Infantreflux.org | 4 month visit...and concerns..

This topic has 9 replies, 1 voice, and was last updated 19 years, 5 months ago by Anonymous.

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April 3, 2007 at 1:07 pm #29402

Anonymous
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Hello all! Sadie just had her 4 month check, and all is going pretty well except for her “Development” of her neck/head control- She is growing and gaining weight fine, but at 17 weeks the doctor said she should have better head control, and be able to pick up her head/chest off the ground,etc. Well, she HATES tummy time, and I assume this is the case with most refluxers? We never lie her flat because of the reflux, and when we try to force the tummy time, she just screams and rolls over-

I don’t want her to have to have physical therapy, so does anyone out there have any experience with this? How do I “force” tummy time? I feel like I am hurting her when I just let her lay there and scream, but I don’t know what else to do to help her strengthen her neck-

Any advice would be REALLY appreciated-

Oh, and by the way, Sadie was a month early, so I assume that puts her even more behind? her ped said “she is not premature” because she was born at 36 weeks, but from what I have read, you have to adjust their age don’t you?

help!!

April 3, 2007 at 1:25 pm #29406

Anonymous
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Avery,

I learned that putting babies on their tummies is actually good for refluxers. A Pediatric Occupational Therapist told me that elongating the GI tract helps stretch it out and therefore helps it develop. She told me that she even had her refluxer sleep on his tummy to develop quicker. Now I don’t recommend that but I would try to get Sadie on her tummy even if it upsets her. 30min/day is what’s recommended. Maybe you could try flying her around the room on her tummy, supported by your arms? Just a thought.

April 3, 2007 at 1:38 pm #29409

Anonymous
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Myles hated tummy time as well and his develpment was delayed because of it. He did catch up and he never needed any physical therapy. But I think his head control was normal at 4 months. He was delayed with crawling, transitioning, walking….those kinds of things.

One thing that helped a little bit with Myles was propping him up on a boppy pillow on his tummy instead of flat on the ground. He still did not like it but he tolerated it for longer periods than being flat on the ground. Also he would lay on his tummy for longer periods on an elevated surface like his changing table, so I’d often put him on his tummy for a few minutes after chaning his diaper.

I do think the tummy time is very important so do try to get her on her tummy as much as you can. Even a few minutes at time is better than none.

April 3, 2007 at 1:43 pm #29410

Anonymous
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Hailey HATED tummy time, but we did little amounts as much as we could.

One thing that makes tummy time a bit easier is to put a rolled up towel under the armpits or to use a bollster to prop them up. Then engage them with toys, interaction while they’re on their tummies. Use short frequent sessions, starting with what she’ll tolerate then increase it gradually. Another good way to get tummy time in, is to drape her over one of your legs, and then put toys there and play with her, or spread your legs like a V and put her in between propped up on your groin and interact with her that way. Hailey used to like it when I put her on my tummy (while I was on my back) and then would say “where’s Hailey” and pick up my head and play peekaboo. Sometimes she’d do it too.

April 3, 2007 at 1:46 pm #29412

Anonymous
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What we did with Bryce is we did his tummy time when his tummy was the emptiest – like right before we fed him. We also laid him over a boppy pillow sometimes and that did help him strengthen his neck muscles. Honestly, none of my kids liked tummy time until they could hold their head up pretty well.

April 3, 2007 at 1:58 pm #29418

hellbennt
Keymaster

my answer everything is babywearing

but really, I posted about this over at http://www.thebabywearer.com/forum once (there was a thread about this that I started)- how if you wear your baby in a carrier (not a bjorn or snugglie but these might work as well?), then s/he has to help hold her/his head up more than just sitting somewhere like a swing or bouncey seat- with a ring sling, pouch, wrap and even Mei Tai, baby sits/is upright but doesn’t have too much head support- there can be fabric pulled up around baby’s head for support, but I really think baby then also needs to ‘work’ to keep head upright as well…

just another thought…

HTH

~laura

ps: from ‘babywearing condensed’ there are links to photos of the various slings/carriers & perhaps from there you can see an example of what I’m trying to describe?

April 3, 2007 at 2:10 pm #29421

Anonymous
Inactive

Brianna always would spit up at tummy time, and before I knew she had reflux, I never knew why. So she probably didn’t really get the 30 min she needed…but she did start stomach sleeping around 3-4 months (I know, not what is recommended, so I am not recommending it either, just telling you what happened with us) She wasn’t ever really delayed, but I will say that I did use the Bjorn ALL the time. She hated the carseat/stroller thing, so we would walk all the time in the bjorn. Maybe that is what helped her? (I never thought about it until what Laura said)

I think I did read somewhere that you do have to adjust for age when a baby is born early, so that could be part of it too. Just do the best you can with tummy time…I bet you will see improvement over these next few weeks.

April 3, 2007 at 2:16 pm #29424

Anonymous
Inactive

Thanks everyone- You all gave me some great ideas, like propping up her boppy, putting her on my tummy, and the carrier- I didn’t even think about that- I have one that I used to use when her reflux was not under control, but I didn’t think to get it back out to start using it for other purposes- I will try that too!

I guess it’s like everything else we’ve been through in that it’s something she has to get used to, and I have to be consistent…I just hate seeing her cry like that- If it’s not one thing to worry about, it’s another!

Thanks again!

April 3, 2007 at 8:49 pm #29445

Anonymous
Inactive

Everyone has given great ideas. A little bub in my mother’s group didn’t lift his head from the floor until about 6 months…but…no one was worried because when carried upright he had great head control. Just wondering if your little on has OK head control when held upright?

Also full term is 37 weeks…so you are right…your baby is a prem and adjusted/corrected age should be used. Alana was born a day shy of 35 weeks. Whilst she is not as “delayed” as a 30 weeker…she still needs a couple of extra weeks to do things.

Just my two bobs worth

April 4, 2007 at 11:57 am #29497

Anonymous
Inactive

Thanks Therese- Actually, she will pick up her head if you have her on your chest- Last night we were laying on the couch, with her on my chest, and she kept picking up her head and looking around to watch our cats- She kept it up for at least a few minutes straight, and can look from left to right, etc. So, maybe it’s not as bad as I thought? She still wobbles around if you are standing up holding her, but, it seems that, given the proper support, she can do it in certain situations-

My husband and I are going to make sure she gets 30 minutes of tummy time a day- even if it’s on our tummies, or on our legs, etc- I think the difference, for her, is that she does well with her hands in front of her, to help her prop herself, but if her arms are too far out at the sides, she just can’t do it yet- And, I think she cries because she is frustrated- You can tell she is trying so hard, and then gets mad-

SAdie is the same way with regards to taking a few extra weeks to do things too- Just when I start to worry, she will start to do what “she is supposed to”, just on her own terms…I think that is her personality
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