Tummy time

[Gaffer]

Ive seen both, and I dont think its from tummy time or not, I thinks its just the way you are. Certain nationalities have certain shaped heads I think. seen lots of people with a head that just turns into a neck

Have you seen a baby with severe Plagiocephaly? If you have you would recognize that this is not a natural condition caused by nationality or genetic. It is a terrible condition, and not something I would wish upon anyone's children.

If it can be prevented by 15 minutes a day on thier tummy I think it is worth it. Besides, there are other benefits like allowing the baby to exercise different muscles.

Gaf

[paullyn59]

IMO, any baby that develops flat spots because of being on their back (not from any medical condition) has been neglected. How long are these babies on their backs instead of in their parents arms? And why wouldn't the parents and doctor notice before it needed correction? Just the natural nurturing of the baby should keep them safe from developing this. Even this "tummy time" is just a natural process of taking care of baby. It is not something that needs to be planned. It just naturally happens during normal interaction with the baby.

[numommie]

My 7-month-old son has a flat spot, and I don't think my husband and I neglected him! My son prefers to sleep with his head facing slightly to the right. I would turn his head to the left after he falls asleep and my son would still turn it to the right. My son has daily tummy time and is held in my arms often. Our doctor noticed his flat spot when my son was 2 months old. The doctor keeps encouraging more tummy time, but I can't help it if my son prefers to sleep in a certain position. I feel offended that you think his flat spot is a result of my neglect!

[paullyn59]

My 7-month-old son has a flat spot, and I don't think my husband and I neglected him! My son prefers to sleep with his head facing slightly to the right. I would turn his head to the left after he falls asleep and my son would still turn it to the right. My son has daily tummy time and is held in my arms often. Our doctor noticed his flat spot when my son was 2 months old. The doctor keeps encouraging more tummy time, but I can't help it if my son prefers to sleep in a certain position. I feel offended that you think his flat spot is a result of my neglect!

Maybe you could have tried propping him up so he slept on his side and alternating sides. He would have worked his way back to being on his back but at least he would have had less time that way.

Your saying that your Dr. is encouraging you, No! he's telling you to do something about it. "I can't help it if my son prefers to sleep in a certain position." That is a ridiculous thing to say, IMO. Yes, you can do something about your son preferring to sleep in a certain position. Are you getting up at night and changing his position? Are you giving him extra tummy time during the day like your Dr. recommends? Inconvenient and tiring, yes but anything less is neglectful. Is this not better than the pain and stress he may have to go through in the future to correct his flat head if it becomes necessary?

[getmail99]

If there is study showing tummy time really helps or prevents flat head, then go ahead. If it is just for "baby development", I will just skip it.

I agree this article, "Babyhood is not a race".
http://www.parenting.com/parenting/b...646777,00.html

The question is, do doctors exactly know the source of flat head? If they don't know, as numommie tried, does tummy time really help or prevent flat head?

As pointed out by Spidey, "And all the kids that didnt have tummy time on the past 50 years, what happened to them?", they all have flat head?

[gemstone]

does tummy time really helps or can prevent flat head?

Has it been proven to lower SIDS?

[getmail99]

Has it been proven to lower SIDS?

"Do not sleep on tummy" proven to lower SIDs. Stupid idea to sleep on tummy in the first place.

Tummy time has nothing to do with lowering SIDs.

[canadiankorean]

Honestly I don't think tummy time prevents or helps reduce flat head.
My baby is on her back more than her tummy...
But overall she's in my arms or my wife's arms a lot too.

Tummy time is mainly for strengthening the neck muscles so the baby can hold his/her head up themselves without the parent having to hold the baby's head.

We started a little late.. maybe 6 weeks.
Our girl cried when going in tummy time in the 2nd week so we forgot to do it again until 6 weeks.

[gorf]

I didn't know having a child now could be so complicated. Tummy time? Flat head syndrome?? Geez, how can a parent keep up?

My kids slept on their sides when they were babies, mainly to prevent swallowing of spitup and choking. Is sleeping on their sides not recommended any more? The babes also rolled over, maybe around 3 months if I remember right. I don't ever recall the babies putting up a fuss when on their tummies, they just went with the flow.

So it seems that there's a relationship between not crawling and babies not spending enough time on their bellies. Do some babies no longer get on all fours and rock, and then before you know it, they're off to the races crawling all over the place? Usually around the 5-6 mth range?

I've never heard of babies having flat heads because of not being on their bellies. This thread has been quite the eye opener.