Once your baby has strengthened their neck and arm muscles enough to hold themselves upright and has learned where to place their legs to avoid tripping, it’s just a matter of time before they start crawling, pulling up, and walking.
When does it start?
Your baby will likely start sitting up on their own between 4 and 7 months. This is also the time they will learn to roll over while lying on the floor and to hold their head up steadily. By about 8 months, 90 percent of babies can sit well without support for several minutes. (Even babies who master sitting will sometimes slump over, usually because they lose interest in staying upright.)
It’s true you can place and support your baby in a sitting position almost from day one. But they won’t really sit on their own until they have head control. Around 4 months, neck and head muscles strengthen quickly, and the baby uses them to lift and hold their head up while lying on their belly. Next, they’ll learn to support themselves on their arms and lift their chest off the floor, like a mini push-up. By 5 months, they might be able to sit for a short time on their own, though it’s good for you to stay close to help; surrounding them with pillows can cushion any falls.
Soon your baby will learn to keep balance while sitting by reaching forward with one or both arms and supporting themselves. By 7 months, they’ll probably be able to sit unsupported (freeing their hands to explore) and will learn to turn to reach objects while seated. By this time, they might already use their arms to push themselves up from their belly to sit. By 8 months, they’ll most likely sit perfectly without support.
You can imagine what comes next: once your baby learns to push forward from sitting and balance on hands and knees, they can start moving forward (or backward) on “all fours” from 6 or 7 months, and crawling by 10 months. At this age, your child will have lots of mobility and curiosity, so it’s very important to baby-proof your home. Many pediatricians recommend waiting until the baby can sit without much support before starting solid foods.
The role of parents
Lifting your baby’s head and chest helps strengthen their neck muscles and develop the head control needed to sit. You can encourage this by letting them play on their tummy and calling them to look up. You can also show a noisy toy or mirror while they are on their belly to encourage head lifting; these objects also help check that their hearing and sight are developing well. Once your baby feels comfortable and confident sitting, place toys and other objects just out of reach nearby to focus their attention as they learn to balance with arm support.
As always, especially while they learn to sit, make sure to stay close in case they fall or want to show you their new skills.
Small concerns
If you notice your baby can’t hold their head up by 6 months or hasn’t learned to support themselves on their arms, talk to your pediatrician at the next visit. Babies develop at their own pace, some faster than others, but head control is essential for independent sitting. Sitting is fundamental for learning to crawl, pull up, and walk. Keep in mind that premature babies may reach these developmental milestones months later than full-term babies.
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