: babies, back to sleep, core, developmental delay, education, exercise, gross motor development, kids, moms, physical therapy, plagiocephaly, Starfish Therapies, strengthening, torticollis, tummy time

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Our family moved to the bay area 6 years ago, and Starfish Therapies have been a part of our family ever since. Everyone at the clinic is caring and warm. The owner always looks for ways to improve the clinic and the services provided. The therapists are patient, enthusiastic, and know how to motivate the kids to do their best. Even after moving more than an hour away from the clinic, we kept going back to Starfish for intensive therapy sessions every summer! We cannot thank Starfish Therapies enough for helping my daughter to get stronger and to become more independent over the years!”

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  1541 Old Bayshore Highway
  Burlingame, CA 94010

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