Everything I know about Tummy Time & Rolling I wrote in this book --> amzn.to/3Q8dg5U (affiliate link) MORE QUESTIONS? Book an online parent consult here: drlaurenbaker.clientsecure.me/request/service
My baby is almost 6.5 months. She rolled back to belly on her right side when she was 4.5. She’s still figuring out the other side (doctor said no tightness in her neck and she looks like she has good chest strength) she also hasn’t done belly to back yet. She doesn’t like to put her arms under her, she keeps them out to the sides and tries to roll with her hips but gets blocked by her arms. How do you help this?
Hi Kay. Thank you so much for your comment, March has been busier than I anticipated so I apologize this response is a bit later than I wouldve liked. The most comprehensive resource is my book 📚 Tummy Time & Learning to Roll - amzn.to/3u2NKqk (affiliate). It will have the answers to ALL of the questions you asked including checklists on narrowing down what is blocking your child from rolling fluidly. Often it is specific areas of strength, coordination assistance because rolling is pretty complex or mobility restrictions in the trunk. The book has rolling in both directions. Please email info@drlaurenbaker.com if you are located in a country where the book is not available via amazon. The biggest this is its much easier to work on rolling than it is crawling and crawling is highly connected to rolling because they are movements in the same plane of motion (rotation). My recommendation would be to work through the book and find a pediatric physio or physical therapist in your area if rolling is still a struggle since your little is about seven months right now. I hope this is helpful. If youd like more in depth assistance an online parent consultation can be scheduled here at anytime: drlaurenbaker.clientsecure.me/request/service
Thanks, I’ll try this out with my boy My boy gets annoyed at night if he rolls onto his front and can’t get back to his being on his back, Hopefully once he masters it he will sleep even better
OH MAN, that is rough for both of you! I hope this video helps. Since your babe is right in the middle of rolling he'd be perfect for the tummy time & learning to roll online course here (it's totally free), that way you can make sure that nothing else is keeping him from mastering rolling belly to back in all hours of the day! drlaurenbaker.com/courses
Hi Dr. Lauren. My baby is 4 months 5 days old (adjusted age 3 months 18 days, born at 37 weeks 4 days). He was born with symptomatic congenital Cytomegalovirus. He is not rolling over yet. He is grabbing his feet and rolls to his side sometimes while on his back. He hates tummy time and goes into swimming position during it instead of having arms tucked. He does have a head lag but his head/neck control is good in tummy time and when I'm holding him upright. I think his problem is with low tone in arms/forearms and weight bearing on the same. He has trouble bringing hands together while supine as well. He's in OT. Can you advice any exercises for strengthening arms?
Hi Muniba, thanks so much for the comment. I am so glad that your baby is in OT and receiving services to help him thrive, especially at such a proactive age, so proud of you for being proactive. Always use his adjusted age when looking at movement milestones (& other milestones) until the age of 2, because that will be the most accurate look at whether there should be cause for concern or focusing on proactive play, etc. For rolling, while it is a little early to be considered behind (want rolling by 6 months) babies who struggle with tummy time and pushing through their shoulders/arms are at risk for struggling with rolling because they are interconnected. There could be multiple reasons why tummy time is a struggle (including low tone which you mentioned as a possible factor). The others to look at are making sure the baby is being placed in back play, tummy time play, and sidelying play on both sides so that they have the opportunity to strengthen all sides of their body. Another factor is mobility/flexibility, often babies who struggle with tummy time have tightness in their little bodies, especially the muscles on the front of the neck. My newest book: Tummy Time and Learning to Roll amzn.to/3Qhj3Fc (affiliate link)... is the perfect resource for the season that you are in and can help you determine if your baby has mastered all the building blocks for rolling (or if there are any you want to focus more on to build up), make sure that mobility is fluid in all directions (front of the neck, trunk in rotation and sidebending) and lots of exercises and play positions. If you are in a country where the book is not available (it is in most where Amazon prints!) please send me an email and I can further assist with some more exercise ideas, but the book does come with a free video course and will walk you through everything I do with babies to help them be ready to roll! Hope this is helpful
If a 4 month old hates tummy time usually it is due to a mobility restriction or strength concern (most of the time it can also be both because they go hand in hand). My book 📚 Tummy Time & Learning to Roll - amzn.to/3u2NKqk (affiliate) will go through all the ways to trouble shoot tummy time and prepare for rolling and also have a checklist to help you figure out what might be the biggest block. Tummy time requires a lot of mobility through the chest, neck, and arms so if there is tightness then it can be really frustrating because babies have to essentially fight against that while gravity is trying to smash their face into the ground. Not always the most fun. Usually body tension and tightness is the main cause of tummy time troubles if strength is not a concern (they can lift their head to 90 degrees and push through both elbows to lift the chest off the ground) If you are in a location where the book is not available please email me for a resource info@drlaurenbaker.com ❤️ You can also always reach out to a pediatric PT in your area for a more individualized session and that can be incredibly helpful. I do online parent consultations which can be booked here too: drlaurenbaker.clientsecure.me/request/service Good luck!!
Hi Catherine! Thank you so much for the comment, I apologize it has taken me longer than I would've liked to respond, so I hope this is still helpful. Babies who roll early (less than 4 months) typically roll due to tightness in their bodies. They're essentially using the tightness to move instead of using a more flexible motion of their joints, muscles turning on/off, and planning movements to roll. So typically the first thing I ask families who have littles who roll early (less than 4 months) is if they also had any struggles with feeding. Here is a blog post with a little more information: drlaurenbaker.com/blog/what-parents-want-to-know-about-tongue-ties-and-lip-ties -- it talks about tension in the specific lens of ties (tethered oral tissues) which can be occuring under the surface when a baby has body tension. Babies can also have body tension without ties. If a baby has no issues with feeding and it doesn't seem like they have any other signs of body tension (head is in neutral, no rotation preference in their neck, no head tilt to one side, no head flatness) then I encourage them to work proactively on pre-rolling skills just to make sure there is no underlying trunk tension that might make rotation difficult (needed for rolling), but otherwise don't want them to worry, just monitor with an educated eye. For proactive parents in this situation, I would highly recommend my book Tummy Time and Learning to Roll - drlaurenbaker.com/tummy-time-and-learning-to-roll-book which can make sure that the baby has good mobility, strength, and is using the four play positions to be in a solid place for rolling. Parents can also use the free checklists here: Tummy Time Checklist - drlaurenbaker.com/blog/tummy-time-checklist Rolling Checklist - drlaurenbaker.com/blog/learning-to-roll-checklist If you have additional questions, you can schedule a 1:1 online parent consultation, all consultations are 60 minutes via video on a secure platform and can be scheduled here at anytime: drlaurenbaker.clientsecure.me/request/service I hope this helps! Lauren
My baby knows how to do this. Has done it like a handful of times. And can roll to stomach TONS. However he will still superman on his stomach as if he forgets he can turn over. Especially at night! Is it just that he’s not remembering? He doesn’t have torticolis
Hi Catherine! Yes, so depending on the babies age the Landau reflex is likely causing the arms back motion (it can also look like the baby is swimming by lifting up their arms). Its a really GOOD reflex to help babies develop further but can have unintentional consequences such as making your baby mad in the middle of the night, thus impacting sleep, and often waking moms and dads up too! If there are no other concerns with rolling then the exercise you commented on and this exercise the baby tornado can help break up that patterning and struggle: th-cam.com/video/LNWXF5QhXm8/w-d-xo.htmlsi=W3O8rdQzL7LAa-3r If you do notice other difficulties with rolling, sometimes body tension can creep up as babies develop and impact milestones that babies have already done but then stop doing because the tension is limiting their movement. If that happens to be the case my book 📚 Tummy Time & Learning to Roll - amzn.to/3u2NKqk (affiliate) can be a really helpful resource to trouble shoot what is holding them up and comes with a free video course that can help you see how everything fits together. Good luck and hopefully these tricks work!
When I rotate my 4.5 month old to his tummy he doesn't put his arms in front always at the side. If I help bring them forward he puts them right back to his sides and if I try to support him with them in front he gets upset. If I'm nursing him on the couch in a reclined position he is essentially on his tummy and will take breaks and use his arms to help look up and around but his arms are still a bit out to the side and not under his shoulders.
Hi Samantha! I just responded to your other comment but will make sure to address these specific concerns here: it sounds like your baby has signs of body tension/tightness likely located in his trunk, arms, and potentially front of the neck. All of these muscles need to elongate in order to be able to tolerate tummy time fully. Placing a small towel roll (hand towel size or receiving blanket size) under his armpits can help keep his shoulders in a better position, however, if he has a lot of tightness then that can still make it difficult. My recommendation would be to have a pediatric PT or OT assess for body tension as well as ruling out of posterior tongue ties (both of these can impact movement as well as feeding, sleeping, airway development, etc since the fascia lines go from the tongue to the toes). My newest book - Tummy Time & Learning to Roll - amzn.to/3u2NKqk (affiliate link) will help guide through all the movement screens that I do with littles including looking at arm mobility and trunk motion side to side and whether it rotates fully to each side equally. If you have more questions on this you can also book an online parent consultation and I can walk you through how to screen for tightness as well: drlaurenbaker.clientsecure.me/request/service Good luck!
My baby hates tummy time.She is 5 months old.she has not rolled over yet.If I offer her tummy time he lies with chest and do not use hands to support and lie down on her side.what can i do
Hi Hana, thank you so much for your comment. Thanks for being patient with me as this month it is taking me longer to get back to comments than usual. For tummy time there are multiple factors that could be impacting tolerance and ability to push through elbows which sounds like a struggle. My book 📚 Tummy Time & Learning to Roll - amzn.to/3u2NKqk (affiliate) is going to be the most comprehensive resource that I have along with the free video course. The areas you are going to want to look at are: neck mobility especially the front of the neck, arm mobility, and then the other play position that is often skipped or not told to parents: sidelying play. My favorite exercises to help tummy time are elevation of the shoulders above the hips (ideas of positions located in the book), placing a small towel under armpits with elbows in front to help make the position easier but keep pressure through the elbows, or placing the child on a couch or bed facing you while you block their elbows and give support at the elbows to lift their chest for 2-5 minutes. All of these ideas have pictures and descriptions in the book. If you live in a country without access to amazon please email me info@drlaurenbaker.com. Basically, tightness in the front of the neck and arms can make tummy time too difficult that babies give up by resting their head on the floor if they have to both use their muscles to fight tightness AND gravity at the same time. If baby is able to push through elbows for five minutes and lift head to 90 degrees this exercise is great for belly to back rolling. Please let me know if you have more questions! Lauren
Hi Karen! She is between 5-7 months likely right around 6 months when this was filmed. I dont have the exact date but this is helpful to make future notes for. Typically a babe would be appropriate to work on this exercise in the 5-7 month range, after being able to put weight through their elbows and bring their head into extension to 90 degrees. Hopefully this helps! If you have more questions don’t hesitate to comment again!
Hi Kristen! I usually tell my families to work to a babies tolerance but focus on completing an exercise like this for 2-5 min total 1-2x per day. Each arm might be okay for 10 seconds at a time before they get tired or up to 1+ min and then switch. Its okay to allow it be a little natural or do it for 30”-1 min each arm throughout the day. Hope this is helpful! Lauren
What about when baby mostly uses hands to get up in stead of elbows? And most of the time when she's on her belly, arms are to the side and up. 7mo and she has a very strong neck and back (liftet head the day she was born), and very strong balance. She's turned to her back maybe 2 times both on "accident". And if I try to push/help her roll, her balance fights against me. Meaning she will either flop back to her belly if I let go, or I have to push aaall the way around until she is on her back ...
Hi Nyoka! Thanks for the comment. Based on the information that you shared, there is a possibility that there is some underlying tightness preventing her from rolling. Often when babies present with excellent strength early on its because they are relying on tightness/tension to hold themselves in certain positions against gravity vs true dynamic, can move through a range muscle strength. This might be why you saw a few rolls but nothing consistent, because while tension can hold you in one place it can also limit fluid movement like rolling. The best resource would be my book 📚 Tummy Time & Learning to Roll - amzn.to/3u2NKqk (affiliate) because it goes through how to look at mobility especially rotation and is the most comprehensive resource I have for parents. At seven months and not rolling I would also recommend reaching out to a pediatric physical therapist if you have one in your area because they can help you figure out what her biggest blocks are as far as mobility goes, especially if you are not seeing quick improvement with the book (or ideally PT + book is what I would recommend). Answers to your other question: pushing onto hands to lift the chest is awesome and is normal at 5+ months which I believe is what you are talking about when you say she uses her hands to get up (please let me know if that isn’t quite right!). Pushing through extended elbows (hands flat on the ground) helps babies build arm and hand strength so they are well prepared for crawling. If you are not able to grab the book because amazon isnt in your country please email info@drlaurenbaker.com so I can still share a resource, but truthfully the book will be the most comprehensive option! I just know amazon is not available everywhere!
Hi Fizzagul7412, thanks so much for the comment. Reaching for toys on their tummy is going to be much harder than reaching for toys on their side or their back, so I would start on the back/both sides. I love using the hand under hand technique where you place their cute little baby arm in your open palm and gently guide them to a toy that they can bat or try to grasp. We want babies to shift their weight into their elbow while in tummy time to learn to roll belly to back a little closer to 4-5 months, although some babies to roll belly to back closer to three months (& that is ok!). If your baby is able to hold themselves in tummy time, keeping their elbows on the ground and head up to 90 degrees (straight up and down) and look in both directions to the left and right, then you can absolutely start working on this skill with them. Once they build the strength with your help, you will likely start to see them do it on their own. Here is my most complete guide (the book I just released to amazon) on all things tummy time, proactive play, and rolling (both back to belly and belly to back): amzn.to/3QHePrK (affiliate link) that will help you have the most complete information as well as access to a free video course and 240+ color photos of all fun exercises that can be done to make sure babies are on the right track! Hopefully this is helpful & good luck!
Everything I know about Tummy Time & Rolling I wrote in this book --> amzn.to/3Q8dg5U (affiliate link)
MORE QUESTIONS? Book an online parent consult here: drlaurenbaker.clientsecure.me/request/service
My baby is almost 6.5 months. She rolled back to belly on her right side when she was 4.5. She’s still figuring out the other side (doctor said no tightness in her neck and she looks like she has good chest strength) she also hasn’t done belly to back yet. She doesn’t like to put her arms under her, she keeps them out to the sides and tries to roll with her hips but gets blocked by her arms. How do you help this?
Hi Kay. Thank you so much for your comment, March has been busier than I anticipated so I apologize this response is a bit later than I wouldve liked.
The most comprehensive resource is my book 📚 Tummy Time & Learning to Roll - amzn.to/3u2NKqk (affiliate). It will have the answers to ALL of the questions you asked including checklists on narrowing down what is blocking your child from rolling fluidly. Often it is specific areas of strength, coordination assistance because rolling is pretty complex or mobility restrictions in the trunk. The book has rolling in both directions. Please email info@drlaurenbaker.com if you are located in a country where the book is not available via amazon.
The biggest this is its much easier to work on rolling than it is crawling and crawling is highly connected to rolling because they are movements in the same plane of motion (rotation). My recommendation would be to work through the book and find a pediatric physio or physical therapist in your area if rolling is still a struggle since your little is about seven months right now. I hope this is helpful.
If youd like more in depth assistance an online parent consultation can be scheduled here at anytime: drlaurenbaker.clientsecure.me/request/service
Thanks, I’ll try this out with my boy
My boy gets annoyed at night if he rolls onto his front and can’t get back to his being on his back, Hopefully once he masters it he will sleep even better
OH MAN, that is rough for both of you! I hope this video helps. Since your babe is right in the middle of rolling he'd be perfect for the tummy time & learning to roll online course here (it's totally free), that way you can make sure that nothing else is keeping him from mastering rolling belly to back in all hours of the day! drlaurenbaker.com/courses
@@DrLaurenBakerb
Hi Dr. Lauren. My baby is 4 months 5 days old (adjusted age 3 months 18 days, born at 37 weeks 4 days). He was born with symptomatic congenital Cytomegalovirus. He is not rolling over yet. He is grabbing his feet and rolls to his side sometimes while on his back. He hates tummy time and goes into swimming position during it instead of having arms tucked. He does have a head lag but his head/neck control is good in tummy time and when I'm holding him upright. I think his problem is with low tone in arms/forearms and weight bearing on the same. He has trouble bringing hands together while supine as well. He's in OT. Can you advice any exercises for strengthening arms?
Hi Muniba, thanks so much for the comment. I am so glad that your baby is in OT and receiving services to help him thrive, especially at such a proactive age, so proud of you for being proactive. Always use his adjusted age when looking at movement milestones (& other milestones) until the age of 2, because that will be the most accurate look at whether there should be cause for concern or focusing on proactive play, etc. For rolling, while it is a little early to be considered behind (want rolling by 6 months) babies who struggle with tummy time and pushing through their shoulders/arms are at risk for struggling with rolling because they are interconnected. There could be multiple reasons why tummy time is a struggle (including low tone which you mentioned as a possible factor). The others to look at are making sure the baby is being placed in back play, tummy time play, and sidelying play on both sides so that they have the opportunity to strengthen all sides of their body. Another factor is mobility/flexibility, often babies who struggle with tummy time have tightness in their little bodies, especially the muscles on the front of the neck. My newest book: Tummy Time and Learning to Roll amzn.to/3Qhj3Fc (affiliate link)... is the perfect resource for the season that you are in and can help you determine if your baby has mastered all the building blocks for rolling (or if there are any you want to focus more on to build up), make sure that mobility is fluid in all directions (front of the neck, trunk in rotation and sidebending) and lots of exercises and play positions. If you are in a country where the book is not available (it is in most where Amazon prints!) please send me an email and I can further assist with some more exercise ideas, but the book does come with a free video course and will walk you through everything I do with babies to help them be ready to roll! Hope this is helpful
What if my 4 month old still hates tummy time? Arms usually stay by his side flailing around.
If a 4 month old hates tummy time usually it is due to a mobility restriction or strength concern (most of the time it can also be both because they go hand in hand).
My book 📚 Tummy Time & Learning to Roll - amzn.to/3u2NKqk (affiliate) will go through all the ways to trouble shoot tummy time and prepare for rolling and also have a checklist to help you figure out what might be the biggest block.
Tummy time requires a lot of mobility through the chest, neck, and arms so if there is tightness then it can be really frustrating because babies have to essentially fight against that while gravity is trying to smash their face into the ground. Not always the most fun. Usually body tension and tightness is the main cause of tummy time troubles if strength is not a concern (they can lift their head to 90 degrees and push through both elbows to lift the chest off the ground)
If you are in a location where the book is not available please email me for a resource info@drlaurenbaker.com ❤️
You can also always reach out to a pediatric PT in your area for a more individualized session and that can be incredibly helpful. I do online parent consultations which can be booked here too: drlaurenbaker.clientsecure.me/request/service
Good luck!!
My baby rolled belly to back at 2 months old frequently. Now he’s 3 1/2 months and I haven’t seen him roll in a long time. Is that normal?
Hi Catherine! Thank you so much for the comment, I apologize it has taken me longer than I would've liked to respond, so I hope this is still helpful.
Babies who roll early (less than 4 months) typically roll due to tightness in their bodies. They're essentially using the tightness to move instead of using a more flexible motion of their joints, muscles turning on/off, and planning movements to roll. So typically the first thing I ask families who have littles who roll early (less than 4 months) is if they also had any struggles with feeding.
Here is a blog post with a little more information: drlaurenbaker.com/blog/what-parents-want-to-know-about-tongue-ties-and-lip-ties -- it talks about tension in the specific lens of ties (tethered oral tissues) which can be occuring under the surface when a baby has body tension.
Babies can also have body tension without ties. If a baby has no issues with feeding and it doesn't seem like they have any other signs of body tension (head is in neutral, no rotation preference in their neck, no head tilt to one side, no head flatness) then I encourage them to work proactively on pre-rolling skills just to make sure there is no underlying trunk tension that might make rotation difficult (needed for rolling), but otherwise don't want them to worry, just monitor with an educated eye.
For proactive parents in this situation, I would highly recommend my book Tummy Time and Learning to Roll - drlaurenbaker.com/tummy-time-and-learning-to-roll-book which can make sure that the baby has good mobility, strength, and is using the four play positions to be in a solid place for rolling.
Parents can also use the free checklists here:
Tummy Time Checklist - drlaurenbaker.com/blog/tummy-time-checklist
Rolling Checklist - drlaurenbaker.com/blog/learning-to-roll-checklist
If you have additional questions, you can schedule a 1:1 online parent consultation, all consultations are 60 minutes via video on a secure platform and can be scheduled here at anytime: drlaurenbaker.clientsecure.me/request/service
I hope this helps! Lauren
My baby knows how to do this. Has done it like a handful of times. And can roll to stomach TONS. However he will still superman on his stomach as if he forgets he can turn over. Especially at night! Is it just that he’s not remembering? He doesn’t have torticolis
Hi Catherine! Yes, so depending on the babies age the Landau reflex is likely causing the arms back motion (it can also look like the baby is swimming by lifting up their arms). Its a really GOOD reflex to help babies develop further but can have unintentional consequences such as making your baby mad in the middle of the night, thus impacting sleep, and often waking moms and dads up too!
If there are no other concerns with rolling then the exercise you commented on and this exercise the baby tornado can help break up that patterning and struggle: th-cam.com/video/LNWXF5QhXm8/w-d-xo.htmlsi=W3O8rdQzL7LAa-3r
If you do notice other difficulties with rolling, sometimes body tension can creep up as babies develop and impact milestones that babies have already done but then stop doing because the tension is limiting their movement. If that happens to be the case my book 📚 Tummy Time & Learning to Roll - amzn.to/3u2NKqk (affiliate) can be a really helpful resource to trouble shoot what is holding them up and comes with a free video course that can help you see how everything fits together.
Good luck and hopefully these tricks work!
When I rotate my 4.5 month old to his tummy he doesn't put his arms in front always at the side. If I help bring them forward he puts them right back to his sides and if I try to support him with them in front he gets upset. If I'm nursing him on the couch in a reclined position he is essentially on his tummy and will take breaks and use his arms to help look up and around but his arms are still a bit out to the side and not under his shoulders.
Hi Samantha! I just responded to your other comment but will make sure to address these specific concerns here: it sounds like your baby has signs of body tension/tightness likely located in his trunk, arms, and potentially front of the neck. All of these muscles need to elongate in order to be able to tolerate tummy time fully.
Placing a small towel roll (hand towel size or receiving blanket size) under his armpits can help keep his shoulders in a better position, however, if he has a lot of tightness then that can still make it difficult. My recommendation would be to have a pediatric PT or OT assess for body tension as well as ruling out of posterior tongue ties (both of these can impact movement as well as feeding, sleeping, airway development, etc since the fascia lines go from the tongue to the toes).
My newest book - Tummy Time & Learning to Roll - amzn.to/3u2NKqk (affiliate link) will help guide through all the movement screens that I do with littles including looking at arm mobility and trunk motion side to side and whether it rotates fully to each side equally. If you have more questions on this you can also book an online parent consultation and I can walk you through how to screen for tightness as well: drlaurenbaker.clientsecure.me/request/service
Good luck!
My baby hates tummy time.She is 5 months old.she has not rolled over yet.If I offer her tummy time he lies with chest and do not use hands to support and lie down on her side.what can i do
Hi Hana, thank you so much for your comment. Thanks for being patient with me as this month it is taking me longer to get back to comments than usual.
For tummy time there are multiple factors that could be impacting tolerance and ability to push through elbows which sounds like a struggle. My book 📚 Tummy Time & Learning to Roll - amzn.to/3u2NKqk (affiliate) is going to be the most comprehensive resource that I have along with the free video course.
The areas you are going to want to look at are: neck mobility especially the front of the neck, arm mobility, and then the other play position that is often skipped or not told to parents: sidelying play.
My favorite exercises to help tummy time are elevation of the shoulders above the hips (ideas of positions located in the book), placing a small towel under armpits with elbows in front to help make the position easier but keep pressure through the elbows, or placing the child on a couch or bed facing you while you block their elbows and give support at the elbows to lift their chest for 2-5 minutes. All of these ideas have pictures and descriptions in the book. If you live in a country without access to amazon please email me info@drlaurenbaker.com.
Basically, tightness in the front of the neck and arms can make tummy time too difficult that babies give up by resting their head on the floor if they have to both use their muscles to fight tightness AND gravity at the same time.
If baby is able to push through elbows for five minutes and lift head to 90 degrees this exercise is great for belly to back rolling. Please let me know if you have more questions! Lauren
How many months is she?
Hi Karen! She is between 5-7 months likely right around 6 months when this was filmed. I dont have the exact date but this is helpful to make future notes for.
Typically a babe would be appropriate to work on this exercise in the 5-7 month range, after being able to put weight through their elbows and bring their head into extension to 90 degrees. Hopefully this helps! If you have more questions don’t hesitate to comment again!
How often do you repeat the exercise per arm?
Hi Kristen! I usually tell my families to work to a babies tolerance but focus on completing an exercise like this for 2-5 min total 1-2x per day. Each arm might be okay for 10 seconds at a time before they get tired or up to 1+ min and then switch. Its okay to allow it be a little natural or do it for 30”-1 min each arm throughout the day. Hope this is helpful! Lauren
What about when baby mostly uses hands to get up in stead of elbows? And most of the time when she's on her belly, arms are to the side and up.
7mo and she has a very strong neck and back (liftet head the day she was born), and very strong balance. She's turned to her back maybe 2 times both on "accident". And if I try to push/help her roll, her balance fights against me. Meaning she will either flop back to her belly if I let go, or I have to push aaall the way around until she is on her back ...
Hi Nyoka! Thanks for the comment. Based on the information that you shared, there is a possibility that there is some underlying tightness preventing her from rolling. Often when babies present with excellent strength early on its because they are relying on tightness/tension to hold themselves in certain positions against gravity vs true dynamic, can move through a range muscle strength. This might be why you saw a few rolls but nothing consistent, because while tension can hold you in one place it can also limit fluid movement like rolling.
The best resource would be my book 📚 Tummy Time & Learning to Roll - amzn.to/3u2NKqk (affiliate) because it goes through how to look at mobility especially rotation and is the most comprehensive resource I have for parents. At seven months and not rolling I would also recommend reaching out to a pediatric physical therapist if you have one in your area because they can help you figure out what her biggest blocks are as far as mobility goes, especially if you are not seeing quick improvement with the book (or ideally PT + book is what I would recommend).
Answers to your other question: pushing onto hands to lift the chest is awesome and is normal at 5+ months which I believe is what you are talking about when you say she uses her hands to get up (please let me know if that isn’t quite right!). Pushing through extended elbows (hands flat on the ground) helps babies build arm and hand strength so they are well prepared for crawling.
If you are not able to grab the book because amazon isnt in your country please email info@drlaurenbaker.com so I can still share a resource, but truthfully the book will be the most comprehensive option! I just know amazon is not available everywhere!
What if my 3m old doesnt even try reaching for toys
Hi Fizzagul7412, thanks so much for the comment. Reaching for toys on their tummy is going to be much harder than reaching for toys on their side or their back, so I would start on the back/both sides. I love using the hand under hand technique where you place their cute little baby arm in your open palm and gently guide them to a toy that they can bat or try to grasp. We want babies to shift their weight into their elbow while in tummy time to learn to roll belly to back a little closer to 4-5 months, although some babies to roll belly to back closer to three months (& that is ok!). If your baby is able to hold themselves in tummy time, keeping their elbows on the ground and head up to 90 degrees (straight up and down) and look in both directions to the left and right, then you can absolutely start working on this skill with them. Once they build the strength with your help, you will likely start to see them do it on their own. Here is my most complete guide (the book I just released to amazon) on all things tummy time, proactive play, and rolling (both back to belly and belly to back): amzn.to/3QHePrK (affiliate link) that will help you have the most complete information as well as access to a free video course and 240+ color photos of all fun exercises that can be done to make sure babies are on the right track! Hopefully this is helpful & good luck!